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Portraits of WWI Auxiliaries


jagjetta
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Mrs. Grace Burch Walkup had been the Treasurer of the Yonkers Branch of the National Surgical Dressing Committee, est. 1916. In Spring 1918, the group merged with the local branch of the Red Cross. In May 1919, now a member of the Serbian Relief Committee of America, she sailed on the Norordam to work in Belgrade. While in Salonika, she met the Italian pilot and war hero, Captain Arnoldo Marson. The two were married in January 1920.

 

Walkup was the only daughter of Bishop Charles Sumner Burch of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of New York.

 

She is wearing her uniform of the Serbian Relief committee of America. The SRC was formed in 1915 for the general relief in Serbia and Montenegro, in the refuge colonies, and among Serbian prisoners of war in Austria and Germany. It was formed with the sanction of the Royal Serbian Government and was headquartered at 70 Fifth Ave., New York City.

 

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This is a photo of Lillian Grace Barrington Baker, taken in Paris, 1919.

Born at Kingston, Jamaica on 20 October 1883, she was the daughter of Robert Barrington Baker, a Lt.Col. in the British Army, and his wife Susanna Mary née Middleton.
She spent her childhood in the West Indies, where her father was stationed with the British army. She studied at an art school for three years also studied art and languages in France and Germany, and spoke five languages and set up a studio in Kensington.
She was a member of the Ipswich Art Club 1910-1915 exhibiting in 1911 from Hill House, Shotley an oil 'Patience, daughter of Rev. J.F.A. Hervey' and three others 'Margaret, daughter of Rev. J.F.A. Hervey', 'C.J.C. Street, Esq.' and a design for a book-plate.
Lillian worked for the British Intelligence Corps during WWI, involved in censorship department activities in London, and did post-war work in Paris with American Headquarters where she met an American serviceman, Edward Tilighman Paca (1877-1972). This photo would have been taken about that time
She emigrated to the United States of America and married Paca in 1920.
During WWII, she sketched seals on Seal Rock and put them in her first, privately printed book, 'Sea Lions and Seals' with a second book 'Pelican Personalities'. In the late 1950s, the Smithsonian Institution requested her bird drawings for an exhibition and in 1953, she published 'An Introduction to Western Birds' which she illustrated herself and wrote several other books and articles.

​Lillian Grace Paca of Pacific Grove, an author, poet, newspaperwoman and one of the nation’s foremost bird artists died at Pacific Grove, Monterey, California in January 1978.
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This is a fantastic thread---Here are a few images of some YMCA ladies and their friends in a section I would label "Girls just want to have fun." sorry Cyndi.....A group of YMCA workers apparently on small craft in high wind and sharing the deck with a British Officer, a US Navy Officer and several Italian Officers (including one from one of the famous Alpini units)

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And here's another group visiting a Museum in Paris (I think---I've seen these steps in other photos) this time they are accompanied by some District of Paris Doughboys and being guided by a French Pensioner (most likely a Franco Prussian war or Colonial Wars veteran)

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And no trip to Europe (or thru Europe) is complete without visiting a Cathedral (perhaps Rheims); this time the ladies are accompanied by two Doughboys and some sailors.

 

regards, Al

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And here's one more that probably should fit in here somewhere---from the "preparedness " period (courtesy of the Library of Congress)--- two young ladies are learning to be signalmen/women in case the military loosened their restrictions on women in uniform--and since that never happened, chances are most of these adventurous ladies went on to serve in one of the auxiliary type units seen above. What do you suppose one of these uniforms, with solid documentation, would be worth?

 

Al

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And here's another group visiting a Museum in Paris (I think---I've seen these steps in other photos) this time they are accompanied by some District of Paris Doughboys and being guided by a French Pensioner (most likely a Franco Prussian war or Colonial Wars veteran)

 

Stairs are at Fontainebleau Palace, about 30 miles south of Paris.

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Austin---thanks--that is great information...Al

 

 

Stairs are at Fontainebleau Palace, about 30 miles south of Paris.

 

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Studio portrait of Calvert Wallace, YMCA, taken in London.

 

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Calvert Wallace, Sergeant, born in the Cumberland Community of the Land Between the Rivers on 22 May 1877, the son of Green T. and Mary Hooks Wallace.

 

As a young man, he taught school at several schools in Trigg County. In 1913, he was appointed as County Superintendent of Trigg County Schools. At the end of his term, he went to Frankfort, KY and was employed by the State Department of Education.

