First World War Dates On War Memorials.
War Memorials Trust
1914-1918 are the most common dates for the First World War found on war memorials obviously
commemorating the year the war commenced and the year the armistice was declared, on
11th November 1918.
However, it is not unusual to find the dates 1914-1919 on First World War memorials. The 1919
date refers to the year when the Treaty of Versailles was signed. This was the peace treaty
drawn up by the nations who attended the Paris Peace Conference and officially ended the
state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers when it was signed on 28th June 1919.
Some war memorials also feature the dates 1914-1921, although this is less common. On 25th
August 1921 the United States of America signed a separate peace treaty with Germany, the
Treaty of Berlin.
There are no ‘rules’ for war memorial inscriptions so any of these dates are acceptable as the local community decided to use the dates which were most appropriate.