Page 4 - Bulletin 11 2007

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THE SOUTH PENINSULA DURING THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 18

Barrie Gasson

Anticipations and Preparations

When Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914 she was not prepared for
hostilities. Lloyd George, who became Prime Minister in 1916, would later state:

“.…………the Great War broke upon us like a thief in the night.” No European country in
1914 imagined that a continental-scale war would engulf them all – the last war on that

scale had ended a century before with the defeat of Napoleon. Most people thought it would

be a short war and over by Christmas. However, the conflict’s eventual scale, duration and
level of destruction would earn it the title of The Great War.

When Britain went to war her Dominions went with her, although they, too, were
unprepared. But all, including the Union of South Africa, nevertheless rallied in support of

the mother country. The Empire at that time had a population of 400 million, 75% of whom
lived in India; only 1,5%, or 6 million, lived in South Africa.

Britain’s premier military arm, because she was an island, was the Royal Navy. In time of

war the RN had three tasks: first, safeguarding the sea routes by which she moved materials

in and sent troops out to hot-spots; second, capturing hostile shipping, interrupting enemy
supply lines, and preventing invasion of the British Isles; and thirdly, destroying hostile

fleets and bases. (THWI, 1914). There were only two routes to the eastern parts of the
Empire, Suez and the Cape, and so the Union’s support in the conflict was vital, as was the

security of the Cape and, in particular, of Simon’s Town – Britain’s most important naval
base in the southern hemisphere.