Yes it was a worldwide influenza. There is a very good book written about two years ago call "Flu". It killed so many of the military they had no who could dig the graves because so many died and the others were sick. My Mother said that someone drove a horse-drawn wagon crying " Dead, Dead any Dead" and people would bring them out and add to the load already on the wagon.She was 13 and no-one in her home had it. What a miracle. Barbara