Local 1914-1918 War Memorial

The First World War, also referred to as the Great War, unfolded between 1914 and 1918. This immense global struggle pitted the Allied nations against the Central Powers across numerous theatres, including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and parts of Asia and the Pacific. The conflict was marked by significant advancements in military technology, introducing innovations such as tanks, aircraft, and chemical weapons, and tragically became one of history's most lethal events.

The war's origins were complex, involving the shifting European balance of power, intensified imperial competition, and an ongoing arms race. Tensions reached a critical point with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, leading to Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia. The subsequent mobilisation of Russia, and Germany's declarations of war on Russia and France, alongside the United Kingdom's entry following Germany's invasion of Belgium, escalated the conflict into a global confrontation.