Click on the year to move back to the 1780 - 1918 timeline.

28 Jun 1914- The Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated in Sarajevo, Serbia.

Jul-Aug 1914- The situation in Europe deteriorates rapidly.

28 Jul 1914- Austria/Hungary declare war on Serbia.

1 Aug 1914- Germany declares war on Russia.

2 Aug 1914- Germany demands the right of passage through neutral Belgium.

3 Aug 1914- Germany declares war on France.

4 Aug 1914- Britain declares a state of war against Germany after it fails to give assurances over Belgian neutrality.

5 Aug 1914- Austria/Hungary declare war on Russia.

10 Aug 1914- France declares war on Austria/Hungary.

12 Aug 1914- Britain declares war on Austria/Hungary.

13-15 Aug 1914- Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 Squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), under the command of Brigadier-General David Henderson, deploy to France in support of the British Expeditionary Force.

1914- At the outbreak of war, France had 132 front-line aircraft (plus 15 non-rigid airships), Germany 246 (plus 5 Zeppelin airships), the RFC 84 and the RNAS 71 aircraft and 7 airships. The other major forces (Russia and Austria) were poorly equipped at this time. The Russians having some 24 aircraft and 12 airships available, and the Austrians 36 aircraft and 1 airship.

19 Aug 1914- The first RFC reconnaissance flight of the war was made from Maubeuge, Belgium. Capt Joubert de la Ferte in a Bleriot of No 3 Sqn and Lt GW Mapplebeck in a BE2 of No 4 Sqn.

22 Aug 1914- RFC reconnaissance detects a German attempt to envelope allied troops. Sgt Maj DS Jillings becomes the first British aviator to be wounded in combat. He is shot in the leg by German rifle fire whilst carrying out a reconnaissance flight over enemy lines.

23 Aug 1914- Japan declares war on Germany.

25 Aug 1914- The first enemy aircraft is brought down after 3 BE2 aircraft of 2 Sqn force it to crash land. One of the British pilots landed nearby and chased the enemy crew into a wood, before setting fire to their aircraft and taking off again. As yet, few aircraft were armed, but pilots and observers were issued with guns or revolvers.

Sept 1914- During the Battle of the Aisne, the RFC made its first operational use of aerial photography.

15 Sep 1914- For the first time, the RFC made use of wireless telegraphy during observation flights over enemy artillery positions.

5 Nov 1914- A state of war is declared between Britain and Turkey.

21 Dec 1914- A German FF29 seaplane conducts the first air raid against Britain, dropping bombs in the sea near Dover.

24 Dec 1914- The first bombs are dropped on Britain during a second raid on Dover by the same German aircraft. Their were no casualties and little damage. A third raid by the same aircraft on the 25th resulted in two bombs being dropped near Cliffe railway station, Kent.

19 - 20 Jan 1915- The first airship raid on Britain. Zeppelins of the Imperial German Navy Airship Division drop bombs on Great Yarmouth and Kings Lynn, Norfolk, killing 5 people. The RFC flew its first ever night sorties against the raiders, but two aircraft failed to intercept. During the entire war 56 tons of bombs fell on London and 214 tons elsewhere.

10 Mar 1915- The RFC conducts its first bombing raids against enemy railway installations and divisional Headquarters as part of the Allied offensive at Neuves Chappelle. This is the first attack planned using maps prepared solely from intelligence gathered by aerial photographic reconnaissance.

26 Apr 1915- The first Victoria Cross for action in the air is awarded to 2Lt. W B Rhodes-Moorhouse (posthumous) of No 2 Sqn for his part in the low level bombing of Courtrai Station flying a BE2 aircraft.

4 May 1915- A kite balloon is used for the first time on artillery observation tasks on the Western Front.

31 May 1915- The first Zeppelin raid over London kills 7 people and injures 35. Damage was estimated at some £19,000.

25 Jul 1915- No 11 Sqn arrives in France as the first RFC fighter squadron. It is equipped with two-seat Vickers FB5 Gunbus aircraft.

19 Aug 1915- Future Marshal of the RAF, Major General H Trenchard assumes command of the RFC in France in succession to Sir David Henderson.

14 Sep 1915- Bulgaria declares war on Serbia.

15 Sep 1915- Britain declares war on Bulgaria.

16 Sep 1915- France declares war on Bulgaria.

7 Feb 1916- The RFC forms its first single-seat fighter squadron ( No. 24) flying Airco DH2s.

15 Apr 1916- In the first use of aircraft for delivering food and supplies, RFC and RNAS aircraft carried 13 tons of stores into Kut el Amara, Mesopotamia, besieged by the Turks. Despite attacks by enemy aircraft, the operation continued until April 29, when the garrison surrendered.

1 Jul 1916- The Battle of the Somme begins. The RFC has 27 squadrons with 421 aircraft and 4 Kite Balloon squadrons with 14 balloons assigned to support the British Army Corps. The RFC establishes air superiority over, and for some 30 miles behind, enemy lines.

3 Jul 1916- The first RFC aircraft with a synchronised propeller/gun mechanism, the Sopwith 1½ Strutter, becomes operational with 70 Sqn and takes part in the Battle of the Somme.

15 Jul 1916- The Middle-East Brigade of the RFC is formed under the command of Brigadier General W G H Salmond, concentrating RFC units based in Macedonia, Mesopotamia, Palestine and East Africa under one command.

2 Sep 1916- The first German airship shot down over Britain. Lt W Leefe Robinson of No 39 (Home Defence) Sqn, RFC in a BE2c aircraft is later awarded the Victoria Cross. During the remainder of the year an additional 4 Zeppelins are brought down over Britain.

November 1916- The Battle of the Somme ends.

28 Nov 1916- A German LVG C.IV seaplane conducts the first aircraft raid over London. However, on the return flight, it develops engine trouble and is forced to crash land at Boulogne, where the crew were captured by the Allies.

12 Dec 1916- The Air Board approves expansion of the RFC to 106 front-line squadrons and 95 reserve and training squadrons.

Click on the year to move forward to the First World War 1917-1918 timeline.