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General mobilisation of the army in Belgium
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UK at war with Germany
German troops cross the border into Belgium. The UK declares war on Germany. -
Period: to
German conquest of Belgium
From August to October 1914, Belgium is the scene of heavy fighting. Many Belgians decide to leave their homes and become refugees. They flee to the Netherlands, France and the UK.
Most arrivals in the UK happen after the fall of Antwerp and Ostend. -
Fall of Antwerp
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Fall of Ostend
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*Comité Officiel Belge pour l'Angleterre
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*Aliens Restriction Order
This order made it compulsory for all Belgians above the age of 16 to possess a registration card. As a consequence, the authorities set up a Register for Belgian Refugees. -
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Animosity against the Belgian refugees
General conscription weighs heavily on the British people. The fact that many fighting-age Belgians can stay put, causes frictions. Popular newspapers come up with the slogan ‘Fight or go’ in the spring of 1916. They do not explicitly name the Belgians, but the campaign is clearly targeted at them. It leads to small-scale disturbances in Fulham and Richmond, where many Belgians have settled. source: Belgianrefugees14-18 -
General Conscription in the UK
The Military Service Act (RA 17.01.1916) imposed conscription on all single men between 18 and 41, but exempted the medically unfit, clergymen, teachers and certain classes of industrial worker.
Conscientious objectors were also exempted.
A second Act passed in May 1916 extended conscription to married men. Conscription was not applied to Ireland. source: Parliament.uk -
General conscription of Belgian refugees
The Belgian Government, Thursday June 1st, has decided unanimously to call on all Belgians married or unmarried, between 18 and 40 years old, who are abroad or in the unoccupied part of Belgium. source: De Stem uit België, 9 June 1916 -
Armistice
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Ministry of Health
There is a transfer of competencies from the Local Government Board to the Ministry of Health, with the exception of 'matters relating to aliens and criminal lunatics', which go to the Home Secretary.