First I went back to my Rev. Book first edition . That said that the 2 Witnesses were the "John Class" thus all the remnant at that time and the 1260 days ran from Oct. 1914.
I have an original 1988 Revelation book in mint condition. It was the last one in the KH literature room. I found it a few months ago. It was about to be thrown away. I grabbed it. Here's what it says:
Additionally, at the beginning of the Lord's day, there was a marked period of three and a half years when the hard experiences of God's people matched the events prophesied here--starting from the outbreak of the first world war in the latter part of 1914 and continuing to the early part of 1918.
The revised version in 2006 says this:
Additionally, at the beginning of the Lord's day, there was a marked period of three and a half years when the hard experiences of God's people matched the events prophesied here--starting in December 1914 and continuing to June 1918.
This is a HUGE shift. The outbreak of WW1 was on July 28, 1914. Counting forward 1,260 days brings us to January 8, 1918. Other than a major split among the Bible Students at the annual meeting few days earlier, nothing special happened to them on that day.
Of course, back in 1954, yet a different explanation was published. In the w54 6/1 p. 338-339 an explanation was given of the 1,260 days, but this time, that equated to the "time, times and half a time" of Danial 12:7. Here's what that article said:
6 In Daniel the twelfth chapter, verses 1, 2 and 3, Jehovah foretold centuries ago just what his people would have to experience in carrying out this commission. He tells us of Michael’s standing up. He then tells of a great time of trouble and of the ultimate deliverance of his servants from it. It would then occur that their great privilege of theocratic service would be extended.
7 In verse 7 he tells of the 1,260 days during which the power of these “holy people” would be destroyed. Following this, in verse 11, he describes a period of 1,290 days that would follow from the time of the taking away of the daily sacrifice and the setting up of the “abomination that maketh desolate.” A third period, described as a 1,335-day period, would follow, after which an era of happiness would be ushered in. The meaning and understanding of all these periods were locked up and sealed until the “time of the end.” Now we are at that very time and, true to his promise, Jehovah has unlocked his prophecies and made them plain.
8 The 1,260-day period, with its destructive effect on the power of Jehovah’s people, found its fulfillment from October, 1914, to April, 1918. The 1,290-day period ran from January, 1919, to September, 1922, and the 1,335-day period extended from September, 1922, to May, 1926. A full Scriptural treatise of these dates and their application will be found in the Watchtower issues of July 1 and 15, 1951.
9 Here our purpose is not to go into a consideration of the correctness and the understanding of these dates and to prove them. That has already been done in our aforementioned issues. Rather, we purpose now to establish the fact that Jehovah did foreknow the vicious opposition his people would encounter and this, as well as its effect upon his people, he clearly outlined in detail, in order that they might be strengthened to meet such emergencies. He likewise outlined their subsequent period of blessedness, happiness, after this period of test.
