So when did the Great War End?

[Stanley_C_Jenkins]

As I understand it, the Qualification for burial in an Imperial War Graves Cemetery after World War One was membership of the armed services between 4th August 1914 and 31st August 1921. On this basis, events in Ireland post-1918 are therefore entirely valid - quite apart from the fact that the people involved in the "Troubles" were, in most cases, former Great War soldiers.

The reason why the putative World War One period extended to 31st August 1921 for Commission purposes was presumably because the 'Termination of the War (Definition) Act' laid down that the war would officially end when an Order in Council declared that it had ended - and this was declared to be 31st August 1921.

[John_Hartley]

On this basis, events in Ireland post-1918 are therefore entirely valid

Correct. A serving soldier killed in Ireland up to the 1921 "closing date" is eligible for commemoration.

[Magnumbellum]

The reason why the putative World War One period extended to 31st August 1921 was because the 'Termination of the War (Definition) Act' laid down that the war would officially end when an Order in Council declared that it had ended - and this was declared to be 31st August 1921.

This little remembered fact is entirely correct, and had implications in a wide range of matters. One effect was that the much misunderstood purported electoral disqualification of certain conscientious objectors inserted in the Representation of the People Act 1918 ran from 1 September 1921 to 31 August 1926, not 1918-23, as often miscited.

[loganshort]

Could you then say that the unofficial end was 1918, the official end 1919 and the legal end 1921?

[Stanley_C_Jenkins]

Could you then say that the unofficial end was 1918, the official end 1919 and the legal end 1921?

This would probaby also be correct! However, there is a further, fairly important point, in that although the "main" war ended on 11 November 1918, there were certain unresolved issues that led to on-going conflict, not only in Ireland, but also in places such as Russia and Turkey - the Russian intervention, in particular, being a sadly-neglected topic.

[Keith_history_buff]

Similar comments on an older thread made on 24 November 2007.

I came across the following in the Army Orders for 1921

 

 

[Uncle George]

It is too early to say.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

I've never really understood why CWGC commemoration extended to soldiers who died in all of the then UK including all of Ireland, after 11/11/1918 from conditions caused by or aggravated by service  beginning or contuing after the Armistice, when the UK was not a theatre of war after that date.

 

That included a period before, during and after the Irish War of Independence, an event that can't really be considered a theatre of the Great War as it involved no other participant army of the Great War.

[NigelS]

My reading of this is that, although the overall end of 'The War' had been ordered by the King under 'The termination of the present war (Definition) Act', 1918  on the 10th August 1921 to  be the 31st August 1921 (as given in the Army Order given by Keith above), the official termination of the war with the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) did not actually come about until 3 years later on  6th August 1924

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/32964/page/6031

 

The 31st August 1921 date didn't come about until after the peace treaty with Hungary was ratified on 26th July 1921 (the official date of the termination of hostilities with Hungary) and was also included in  the same King's order (https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/32421/page/6371),  dated 10th August 1921 

 

Previously the official 'termination' dates with other individual belligerents (again following ratification of peace treaties) were:

Germany  10th January 1920  https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31773/page/1671

Austria 16th July 1920 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31991/page/7765

Bulgaria 9th August 1920. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/32025/supplement/8597

 

NigelS

 

[Chris_Baker]

I appreciate this discussion, for it has reminded me that for some reason I have never included these details on the Long, Long Trail. I have just added a simple summary page. My thanks to all who have contributed details.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

I for one, am most grateful to the owner of LLT for hosting a marvellous repository of detailed Great War research, provided to the casual user such as myself free of charge.

The cost of that research (and hosting its publication) to the owner I am sure is significantly more than zero, and I for one would like to thank the owner of LLT for allowing such comprehensive access to the fruit of his labours.