July 1918

[July 1], 1918 (Monday)

• Eight tons of TNT exploded at a shell factory in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, England, killing 134 people. The explosion was so great only 32 bodies were positively identified.
• French president Raymond Poincaré granted the Czechoslovak National Council a special diplomatic charter in anticipation of it becoming a governing body for an independent Czechoslovakia.
• U.S. Navy troopship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of France by German submarine with the loss of six of her crew.
• The Royal Air Force established the No. 80 Wing at Serny, Pas-de-Calais, France.
• The New York City Subway added new stations to the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line, including Whitehall Street, Rector Street, Cortlandt Street, Chambers Street, Franklin Street, Canal Street, Houston Street, Christopher Street, 14th Street, 18th Street, 23rd Street, and 28th Street. As well, the Anderson–Jerome Avenues and Sedgwick Avenue stations for the IRT Ninth Avenue Line also opened.
• Japanese novelist Miekichi Suzuki published the first edition of the children's magazine Red Bird.
• Born: Ahmed Deedat, Indian-South African missionary and theologian, known for Islam missionary work in South Africa, author of The Choice: Islam and Christianity; in Tadkeshwar, British India
• Died:
• * Charles I. D. Looff, 66, American inventor, designer of popular carnival rides such as carousels for the Santa Monica Pier
• * Theodore Lukens, 69, American conservationist, noted advocate for forming forest reserves in the United States including the San Gabriel Timberland Reserve and the San Bernardino Forest Reserve

  [July 2], 1918 (Tuesday)

• A U.S. munitions factory in Split Rock, New York, caught on fire and exploded, killing at least 50 workers.
• Daily newspaper St. Thomas Times-Journal published its first edition in St. Thomas, Ontario.
• Died:
• * Washington Gladden, 82, American religious leader, noted leader in the Social Gospel and Progressive Movements in the United States
• * Helen Stuart Campbell, 78, American educator and industrialist, considered the pioneer of home economics

  July 3, 1918 (Wednesday)

• The Siberian intervention was launched by the Allies to extract the Czechoslovak Legion from the Russian Civil War.
• Lord Lieutenant of Ireland John French issued a proclamation banning Sinn Féin, the Irish Volunteers, the Gaelic League and The Irishwomen's Council.
• The Royal Air Force established air squadron No. 139.
• The New York City Subway added new stations to the BMT Jamaica Line, including 121st Street.
• The National Assembly of Azerbaijan established the state-run newspaper Azerbaijan.
• Born:
• * Benjamin Thompson, American architect, founder of Design Research; in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States
• * Ernest Vandiver, American politician, 73rd Governor of Georgia; as Samuel Ernest Vandiver Jr., in Canon, Georgia, United States
• Died:
• * Benjamin Tillman, 70, American politician, 84th Governor of South Carolina, U.S. Senator from South Carolina from 1895 to 1918
• * D. A. Thomas, 62, Welsh industrialist and politician, leading developer of the coal industry in Wales, cabinet minister for the David Lloyd George administration

  [July 4], 1918 (Thursday)

• Mehmed VI succeeded as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire upon the death of his half-brother Mehmed V.
• Battle of Hamel - The Australian Corps under command of Lieutenant General John Monash captured Hamel, France in what became regarded as one of the most prepared battles of the entire war. Australian casualties were 1,400 while German casualties were 2,000 along with 1,600 captured.
• Austro-Hungarian submarine was torpedoed and sunk in the Adriatic Sea by an Italian submarine with the loss of all 18 crew.
• The Bristol fighter aircraft was first flown.
• In a remarkable coincidence, two sets of famous twins were born on either side of the Atlantic Ocean on the same day. The first set were the Lederer sisters in Sioux City, Iowa, who later became known as the famous advice columnists Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren. The second were the Bedser twins Alec and Eric in Reading, Berkshire, England, who both became champion professional cricket players for the Surrey County Cricket Club.
• Born:
• * Tāufaʻāhau, Tongan noble, King of Tonga from 1965 to 2006, son of Sālote; in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga
• * Ron Ritchie, Canadian economist, founder of the Institute for Research on Public Policy; as Ronald Stuart Ritchie, in Charing Cross, Ontario, Canada

  [July 5], 1918 (Friday)

