34 Harrowing Facts About World War 1 – Part 2

During World War 1, the 369th Infantry Regiment spent 191 days under fire, never lost a man through capture, lost a trench or a foot of ground to the enemy, but was not allowed to march in the victory parade.

27. Tanks from World War 1 were originally to be called Landships but the factory workers who were building them referred to them as Tanks because they resembled steel water tanks and the British concerned with secrecy kept that name.

28. A British soldier named Patrick Fowler spent most of World War 1 hiding in a wardrobe. A French family in German-occupied France had taken him in, however, 16 German soldiers were then billeted at the residence, spending their time in the same room as the wardrobe. Every day he was silent and still to avoid being detected.

29. During World War 1, German zeppelins had a "spy basket" which was a small capsule that would be dropped from above the clouds to spy on the allies. Despite it being cold, isolated and cramped, crew members would volunteer to be in it because it was the only place they were able to smoke.

30. During World War 1, Belgium opened its sluices to allow seawater to flow in and flood their country to prevent German occupation. They held their front for the duration of the war.

In World War 1, British and American fighter pilots were not issued parachutes because they were considered cowardly apparatus.

32. During World War 1, German Saboteurs set off bombs on Black Tom island in New York harbor. The blast could be felt as far away as Philadelphia and caused over $100,000 in damage to the statue of liberty and is the reason its right arm is still closed to tourists today.

33. During World War 1, female art students joined the National League for Women’s Service and trained to serve in the Camouflage Department of the United States Navy. They designed camouflage patterns and tested them in various locations in New York City including the NY Public Library and Union Square.

34. During World War 1, soldiers were not issued helmets until the summer of 1915, after nearly a million and a half were killed or wounded. Before that they wore headgear made of felt, cloth or leather.