On this page we will look back at life in the city during the war years. Here we will provide the visitor with the stories making the news, what was happening in sports and entertainment, city politics, the social scene and the prominent people at the time. So, check back often for new editions. To share your family or neighborhood stories, please email PhillyWWIyears@gmail.com

TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA – MONDAY, APRIL 1, 1918

There will be sunny skies with pleasant temperatures today for the city. The high will reach 69° with a low of 49°. Today the 200,000 students in the public schools returned to classes as their Easter Holiday came to an end. Also concerning youngsters, The Hog Island shipyard has the honor of being the first Government plant to organize a Boy Scout Troop. The Troop will be known as United States Service Troop No. 1 and is composed of twenty boys in their teens who work at the yard as messengers.

The beautiful weather over the weekend led to huge crowds at the seashore. Thousands upon thousands traveled to Atlantic City for the annual Easter stroll along the boardwalk. Philadelphians, of course, made up the majority of the tourists and by all accounts everyone had a wonderful time.

Easter Sunday in Atlantic City 1918

Easter 1918 in Atlantic City

Also down in southern New Jersey there will be a big parade in Wildwood this afternoon in honor of the Wildwood Trench Motor Battery’s homecoming. The Battery has been in training at Fort du Pont. The men will be permitted a few hours with family and friends prior to being “mustered in” and then participating with fraternal and military organizations in the parade. Governor Edge will be on hand for the festivities as will the entire population of Wildwood and the surrounding areas to welcome their men home. The day is organized by the Red Cross and the War Savings Association.

WAR NEWS

The roads in France leading north from Toul are clogged with American soldiers and equipment moving to aid the French army against the German push. The American sector has been relatively quiet with only the occasional artillery exchange. Because of this, over the last few days, troops there are being transferred north toward Picardy to support the French. Fighting was heavy Easter Sunday and today in the British sector especially in the angle of the Luce Brook and the Avre River southeast of Amiens. Further south Anglo-French forces recaptured some ground yesterday previously taken by the Germans. For now it appears the German infantry offensive has been halted.

Paris is still under bombardment from German long range guns. On Good Friday a shell from one of the German guns hit the church of St.Gervais-Et-St.Protais during Mass. Eighty-eight people were killed and sixty-eight others wounded. Today one person was killed from the shelling. The guns are thought to be of enormous size, perhaps 60 feet long and located 75 miles from the city.

GET YOUR COPY BY CLICKING HERE:  PHILADELPHIA: THE WORLD WAR I YEARS