In the early months of the First World War, Dublin mobilised on a massive scale. Regular soldiers were already serving, while reservists were called to the colours. Volunteers joined many units of the British army, of which the best known were the 7th Royal Dublin Fusiliers, even though most went elsewhere. Women (and some men) joined the British Red Cross Society. Voluntary enterprise was unleashed in support of men at the front. In Dublin, some of this was only possible because of the dominance of Parliamentary nationalism and its decision to back the war effort. When the United Kingdom formally went to war with Germany at 11 pm on 4 August 1914, in response to German threats to Belgian neutrality, mainstream nationalist politics might have been thrown into turmoil, threatening the unity in its ranks.