On This Day in the Great War

Video and image blog posts relating to significant events and dates of the Great War. The origins of the Great War are complex. Presenting a chronology of the Great War on the Western Front would be a daunting task. Instead, CEFRG presents a random look at the Great War in these blog posts.

Battle of Liege

The first battle on the Western Front was the Battle of Liege which opened on 5 August 1914. Before the end of 1914, no less than 25 battles or actions on the Western Front. The battles also significant, including such battles as the Battle of Mons, the First Battle of the Marne, First Battle of Arras, and First Battle of Ypres.

Battle of Neuve-Chapelle

Canada’s first action came at the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle which opened on 10 March 1915. While not a large battle, the first time the Canadian Expeditionary Force fully involved in action with the enemy. Under the British 1st Army, Canada’s role in the battle to prevent the Germans in this sector from reinforcing the combat zone. Unfortunately, the artillery bombardment provided too light to suppress the enemy trenches.

March to the Rhine

Canada’s final actions in the Great War came after the Armistice. The March to the Rhine by the 1st and 2nd Canadian Division with select Corps Troops, saw Canada crossing the Rhine river at Cologne, and Bonn, Germany. This action was followed by the Allied Occupation of Germany which lasted for ten years.

Canada’s role completed before the spring of 1919, and most of our troops home before the official end to the war on 28 June 1919, when Germany and the Allied Nations (including Britain, France, Italy and Russia) signed the Treaty of Versailles, formally ending the war. Therefore, many blog posts of On This Day in the Great War extend into 1919, particularly concerning demobilization.