Lord Kitchener's Appeal for 100,000 men to join the Army, 1914

While many expected the war to be 'over by Christmas', the Secretary of State for War, Field Marshal Lord Kitchener, realised the conflict would be long and on an unprecedented scale. Britain would have to create a mass army for the first time. He appealed for volunteers for his 'New Armies' in August 1914. Recruitment officers were sent to towns, cities, factories and clubs. Propaganda posters were placed all over the country to persuade men to sign up.