| Date | Type | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1916-01-05 | In 1916 Prime Minister of Great Britain Herbert Asquith introduces the first military conscription bill in British history. Although the number of volunteers from Britain was huge, with a little under half a million men voluntarily enlisting within the first 6 weeks, numbers dwindled against the German army that had been growing through conscription for 40 years. By 1916 the Prime Minister and Lord Horatio Herbert Kitchener, Britain's secretary of state for war, felt they had no choice but to introduce a military conscription bill that was passed and came into effect on the 10th of February 1916. Initially, only single men aged 18 to 41 were liable to be called up for military service, but this was later extended to include married men as well. Those who refused military service on moral, religious, or political grounds were known as conscientious objectors. They faced tribunals to assess the validity of their claims, and some were assigned non-combatant roles or alternative civilian work. Others faced imprisonment or harsh treatment. Conscription continued until the end of World War I in 1918. It was briefly revived during the interwar period and again during World War II. | |
| 1916-02-02 | In 1916 two days after one of the largest bombing raids by the German Zeppelins of World War I, one of the aircraft was found floating in the North Sea. The nine Zeppelins used in the raid dropped 400 bombs over the midlands of England, killing 70 people and injuring hundreds. King Stephen, a fishing trawler, found the damaged zeppelin on this day in 1916. | |
| 1916-03-09 | In 1916 Germany declares War on Portugal in retaliation for its support of the United Kingdom. Portugal made Alliance with Great Britain in the hopes that it would increase support of its new Government. In 1910 Portugal became a republic after a revolution removed the king and in 1911 a new constitution began with the election of their first President, Manuel Jose de Arraiaga. Portugal joined the side of the Allies and had mainly a naval role in the War. Early in 1916, they seized German ships that were anchored at Lisbon’s Harbour. | |
| 1916-04-24 |
On this day in 1916 the Irish Republic Brotherhood implemented the Easter Uprising. Since the late 19th centaury Irish nationalists had demanded home rule of Ireland while Ulster Unionist (wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom) opposed the Irish Nationalists. Tensions grew between two militia groups, the Ulster Volunteers on one side and the nationalist Irish Volunteers. To relieve tensions the United Kingdom passed a bill in 1912 allowing Ireland some autonomy and self rule but tensions between Unionists and nationalists remained. After the outbreak of World War I both sides’ attentions were put into the War raging in Europe. However in early 1916 the Irish Republican Brotherhood had planned an uprising. They had formed a military council and had arranged for a large consignment of arms from Germany. The consignment was found by the British armed forces and confiscated. The uprising was still set and between the 24th and 30th of April 1916, known as the Easter Rising, many insurgents took control of Dublin and proclaimed it a democracy. With the First World War still raging the United Kingdom sent in large forces for a swift suppression of the insurgents. British soldiers killed 500 and took thousands prisoner. The British reaction to the uprising was considered by many in Ireland to be too extreme and it had swayed many voters to the Republicans way of thinking. On the 14th of December 1918 as part of the United Kingdoms general elections, votes cast in Ireland gave overwhelming support for the Irish Republican Party, (called Sinn Fein). However there was still massive support for the Unionist Party in the northern province of Ulster (this region would later become Northern Ireland).
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