German vs American time zones

[Guest]

Germany, France and the USA all observed Daylight Savings Time in the summer of 1918. But did US forces in the field observe French DST to coordinate with Allied forces, or did they remain on US standard time? There was a one hour difference between German time and French time, so does that make a two hour difference between US military time and German time? Or just one hour? What documentation can be found to support one theory or the other? Thanks.

[Malcolm]

As the American Expeditionary Forces were attached ( mostly) to the French Armies until August 1918 they would use French time.

Aye

Malcolm

[Guest]

That's what I thought. So presumably, the US was one hour behind the Germans just like the other allies. Any idea how one could go about finding the documentation to verify that? Surely there has to be something somewhere.

[Christina Holstein]

I don't like to complicate matters here but what part of the summer are you talking about? In May 1916 the Germans were two hours ahead of the French at Verdun. I found that out when trying to sort out the precise details of who attacked who where and when for my book on Fort Douaumont for Pen and Sword. I have no idea for how long the Germans were two hours ahead, whether it happened every year or whether was just at Verdun (although that's unlikely). I think all you can assume is that the US troops were on allied time and that it was different from German time by one hour at least.

I don't know where you would go to get the information about daylight saving but I would have thought it would be in something official - the official history perhaps?

Christina

[paul guthrie]

Herbert Sulzbach in WIth the German Guns says his orders said armistice was at 12 noon.