First World War in FocusThe Germans agree an armistice with Bolshevik Russia.
Battle of Jaffa
British Empire forces are victorious over the Ottomans at the Battle of Jaffa in Palestine.
United States declares war on Austria-Hungary
Battle of Cambrai
After initial success, the British attack on German positions at Cambrai results in stalemate.
Battle of Jerusalem
British Empire forces launch a successful offensive against the Ottomans in Palestine, culminating in General Edmund Allenby’s entry into the city of Jerusalem.
Second Battle of Heligoland Bight
The Second Battle of Heligoland Bight, a naval engagement between Britain and Germany in the North Sea, ends in stalemate.
Battle of Mughar Ridge
British Empire troops are victorious over the Ottomans at the Battle of Mughar Ridge in Palestine.
Third Battle of Ypres ends
The Third Battle of Ypres (also known as Passchendaele) ends in stalemate.
First Battle of the Piave
The Austro-Hungarians and Germans fail to force a river crossing during the First Battle of the Piave against the Italians.
Diaz made Italian Commander-in-Chief
General Armando Diaz replaces General Luigi Cadorna as Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Army.
October Revolution
The Bolsheviks seize power in Russia during the October Revolution.
Allies establish Supreme War Council
The Allies agree to establish a Supreme War Council at Versailles.
Clemenceau appointed French Prime Minister
Georges Clemenceau replaces Paul Painlevé as French Prime Minister.
Third Battle of Gaza
The Allies break through the Ottoman lines at the Third Battle of Gaza in Palestine.
Battle of Beersheba
British and Australian troops enjoy further success over the Ottomans at the Battle of Beersheba in Palestine.
Orlando appointed Italian Prime Minister
Vittorio Emanuele Orlando succeeds Paolo Boselli as Italian Prime Minister.
Battle of El Buggar Ridge
British and Australian troops are victorious over the Ottomans at the Battle of El Buggar Ridge in Palestine.
Second Battle of Passchendaele
Part of the Third Battle of Ypres: The Second Battle of Passchendaele, the final phase of the Ypres operations, ends in deadlock.
Battle of Caporetto
The Austro-Hungarians and Germans defeat the Italians at the Battle of Caporetto (also known as the Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo).
Battle of Malmaison
A French success at the Battle of Malmaison captures much of the strategically important Chemin des Dames ridge.
Battle of Mahiwa
The Germans secure victory over British forces at the Battle of Mahiwa in German East Africa (now Tanzania).
First Battle of Passchendaele
Part of the Third Battle of Ypres: A British Empire and French attack at the First Battle of Passchendaele ends in a German defensive success.
Battle of Poelcappelle
Part of the Third Battle of Ypres: British, French and Australian assaults are repulsed by the Germans during the Battle of Poelcappelle.
Battle of Broodseinde
Part of the Third Battle of Ypres: British, Australian and New Zealand forces enjoy success at the Battle of Broodseinde.
Battle of Ramadi
British-Indian troops are victorious at the Battle of Ramadi in Mesopotamia (now Iraq).
Battle of Polygon Wood
Part of the Third Battle of Ypres: British and Australian troops secure limited gains during the Battle of Polygon Wood.
Battle of the Menin Road Ridge
Part of the Third Battle of Ypres: British forces enjoy success at the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge.
First use of mustard gas on the Western Front
The Germans use mustard gas against British troops for the first time during the Third Battle of Ypres.
Battle of Langemarck
Part of the Third Battle of Ypres: The British and French are repulsed during the Battle of Langemarck.
Battle of Hill 70
The Battle of Hill 70 near Lens sees limited Canadian success against the Germans.
First advanced plastic surgery
Petty Officer Walter Yeo, badly burned during the Battle of Jutland (1916) on HMS ‘Warspite’, becomes the first person to undergo advanced plastic surgery when he is treated by Sir Harold Gillies.
Battle of Pilckem Ridge
Part of the Third Battle of Ypres: A British attack is repulsed during the Battle of Pilckem Ridge.
Third Battle of Ypres begins
Allied forces launch an offensive in Belgium, but in appalling weather conditions the Third Battle of Ypres (also known as Passchendaele) soon becomes an attritional slogging match.
Tank Corps formed
The Tank Corps is formed to co-ordinate the growing use of tanks in the British Army.