 

In January 1918, he volunteered for service in the Army, but being above the draft age, he was not accepted. The people at the induction center gave him information of the National War Work Council of which the International Committee of Young Men's Christian Association was affiliated.

 

On 22 May 1918, he joined this association and was immediately sent to Paris, France. He was assigned to units in France until after 11 Nov 1918. His unit worked with soldiers who were sick, wounded, gassed, or need assistance getting communication with family the United States...

 

The last American troops separated from Germany in 1923. Some of these soldiers were transferred to London, England, to await passage back to the states. Wallace was sent to England to work with the troops there. His work finished in 1925 and he returned to the United States.

 

---Trigg County, Kentucky Veterans, page 90

 

 

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YMCA staff in Paris, from left to right:

D.A. Davis, directing YMCA work with French soldiers

Francis Bowes Sayre, son-in-law of President Wilson

F.B. Shipo, Pittsburg YMCA

Lewis A. Crossett of Boston, representing the War Work Council

 

Photo dated October 30, 1917

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Dr. James Isaac Vance, 78, pastor-emeritus of the First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN, who was rated at the time "among the twenty-five most influential" ministers of the nation, served in the YMCA during WWI. His obituary stated:

 

During the World War he saw service in France and Germany as a

chaplain in the YMCA, and often referred to his association with

"the boys over there" as being epochal in his life. He always

gave patriotic observance of Armistice Day, with special

emphasis to world affairs.

 

While the World War was in progress he was chairman for his

denomination for relief work in Europe, and raised funds to

build a memorial church in France. After the war he was named

chairman of the Federal Council's Commission on Protestant

Relief in Europe, and spent four months in Greece, Palestine,

Smyrna and Russia seeking to programize the work for Near East

relief. His recommendations were approved and the work proceeded

along the lines laid down in his report. President Woodrow

Wilson named him chairman for Tennessee for the famine sufferers

of China, in which capacity his efforts were outstanding.

 

 

 

 

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Outstanding thread! Thank you; the topic is most interesting, as support units and volunteers workers are sometimes are overlooked. Here is one cropped shot from the album of a 332nd officer taken after the war. He is at the right end of the group. I do not know to which organization(s) the two girls belong.

 

mccooper

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And note that both the ladies are surrounding the Italian Bersaglieri --- those are some seriously elite troops, even back in the 1918-19 period...

Outstanding thread! Thank you; the topic is most interesting, as support units and volunteers workers are sometimes are overlooked. Here is one cropped shot from the album of a 332nd officer taken after the war. He is at the right end of the group. I do not know to which organization(s) the two girls belong.

 

mccooper

 

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While this is not really a portrait, I thought you all would be interested in the great appreciation given by the men of the North Russian Intervention to their YMCA representative. This photo is from the Co. M, 339th IR, unit history.

 

mccooper

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Azeele Packwood, Red Cross Motor Corps, New York Chapter

 

She was a Red Cross Automobile driver who committed suicide on the Palisades near Englewood, NJ in 1919 after learning of the death of her husband, “Major Fenton.”

 

 

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Ballew, W. Earl, YMCA Secretary.

 

b. Macomb, Illinois, July 1, 1885. Sailed from the States for Overseas YMCA service in December 1917.

First assignment in the field with the 26th Division.

Wounded at Beaumont, Toul Front, June 16th, 1918.

 

In hospitals, Evacuation No. 1, Base 18, Base 9, and off duty convalescing, total of four and one-half months. Stationed in Paris, Nov 1st 1918, to Sept. 1919. At Coblenz from Dec. 1919 with YMCA, American Forces in Germany.

 

The caption on the left photo reads, "Earl Ballew, YMCA worker, giving chocolates and smokes to sentries in an advanced listening post. This is the extreme advanced position on the active front."
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The second image of Ballew is from the University of Minnesota archives. It seems he was a favorite subject among press photographers. I have seen at least six different photo of him in the field.

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jagjetta-

 

Is anything known about the YMCA women receiving the Croix de Guerre? Names? Reasons? I have located the story of Betty Stevenson, who received hers posthumously, but can find nothing on other YMCA women receiving this important award. Once again - thanks for a super thread. Many interesting stories here, including this one. All the best,

 

mccooper

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American Red Cross worker in France, ca. 1918, identified as "Turner Callahan." Haven't been able to find anything to confirm that though. He is wearing a French Adrian helmet (backwards) along with an open lapel tunic and breeches, typical of American Field Service personnel.

 

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