August 1914
| Date | Events |
|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Navy ordered to mobilise |
| 2 | British government guarantees naval protection of French coasts |
| 2 | German forces cross frontier into neutral Luxembourg |
| 2 | Hostilities commence on French-German frontier |
| 3 | Lord Grey's speech in British House of Commons convinces Parliament of case for war |
| 3 | British government orders general mobilisation of the army |
| 3 | Germany declares war on British ally, France |
| 4 | British government sends ultimatum to Germany |
| 4 | 11pm. British government declares war on Germany |
| 4 | Germany declares war on neutral Belgium |
| 4 | German forces cross frontier into Belgium |
| 4 | Germany and Turkey sign an alliance |
| 4 | British Grand Fleet constituted |
| 4 | Key staff of British Expeditionary Force (BEF) appointed |
| 5 | First meeting of British War Council |
| 6 | Lord Kitchener appointed as Secretary of State for War |
| 7 | First elements of British Expeditionary Force (BEF) land in France |
| 8 | British forces cross frontier into Togoland and occupy Lome |
| 8 | Hostilities commence in East Africa |
| 12 | Britain and France declare war on Austria-Hungary |
| 13 | First squadrons of Royal Flying Corps fly to France |
| 13 | In Togoland, Allied advance on Kamina begins |
| 15 | German forces cross frontier into British East Africa and occupy Taveta |
| 16 | Landing of original British Expeditionary Force (BEF) completed in France |
| 19 | First elements of Indian Expeditionary Force "C" leave India for East Africa |
| 21 | German forces cross frontier into British South West Africa |
| 21 | Orders are issued in Britain for raising of First New Army |
| 23 | British Expeditionary Force fights Battle of Mons |
| 24 | First elements of Indian Expeditionary Force "A" leave India for France |
| 25 | British forces cross Nigerian frontier into the Cameroons |
| 26 | British II Corps halts retreat to fight Battle of Le Cateau |
| 26 | German forces in Togoland capitulate to Allies |
| 27 | Royal Marines and a unit of Royal Naval Air Service land at Ostend in Belgium |
| 30 | New Zealand force lands at Samoa |
| 31 | Franco-British agreement defining provisional zones in Togoland |