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Timeline of WW1

  • Britiain Goes to War

    Britiain Goes to War

    Great Britain declares war against Germany and all dominions of the British Empire are automatically at war.
  • War Measures Act

    War Measures Act

    Canada passed the War Measures Act which gave the government the power to maintain security and order during war or insurrection.
  • First Canadian Division

    First Canadian Division

    In early October, the First Canadian Division sets sail for Britiain.
  • HMS Good Hope

    HMS Good Hope

    The HMS Good Hope, one of four Drake-class armoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy, sinks during the Battle of Coronel off the coast of Chile, killing the first four Canadians in action.
  • Second Battle of Yypres

    Second Battle of Yypres

    During the Second Battle of Ypres, the German army releases their new weapon, chlorine gas. The battle resulted in about 6,000 casualties.
  • Battle of Mount Sorrel

    Battle of Mount Sorrel

    June 2-13: The Canadian Corps hold the Southern part of the Ypres salient. In the morning, on the 2nd, the Third Canadian Division was targeted by a German bombardment. Over the next couple of days, the German army captured villages but on the 13th, the Canadains recaptured most of the lost ground. The battle resulted in some 8,000 casualties, including the death of the division commander, Major-General Malcolm Mercer.
  • Battle of Beaumont-Hamel

    Battle of Beaumont-Hamel

    On the first day of the Battle of Somme, the Newfoundland Regiment entered no mans land and the Germans were waiting and ready on the other side with machine guns. Only 68 soldiers out of the 801 soldiers could answer roll call. The battle resulted in over 700 casualties.
  • Battle of Vimy Ridge

    Battle of Vimy Ridge

    April 9-12: Canadian Corps join the Battle of Vimy Ridge, resulting in a great victory but at a cost, with more than 10,000 casualties.
  • Wartime Elections Act

    Wartime Elections Act

    The Wartime Elections Act was passed by Robert Borden's conservative government during the conscription crisis. This gave the vote to female relatives of Canadian soldiers serving overseas.
  • Battle of Passchendaele

    Battle of Passchendaele

    October-November: The Canadians arrived in Flanders in mid-October, Sir Aurthur Currie, commander of the Canadian Corps launched an attack on October 26th. Although fighting in terrible weather conditions, Canadians captured the ridge in mid-November. The battle resulted in 15,600 Canadian casualties.
  • Canadian Federal Election

    Canadian Federal Election

    Conservative Prime Minister Robert Borden brought his opponent Wilfried Laurier into a wartime coalition government in hopes to bring in conscription. Borden's Unionist government not only won the election, but won it with the highest pertcentage of the popular vote in Canadian history.
  • Battle of Amiens

    Battle of Amiens

    The Battle of Amiens was the first battle in a series of allied victories that led to the end of WW1.
  • Armistice of Nov. 1918

    Armistice of Nov. 1918

    Germany signs an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car outisde Compiégne, France.
  • Treaty of Versailles

    Treaty of Versailles

    Exactly 5 years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the Treaty of Versailles is signed, ending World War 1.