• American paddle steamer Columbia capsized and sank in the Illinois River with the loss of 175 lives.
• The United States Army established the 30th and 42nd field artillery regiments at Fort Monroe, Virginia.
• The Curtiss Wasp airplane was first flown.
• South Australian Railways opened the Spalding railway line between Clare Valley and Spalding, Australia.
• Born:
• * Zakaria Mohieddin, Egyptian state leader, 33rd Prime Minister of Egypt; in Qalyubiyya Governorate, Sultanate of Egypt
• * George Rochberg, American composer, known for compositions including String Quartet No. 3 and Nach Bach; in Paterson, New Jersey, United States

  [July 6], 1918 (Saturday)

• In the Russian Civil War an uprising starts in Yaroslavl.
• The United States Army Air Service established the 1st Bombardment Wing at the Toul-Croix de Metz Airfield in France.
• The Royal Air Force established air squadron No. 255.
• The Gulfoss Tunnel opened for rail service in Melhus Municipality, Norway.
• Born:
• * Sebastian Cabot, English actor, best known for his supporting role in the CBS 1960s sitcom Family Affair and voice work in Disney films, including Bagheera in The Jungle Book and the narrator in the Winnie the Pooh series; as Charles Sebastian Thomas Cabot, in London, England
• * Eugene List, American classical musician, pianist for the New York Philharmonic and noted instructor with the Eastman School of Music; in Philadelphia, United States
• * Francisco Moncion, Dominican-born American principal dancer, choreographer and charter member of the New York City Ballet; in La Vega, Dominican Republic
• Died: John Purroy Mitchel, 38, American politician, 95th Mayor of New York City; killed in a military plane crash

  [July 7], 1918 (Sunday)

• The United States Army established the Fifth Corps in France.
• Died:
• * Archbishop Andronik, 47, Russian clergy, Bishop of Perm and Solokamsk, Russia from 1914 to 1918; executed
• * Arno Bieberstein, 34, German swimmer, gold medalist at the 1908 Summer Olympics

  [July 8], 1918 (Monday)

• The Committee Pro Catalonia was established to support the actions of the Catalan National Committee formed in Paris earlier in the year to promote the idea of Catalonia being a sovereign nation from the rest of Spain.
• The Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre opened in Gothenburg, Sweden.
• Born: Craig Stevens, American actor, best known for the playing the title role in the Peter Gunn TV series; as Gail Shikles Jr., in Liberty, Missouri, United States

  [July 9], 1918 (Tuesday)

• An inbound local train in Nashville, Tennessee collided with an outbound express, killing 101 people and injuring 171 others in what was the deadliest train accident in American history.
• British flying ace James McCudden was killed when his aircraft crashed on take-off at Auxi-le-Château, France. He had 57 victories at the time of his death, making him the seventh-highest-scoring ace of World War I.
• The Swiss electrical engineering company Anonymous Society of Sécheron Workshops was established in Geneva.
• The U.S. Army Warrant Officer Corps was established, derived from the Coastal Artillery Mine Planters service.
• The Citation Star was established by the United States Congress for Americans serving in World War I, only to be replaced in 1932 by the Silver Star.
• The football club Independiente de Tandil was established in Tandil, Argentina.
• Born:
• * Jarl Wahlström, Finnish activist, 12th General of The Salvation Army; in Helsinki, Finland
• * U. G. Krishnamurti, Indian philosopher, noted critic of the concept of enlightenment; as Uppaluri Gopala Krishnamurti, in Machilipatnam, British India
• * Nile Kinnick, American football player, halfback for the Adel and Omaha Benson High School Magnet football teams, recipient of the Heisman Trophy; in Adel, Iowa, United States

  [July 10], 1918 (Wednesday)

• Russia adopted a new constitution that officially declared it a Soviet republic. The iconic Soviet emblem was released, which included the hammer and sickle wreathed in wheat with the red star on top. It contained the motto "Workers of the world, unite!" in the coat of arms.
• British colonial forces defeated Egba rebels in Nigeria. The fighting cost 600 lives and lead to heavy taxation and forced labor policies in the African region until 1925.
• The Denver and Interurban Railroad in Colorado ceased all operations as passenger service was replaced with buses.
• Born:
• * Chuck Stevens, American baseball player, first baseman for the Cleveland Browns from 1941 to 1948; as Charles Augustus Stevens, Jr., in Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
• * James Aldridge, Australian journalist and writer, author of The Sea Eagle and The Diplomat; as Harold Edward James Aldridge, in White Hills, Victoria, Australia
• Died: Fay Kellogg, 47, American architect, advocated female membership into the École des Beaux-Arts, designer of the Woman's Memorial Hospital in Brooklyn, New York and the YWCA National War Council houses at military bases during World War I