Jonathan D'Hooghe

Are you a collector of Great War memorabilia and ephemera? Medals, weapons and uniform items are all eagerly sought by collectors, but for me, it is books (original unit histories and memoirs) and unique items with some provenance. Today, I had the great fortune to win the bidding at an auction for a highly decorated… Read more: On This Day March 26th 2025

Following the Russian Revolution, the Bolsheviks pursued peace negotiations with the Germans which led to the signing of the Treaty of Brest Litovsk on March 2nd 1918. In anticipation of the peace accord, the Germans had, over the winter of 1917/18, transferred more than 500,000 men from the Eastern Front to the Western Front in… Read more: On This Day 21st March 1918

Russia, having entered the Great War as part of the Triple Alliance with Great Britain and France in August 1914, suffered a catastrophic series of defeats as the war progressed and the first signs of collapse of the Triple Alliance occurred on this day, with the first Russian Revolution. The revolution commenced with widespread strikes… Read more: On This Day 12th March 1917

When Britain went to war in August 1914, there was a huge patriotic rush to join the colours. The addition of Lord Kitchener’s ‘Your Country Needs You’ recruiting campaign, saw some 2.5 million men flock to the flag. However, as the casualty lists mounted through 1915, so voluntary enlistment started to decline. In January 1916,… Read more: On This Day 10th February 1916.

Dating as far back as 1147, English Crusaders helped King Alfonso to capture Lisbon from the Moors. This Anglo-Portuguese alliance was formally ratified by the Treaty of Windsor, signed in 1386 which strengthened an original agreement made by King Edward III and King Ferdinand of Portugal in 1373. Further strengthening of this treaty took place… Read more: On This Day 3rd February 1917.

On May 7th 1915, a German U-Boat sank the RMS Lusitania off the south west coast of Ireland. Although Lusitania was later found to have been carrying military supplies to Britain from America, the loss of some 1,200 civilians, some of them American, forced the US President Woodrow Wilson to send word to the Germans… Read more: On This Day, 31st January 1917.

This week has seen the 108th anniversary of the ramping up of the German ‘Blitz’ on London and the south east of England by Gotha and ‘Giant’ bombers of the German Airforce. On 28th January 1917, some thirteen Gothas and two Giants attacked dropping bombs on many districts of London as well as coastal towns… Read more: On This Day 28th January 1917.

One hundred and ten years ago today the British Royal Navy Cruiser fleet under Admiral Sir David Beatty, intercepted a German High Seas Fleet Cruiser Squadron following the Admiralty deciphering coded German signals on the afternoon of the 23rd. The British cruisers were in two squadrons with HMS Lion, Princess Royal and Tiger making one… Read more: On This Day, 24th January 1915 – The Battle of Dogger Bank