Declaration of War - 4th Aug 1914

[chrisharley9]

when war was declared what were the immediate actions of the British government

some questions I would like to ask are

were German nationals immediately interned

what happened to German reservists living in the UK

were German ships seized in British ports

what happened to the German embassy & staff

what about German property, businesses & trade with Germany

what about communications with Germany (postal & telegraph)

I know this is a bit of a list, but I'm very interested in the transition of peace to war

All The Best

Chris

[jhill]

I cannot answer all of these questions, although I am sure someone on this forum can provide some references. I do know that there were carefully rehearsed plans for shipping and communications which would have been implemented almost immediately.

The diplomatic business in those days was conducted with what we today might consider a luducrous degree of courtesy and protocol. As an example, there was a 1939 BBC broadcast by Harold Nicolson, giving his experiences as a junior Foreign Office official in 1914. Perhaps recordings are available. The impression was is of an almost comic anxiety that the correct protocol of going to war was carried out.

As to the question of the German ambassador and his staff, you can read Prince Lichnowsky's memoirs here:

http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/wwi/1914m/lichnowy.html

I give the following quote:

" The arrangements for our departure were perfectly dignified and calm. The King had previously sent his equerry, Sir E. Ponsonby, to express his regrets at my departure and that he could not see me himself. Princess Louise wrote to me that the whole family were sorry we were leaving. Mrs. Asquith and other friends came to the Embassy to take leave.

A special train took us to Harwich, where a guard of honour was drawn up for me. I was treated like a departing Sovereign. "

[Dolphin]

Chris

You might like to look at the first few pages of the London Gazette for 7 August 1914, where the measures to be implemented as a result of the declaration of war are listed.

You can get to it through http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveSe...e=0&Referer=WW1 and typing in 'Germany' as the name to be searched for and limiting the search to 7 August 1914.

Regards

Gareth

[chrisharley9]

Thank you to you both for that help

All The Best

Chris

[Sue Light]

Chris

One 'enjoyable' source is 'Edward Heron-Allen's Journal of the Great War' edited by Brian Harvey and Carol Fitzgerald, published in 2002 by Phillimore.

Edward Heron-Allen was a solicitor by profession [although much more than that] and by his own admission regarded himself as 'Selsey's principal inhabitant' and had the telephone number 'Selsey 1'. He's definitely a man you either love or loathe , but he started a diary at midnight on August 3rd 1914, and continued throughout the war. He outlines middle class life in southern England during the conflict, and his first mention of spies comes on August 23rd. A footnote states:

"By September 1914 the Home Secretary, Reginald McKenna, revealed that some 8,000 'spy cases' had been investigated, none of which resulted in official action."

And the diary continues [with my editing!]:

23rd August 1914

"Spy-hunting promises to be one of the popular sports this autumn. But the fact remains that practically every German both male and female, has been or a spy in esse or in posse, and they are so well protected that the police and public are powerless against them. Not that I blame them – the spies – all Germany [and most of England] have known for years that this war would be sprung upon us as soon as Germany was ready, and saw an opportunity. If I had been living in Germany I would have been a spy – to the best of my power and ability. Even our German governess, Toni Reichardt, who is in Yorkshire now with the family [and behaving herself very well in the face of great difficulty and provocation – our host never considering or sparing her feelings in his observations upon the war and the Kaiser], has doubtless done what she could to be useful to her fatherland….

… On my return from taking the family to Yorkshire, though it revolted me, and I felt as if I were picking a child’s pocket, and was thoroughly ashamed of myself, I felt that, regard being had to the trust reposed in me for providing and organising the Scout section of the Coast Defences, I was justified in searching Fraulein Reichardt’s room….

… A curious instance is that of Ford Madox Hueffer, the novelist and journalist who lives with Violet Hunt [the novelist] to whom as an old friend I have let the Knap Cottage which is inside our grounds. Ever since we have known him he has impressed upon us that he is a German – and he looks it – a typical Prussian bully – and his only address in Who’s Who for 1914 is ’15, Friedrichstrasse, Glessen on the Lahn…

… But on the 4th of this month, when war was declared, he suddenly turned English! The police, the military officers, the coast defence staff at Portsmouth, all object to his presence in Selsey and have tried to have him removed, but all of them are met with a cold mon possumus from both the Home Office and War Office. All protest or inquiry is calmly shelved and suppressed in Whitehall, and sheltered behind Masterman and McKenna, and Lloyd George…"

And a few hundred more pages of course - a delicious read!

Sue

[chrisharley9]

Thanks Sue

All The Best

Chris

[salientguide]

Hi Chris found a copy of Winston Churchills the World In Crisis 1911 1918 at a fair in Lichfield cathedral of all places acouple of weeks ago. They wanted a quid for it I gave them two!! What a bargain, have just got to the start of the war. WSC mentions specifically the German and Austrian embassies were closed. The govt had a specific responsibilty to allow accredited diplomats to return safely home, as Germany and Austria did for ours. WSC personally saw that ships were available for their repatriation and they were escorted away under naval escort to prevent any sort of demonstration, violence or insult to their persons. Such are the strange nicities of diplomatic protocol!!