HMS Lance, a Royal Navy destroyer, in tandem with HMS Landrail, fired the first British shot of the First World War, on August 5, 1914 in an action that resulted in the sinking of the German minelayer Konigin Luise in the North Sea. Both Lance and Landrail were part of the British 2nd Destroyer Flotilla (based at Harwich), which had been deployed at dawn on the first day of the war as part of a squadron of destroyers doing a sweep of the North Sea. As World War One officially started at 2300 GMT on August 4, 1914, this first British shot occurred within twelve hours of the commencement of hostilities. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... USS Lassen, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later submarines and aircraft). ... HMS Landrail, otherwise known as Royal Naval Air Station Machrihanish is in Argyll and Bute not far from Campbeltown. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... August 5 is the 217th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (218th in leap years), with 148 days remaining. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... (This article is about the town in England. ... August 4 is the 216th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (217th in leap years), with 149 days remaining. ...

The target of the Lance and Landrail was the converted excursion steamer Königin Luise, which had been pressed into service of the Imperial German Navy as a minelayer. It was while she was laying mines that the two Royal Navy Destroyers encountered her. The Königin Luise was scuttled when her captain realized that escape was impossible.

The actual gun from HMS Lance (4.4 in) that fired this shot is on display in the Imperial War Museum, London. The name of the gunlayer who fired the shot however has been lost to history. The Imperial War Museum is a museum in London featuring military vehicles, weapons, war memorabilia, a library, a photographic archive, and an art collection of 20th century and later conflicts, especially those involving Britain, and the British Empire. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Reference

Phoebus (1973). WARSHIPS AND SEA BATTLES OF WORLD WAR ONE. ISBN 0702600040 BPC Publishing Ltd.