The First World War began one hundred years ago, on 28 July 1914. The Great War was one of the deadliest conflicts in history: about 10 million soldiers and seven million civilians lost their lives.
The Great War was characterised by the horrors of trench warfare along the Western Front of Belgium and France. Back home, all of England's resources were focused on winning the war on the Home Front. A shortage of able-bodied men meant that women took on traditional male roles in areas such as arms manufacture.
Stately homes were commandeered for use as convalescent homes for wounded and recovering soldiers from the front-line. The Germans carried out air raids, bombing London from Zeppelins. Towns on the east coast like Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool were attacked by the German Navy.
To mark the centenary of the start of the conflict, Getty Images photographer Peter Macdiarmid compiled photos of England during the war and superimposed them onto photos of the same scenes today.
November 1915: British soldiers inspect a captured German plane on Horse Guards' Parade, London. 13 July 2014: People walk across Horse Guards Parade, with the London Eye in the distanceGetty1914: German prisoners of war are marched to Southend Pier, accompanied by guards and watched by the local populace 17 July 2014: Sunshine on the seafront in Southend on SeaGettyNovember 1917: A 'male' Mark IV tank passes the Bank of England during the Lord Mayor's show. This British tank came in two models: the male was heavier due to its heavier armament, while the female tank had multiple machine guns instead of the heavy armament. 17 July 2014: A man crosses the road in the early morning light in front of the Bank of England.Getty9 November 1918: Serbian soldiers march in the Lord Mayor's show, during the last days of the First World War. 11 July 2014: People walk past the Royal Courts of JusticeGettyCirca 1916: Wounded soldiers play football outside Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. The palace was used as an auxiliary hospital during the war. 14 July 2014: Visitors look at Blenheim Palace from the South Lawn.Getty1915: Injured Indian soldiers of the British Army recover at the Brighton Pavilion, converted into a military hospital. 14 July 2014: A visitor admires the opulent Music Room at the Royal Pavilion today.Getty23 June 1917: Australian soldiers pose outside Egypt House in New Broad Street, London where The Australian Bank is housed. 11 July 2014: Office workers take a break outside the former Egypt House, now New Broad Street HouseGettyMay 1918: Wounded soldiers and cadets gather at the Albert Hall in London on Empire Day. 17 July 2014: A van is parked across the road from the Royal Albert HallGetty