Royal Family changes name
King George V changes the Royal Family’s name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to the less German-sounding Windsor.
Arab rebels take Aqaba
Arab rebels led by Colonel TE Lawrence (also known as Lawrence of Arabia) seize the Ottoman port of Aqaba.
Kerensky Offensive
The last Russian attack of the war, the Kerensky Offensive, is defeated by the Central Powers.
Pioneering facial injury hospital founded
The Queen’s Hospital in Sidcup, Kent is opened to specialise in the treatment of soldiers’ facial injuries.
First blood bank established on Western Front
US Army doctor, Captain Oswald Robertson, sets up the first blood bank on the Western Front.
First American troops land in France
British capture Messines Ridge
British, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand forces capture the Messines Ridge from the Germans.
Pétain appointed French Commander-in-Chief
General Philippe Pétain replaces General Robert Nivelle as Commander-in-Chief of the French Army.
Introduction of convoy system
The Royal Navy introduces the convoy system to protect shipping from German U-Boats.
Third Battle of the Scarpe
Part of the Battle of Arras: British attacks on German positions are repulsed at the Third Battle of the Scarpe.
Second Battle of Bullecourt
Part of the Battle of Arras: A British and Australian assault is repelled during the Second Battle of Bullecourt.
Mutinies in French Army
A series of mutinies weakens the French Army. From this point onwards the British Empire takes on a greater role in the fighting.
Battle of Arleux
Part of the Battle of Arras: The British and Canadians secure limited gains during the Battle of Arleux.
Second Battle of the Scarpe
Part of the Battle of Arras: British and Newfoundland troops launch an unsuccessful attack in the Second Battle of the Scarpe.
Second Battle of Doiran
The Second Battle of Doiran on the Salonika front ends in a Bulgarian victory over the Allies.
Second Battle of Gaza
The Ottomans resist another British attack at the Second Battle of Gaza in Palestine.
Second Battle of the Aisne
The Second Battle of the Aisne (or the Nivelle Offensive) ends in disaster for the French Army and its commander General Robert Nivelle.
Battle of Lagnicourt
Part of the Battle of Arras: The Germans mount a counter-offensive against Australian forces at the Battle of Lagnicourt.
First Battle of Bullecourt
Part of the Battle of Arras: A British and Australian attack is beaten off by the Germans at the First Battle of Bullecourt.
Battle of Vimy Ridge
Part of the Battle of Arras: The Canadians obtain a significant victory over the Germans in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. This engagement sees the first successful use by British Empire forces of flash-spotting and sound-ranging techniques to detect and suppress enemy batteries.
First Battle of the Scarpe
Part of the Battle of Arras: Despite heavy casualties at the hands of the Germans, British forces secure limited gains.
Battle of Arras
The Arras offensive sees British, Australian, Canadian, Newfoundland and New Zealand troops attack heavily fortified German lines without obtaining any strategic breakthrough.
United States of America declares war on Germany
Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps arrives on the Western Front
The first detachment of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) arrives on the Western Front, under the command of Assistant Controller Helen Gwynne Vaughan.
First Battle of Gaza
British and Australian troops are defeated by the Ottomans at the First Battle of Gaza in Palestine.
Tsar Nicholas II abdicates
The Russian Tsar Nicholas II abdicates. A provisional government is appointed.
Samarrah Offensive
The British mount a successful offensive against the Ottomans at Samarrah in Mesopotamia (now Iraq).
British take Baghdad
British-Indian forces capture Baghdad in Mesopotamia (now Iraq).
Straussenberg appointed Austro-Hungarian Chief of Staff
General Arz von Straussenberg replaces General Conrad von Hötzendorf as Austro-Hungarian Chief of Staff.
Germans retreat to Hindenburg Line
German forces on the Western Front withdraw to strongly defended positions along the Hindenburg Line.
Second Battle of Kut
British-Indian forces recapture the city of Kut in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) from the Ottomans.
Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare
Battle of Nahr-al-Kalek
The British enjoy success against the Ottomans at the Battle of Nahr-al-Kalek in Mesopotamia (now Iraq).
Battle of Rafa
The British drive the Ottomans out of Sinai following the Battle of Rafa.
Battles of the Isonzo
Fighting takes place between the Italians and Austro-Hungarians along the Isonzo (now the Soča) valley. A total of 12 battles are fought in this location, wearing down the armies of both nations over the following two years.
