American Field Service Uniform Group. ID'd

[trenchbuff]

This is a great story that I had to share with my fellow forum members. It was made possible because of another forum member who is an authority and collector of the American Field Service in WW1 (among other things). The story begins when I was in high school in Great Falls, Montana. I was fortunate enough to get to know many of our WW1 veterans and spent lots of weekend afternoons hearing their stories of the war as well as life in the "old days". One of the more colorful veterans was a gentleman named Henry Montgomery Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton came from one of the more well-to-do families in Great Falls. His father was a bank president which afforded young Henry the opportunity to attend Dartmouth College in New Hampshire to study French. This was at the height of the First World War in 1917 and like many college and university students Hamilton decided to join the American Field Service to drive an ambulance in for the French. He was assigned to SSU-69 where he served for several months at the front. When the US Army militarized the ambulance units, Hamilton decided to join the Red Cross in Italy where he served for Six months before joining the French Artillery and remained there until the war ended. When he returned home to Montana, he was selected to lead the 1920 Memorial Day parade down Central Avenue in Great Falls. Hamilton went on to live a full and prosperous life as a wool grower and real estate developer, living to the advanced age of 89 years. By then I was in the US Navy and made an effort to find out what happened to his uniform and other war memorabilia. Some I discovered was donated by his daughters to a local museum, including his AFS service certificate and the kepi he wore while serving with the French Artillery. Fast forward to Christmas season 2011 and a phone call from my fellow forum member and AFS expert (from back East no less) wanting to know the name of the AFS ambulance driver I knew as a kid. Henry Hamilton ofcourse. He had turned up his uniform! I was floored! How did Mr. Hamilton's uniform turn up so far from home so many years later? That mystery remains to be solved, but since both his daughters moved back East to live, that must be where the answer lies. Someday I'll know for sure, but the happy ending is that Henry Hamilton's uniform is back home in Great Falls, Montana and has an honored place in my collection. My hats off to member Croix de Guerre!

[trenchbuff]

Henry Hamilton's AFS overseas cap and close-up of the American Field Service shoulder insignia.

[trenchbuff]

Photo of Henry M. Hamilton wearing his American Field Service Uniform from "History and Roster Cascade Country Soldiers and Sailors, 1919".

[doyler]

Mark

 

Great addition to the collection.Glad the uniform found its way back

 

RF

[Jack's Son]

The story is a great one, as is the uniform. It is in very nice condition, and back home again.

You ARE a very fortunate collector and benefactor! :thumbsup:

[BEAST]

Just fantastic! Glad to see that it is back home!

[Croix de Guerre]

I tell you Mark, I swear that uniform looks 10 times better with you than it did with me! (Love the red on the mannequin!) It needed to be back home in the Big Sky Country! :thumbsup:

[BigJohn#3RD]

trenchbuff,

Simply Great that the uniform found its way back to the home town of the veteran; glad to know it is in good hands and thanks to the forum member that made it all happen.

Regards,

John

[b jay]

Nice uniform

 

 

 

B Jay

[trenchbuff]

Thanks all! I do feel honored to be the current custodian of Henry Hamilton's uniform. As a side note, Henry had a younger brother, Harley. He either enlisted or was drafted in June 1918 and by October found himself in the Argonne Forest. He was one of the replacements sent to Co. A, 307th Infantry, 77th Division. On October 7th his company was part of the push to rescue the "Lost Battalion" and he was seriously wounded. Two days later he died from his wounds. This was such a terrible yet typical story. Within four months Henry's brother went from being a untrained civilian to a poorly trained soldier participating in one of the bloodiest battles in American history, and he paid with his life. I always wondered if the loss of his brother had anything to do with Henry's decision to serve with the Red Cross instead of enlist in the US Army? Here is a photo of his brother Harley Hamilton.

[Glenn_Janssens]

A great piece of History.

Tthe visor is absolutely superbe...as a hat enthousiast is this a wet dream!

[trenchbuff]

A great piece of History.

Tthe visor is absolutely superbe...as a hat enthousiast is this a wet dream!

 

Thanks! The condition is pretty excellent.

[37thguy]

Tooooo cool.

[KASTAUFFER]

Glad to see this group came home! I wonder what you traded :think:

 

Kurt

[trenchbuff]

Glad to see this group came home! I wonder what you traded :think:

 

Kurt

 

You're very warm Kurt, but different deal.

[Belleauwood]

You're very warm Kurt, but different deal.

 

 

Mark,

 

I want to get in line to offer you congratulations on getting this group. I know how it feels when it comes together. It is truly a terrific uniform group with a lot of your own personal history attached to it. The younger collectors should take note that is was thru networking with fellow collectors that helped you in getting this group back to Montana. Your collection can hold its' own with anyone on this forum in quality and rarity, not to mention the amount of great artifacts that you have in your collection. Again, really nice to see it back west!

 

And no Kurt, It was a much larger group. It wasn't this one!

 

DJ

[trenchbuff]

Mark,

 

I want to get in line to offer you congratulations on getting this group. I know how it feels when it comes together. It is truly a terrific uniform group with a lot of your own personal history attached to it. The younger collectors should take note that is was thru networking with fellow collectors that helped you in getting this group back to Montana. Your collection can hold its' own with anyone on this forum in quality and rarity, not to mention the amount of great artifacts that you have in your collection. Again, really nice to see it back west!

 

And no Kurt, It was a much larger group. It wasn't this one!

 

DJ

 

Thanks kindly DJ! You make a very good point regarding networking. Growing up in a state with a small population, before computers and web forums, I really appreciate what technology has done for our hobby, both good and bad.

 

Mark

[67Rally]

Fantastic story and great to see the Montanan's uniform returned home. I'm sure Mr. Hamilton would be proud to know that you have it!