1918 – Page 6 – Old Magazine Articles

The Cockpit of the Giant Goltha Bomber
(j’ai vu…, 1918)

During the spring of 1917 the Germans developed a squadron of large aircraft capable of dropping 660-pound bombs on London -and drop them they did, killing as many as 788 human beings between May of 1917 and May of 1918. The Giant Goltha Bombers conducted these raids primarily at night and utterly terrified the East End of London. Eventually, German losses escalated and the London raids were canceled in favor of Paris and various other French targets. In 1917 this image of a Goltha cockpit appeared in the French press.

Click here to read an article about the development of aerial reconnaissance during W.W. I.

The Women’s Overseas Corps
(The Stars and Stripes, 1918)

Five thousand women are to be brought from the United States to be a part of the American Expeditionary Forces…The Women’s Overseas Corps (WOCS) will consist of companies of 50 women each. The members of the WOC will be under soldierly discipline and wear uniforms…It is not expected that they will march in formation or observe the formalities of the salute.

These women were recruited by Miss Elsie Gunther of the Labor Bureau in order to relieve the men posted to the Service of Supply of their clerical duties for service at the front; in light of the fact that the war ended six weeks later it is unlikely that the these women ever arrived.

The American Army Occupies Coblenz, Germany
(The Stars and Stripes, 1918)

On the afternoon of December 8, 1918, the troops of the Third American Army entered Koblenz. This was the goal of the occupation. The Yankees had reached the Rhine.

Probably never in all its stressful history did enemy troops enter it so in quite the matter-of-fact manner which marked the American entry last Sunday. There was no band. There were no colors. ‘We’re just going in sort of casual like,’ one of our generals had said the day before, and he was right.

Jascha Heifetz’ First New York Recital
(Vanity Fair, 1918)

Here is an enthusiastic review of Jascha Heifetz’ (1900 – 1987) first Carnegie Hall performance. The journalist relays how fully loaded the concert hall seemed to be with the finest violinists in the Western world all sitting in rapt attention; and how joyously they all applauded following his first number:

Here, mark you, were the masters of the guild giving an ovation to a slim, eighteen year-old boy and acknowledging him as one of the master violinists of the world.

How American Fighter Pilots Were Credited For Wins
(The Stars and Stripes, 1918)

Here is an explanation from the official newspaper of the A.E.F. as to how World War I American fighter pilots were credited for their victories in the war against Germany.

Click here to read an article about the development of aerial reconnaissance during W.W. I.

The Shirt
(Sears and Roebuck, 1918)

This illustration depicts the U.S. Army olive drab flannel pull-over shirt that was first issued to U.S. enlisted men in 1912. This pull-over shirt was was produced for the Army up until 1934, when the full button-front shirt was issued.

How Yank Aviators Were Credited For Wins
(The Stars and Stripes, 1918)

An explanation from the official newspaper of the A.E.F. as to how the First World War American fighter pilots were credited for their victories in the war against Germany.

A Trench Coat for the Fashionable Ladies
(Harper’s Bazaar, 1918)

Attached, you will find one of the first elegant, elongated fashion figure drawings to depict the trench coat as an element of feminine mode. Although this drawing first appeared in a Harper’s Bazaar fashion editorial recommending the coat as one of the better private purchase uniform items that could be worn by an American woman in one of the auxiliary units, it is clear that the fashion potential of the garment was not lost on the magazine’s editors or anyone else on this side of the Atlantic. This particular one was produced in far nicer fabric than was made available for the men. The acquaintance between the trench coat and American fashion designers has remained a strong one ever since.

To see other examples of war’s influence on fashion, click here.

Summer Fashions
(Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)

Six very fine fashion drawings illustrate what was generally perceived to be the chic silhouette during the August of 1918.

There may be some women who can get along without satin frocks, but it is exceedingly doubtful..

Click here to read about military influeneces of feminine fashions.

Relief Agency Structures on U.S. Army Camp Grounds

Illustrated with as many as twelve pictures, this article from Architectural Record points out what the recreational buildings looked like on the grounds of the various U.S. Army camps that were hastily erected following the Congressional declaration of war in April of 1917.

How the Furnace of War Made the Wristwatch a Masculine Fashion Accessory
(The Stars and Stripes, 1918)

The following article must have been penned as a result of some sort of creative writing project for one of the many bored World War One Doughboys waiting for the boat home. The article spells out how the necessities of modern war demanded that the wrist watch no longer be thought of as a piece of jewelery adorned only by fops and fems and evolved into a useful tool for soldiers on the field. The column makes clear that prior the Great War, any man who dared to accessorize themselves with a watch was immediately suspect and likely to have their noses broken.

The T-shirt also had a military origin. Click here to read the article

•Read an article about the history of Brooks Brothers•

Anticipating New Equipment
(The Stars and Stripes, 1918)

Three notices appeared in the fall of 1918 announcing changes in design for three items issued to American troops: the 1918 combat knife, a.k.a. ‘the Knuckle-Duster, the mess kit and the canteen. Interestingly, the notice pertaining to the canteen states that Doughboys had been carrying both French canteens and American canteens by the end of the war.

Click here to read magazine articles from the Second World War.

Trench Coat by Tunmer
(The Stars and Stripes, 1918)

The raglan sleeve, gaberdine trench coat made by Tunmer was yet another of the many choices made available to the officers of the Entent Cordiale.

Trenchcoat by Gamage
(The Stars and Stripes, 1918)

Comprising the latest improvements for overseas -The Trench Coat ‘De Luxe’!

Trench Coat by Barker
(The Stars and Stripes, 1918)

Yet another action-posed advertisement for an officer’s private purchase trench coat. The Great Military Outfitter, John Barker and Company, stepped up to the plate during the crises of 1914 and began to produce the famous ‘Kenbar’ trench coat:

Every detail so necessary for the most strenuous wear in the trenches is embodied in this excellent coat. The collar can be worn in four positions. The sleeves are made with reinforced elbows, and the skirt is cut full and fitted with cavalry gusset.

The Collar Accessory That Time Forgot…
(Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)

One of the unsung heroes of men’s fashions from the early part of the Twentieth century had to be the Triangle Hook. A nifty device, it was designed

to fit the soft collar for more fastidious wear; to make it fit the neck snugly, show the tie gracefully, and stay stylish…

A Trench Coat by Thresher and Glenny
(The Stars and Stripes, 1918)

Let the word go out here and now to all stylists and fashion journalists as well as all the other assorted fops who like to play fast and loose with the language; we know who you are and we know your game. The term trench coat will not suffer the same abuse as the word Martini. Both have clear, lucid definitions; there can be no such thing as a chocolate Martini and those actors in the movie The Matrix were not wearing trench coats (they were wearing frocks). A quick waltz through this section illustrates well the characteristics shared by all Great War trench coats: they were double-breasted (although it is said single-breasted did exist), they must be belted, and they must be cut like a sac, and they must have wrist-straps. Raglan sleeves, storm patches and billows pockets were all optional -and most important: there were NO D rings, those were added later.

Private Abian A. Wallgren: Cartoonist
(The Stars and Stripes, 1918)

If there was any mascot who best represented the staff of the old Stars and Stripes, it would have been their primary cartoonist (even though he was a Marine), Abian Wallgren; who went by the name, Wally.

This cartoon was from his on-going series, Helpful Hints