A shekara ta 1914, 'yan Birtaniya suna da ƙananan, yawancin birane, Ingilishi, sojojin sa kai na 400,000, kusan rabin wanda aka tura zuwa kasashen waje don garrison Birtaniya. (A watan Agustan 1914, 74 daga cikin 157 battalions na infantry da 12 daga cikin rundunonin sojan doki 31 aka tura a kasashen waje.) Wannan jimlar sun hada da Sojoji na yau da kullum da kuma ajiye a cikin Ƙungiyar Ƙasa. Tare sun kafa Ƙungiyar Ƙungiyar Birtaniya (BEF), don hidima a Faransa kuma an san su da Tsohon Contemptibles.
Ƙungiyar Bincike na Birtaniya