ONE hundred years ago on August 4, 1914, Britain entered into the most costly conflict in its history, the First World War.

It had crept up quietly despite reports of mounting tension between Austria-Hungary and Serbia following the assassination in Sarajevo of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie.

On the night of August 4, 1914 shortly after Britain declared war on Germany, King George V appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace alongside Queen Mary and his eldest son, the Prince of Wales to acknowledge the cheering crowds.

Before turning into bed he wrote in his diary “Please God may it soon be over and that he will protect dear Bertie’s life.” (Bertie was the king’s second son, later to become George VI.) But four bloody years were to follow with almost 1 million British soldiers dying in the Great War.

Here we take a look at the role Gloucestershire played during those very challenging years.