Military and Aviation Surrey

In the evening of 4 August 1914 crowds gathered in Market Street, Guildford, home of the offices of the Surrey Advertiser. They were awaiting news of Germany's response to the ultimatum issued by the British government, which expired at 11pm GMT. At 11.35pm a newly received telegram was posted up: 'England [sic] has declared war on Germany'. The Great War had begun.

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It was a war waged across the globe by the huge conscripted armies of modern, industrial powers, using the most sophisticated and deadly weaponry which had yet been devised. When it ended over four years later, thousands of Surrey men had been left dead on foreign battlefields with thousands more suffering permanent mental or physical disabilities; while it raged it made unprecedented demands on those who remained at home; and it changed the country and this county for ever.

Over the five years of the commemoration, 2014-2019, Surrey Heritage will be marking the centenary of this terrible, transforming conflict in a number of ways and through a range of projects. Many of our activities will draw on our magnificent collections of archives, photographs, books and newspapers, which tell the story of how Surrey's people endured the war, supported (or in some cases, rejected) the struggle, and remembered and came to terms with the sacrifice of those who died.

These webpages will tell you about our commemoration projects and events and will also guide you through the extraordinary range of material here and elsewhere which will enable you to discover for yourself the impact of the Great War on your family or community.