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Portraits of WWI Auxiliaries


jagjetta
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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

 

Sorry to report, the only thing on the reverse is a scrap of the "caption" paper generally found attached to press photos. It has a later stamp on it that just says, "YMCA Workers receive Croix de Guerre" and "From The NYH Service, New York City" (press info).

 

JAG

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Regarding the women in the YMCA, did learn that there were 41 Croix de Guerres awarded to YMCA personnel during WWI, and 13 (or approx. 30%) of those recipients were women. No names given. One YMCA lady lost her life under fire - Marion Crandall. But no mention as to any awards.

 

mccooper

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Guys -
I found this article very interesting in reference to auxiliaries wearing other-than-their-branch-of-service insignia. I had to convert the PDF file to JPEG & then downsized it to be able to post it here. I've resorted to copy & pasting the text. It reads (text t in red was added effect):
Eight Canteen Workers "Honorary Marines"
In recognition of their services to his organization, Major Charles P. Gilchrist, commanding officer of the United States Marines in England, has invited eight American Red Cross canteen workers in London to become "associate members" of the Marines. The eight women, who will be permitted to wear the marine corps device of "globe, anchor and eagle," are:
Miss Jane Rider, Tuscon, Arizona;
Miss Elizabeth Davidson, Springfield, Nebraska
Miss Margaret H. Stevens, Chicago
Miss Florence Heald, Tulsa, Okla.
Miss Alice Collingwood, Endicott, N. Y.
Miss Mildred Weinman, Gloversville, N.Y.
Mrs. Cora Clark Porter, New York City
Mrs. Ada B. Boardman, Washington, D. C.
In a letter addressed to each of the Red Cross workers Major Gilchrist said they deserved the naval Distinguished Service Cross."

 

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Man, Chuck, that was some good sleuthing! Thanks for all the effort to get it posted. I can read it just fine. Fascinating permission to wear EGAs.

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John -

It was included in the purchase of this group photo. Some of the ladies mentioned in that article are also in the studio portrait. Coincidentally, the studio was located in England.

I don't own the photo anymore...

-Chuck

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John -

It was included in the purchase of this group photo. Some of the ladies mentioned in that article are also in the studio portrait. Coincidentally, the studio was located in England.

I don't own the photo anymore...

-Chuck

What a fine image and spectacular history behind it! Thanks for sharing.

 

Not much to post today...just an unidentified YMCA guy without and with his gas mask .

 

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What a fine image and spectacular history behind it! Thanks for sharing.

 

Not much to post today...just an unidentified YMCA guy without and with his gas mask .

 

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John---I really like this set---Thanks to Chuck and Brennan I was able to get some great shots of Y guys and gals into To Hell with the Kaiser but it was an interesting ride of discovery---Until then I didn't know how controversial the Y was and that so many soldiers didn't like the Y or the Red Cross and really preferred the Salvation Army and the Knights of Columbus---one of the biggest complaints against the Y was that they didn't allow the soldiers to play cards in their huts and kept wanting the troops to pray...

 

The discontent with the Y reached the point that when George F. Peabody (yep the guy that the Peabody awards for meritorious public service by radio or TV networks are named after) suggested to his close friend the Secretary of War Newton Baker that more service organization members were needed in France, Baker replied that the real need in France was for "men in khaki and trained nurses not souvenir hunters." Pretty harsh words to a friend....nevertheless, 11 male and female YMCA workers were killed by enemy action and another 167 wounded or gassed. Another 50 men and 21 women Y workers died from accidents or the flu...I guess they weren't all souvenir hunters...

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world war I nerd

Another gripe against the YMCA was that they made the Doughboys pay for items that were donated, and that the Y huts either ran out of stuff or closed for lunch and the men who had waited patiently in long lines for hours had to go away empty handed. It was said that the Y charged for donated items in order to recover the cost of shipping the goods to France.

 

There were a couple of books and pamphlets published after the war by former Doughboys about how unpopular the Y was 'Over There' and why that was so.

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I don't think I have posted this one, but pardon the redundancy, if I have.

 

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Unnamed trio photographed in York, Pennsylvania. They appear to be siblings. The soldier has a Medical disc on his collar.

 

JAG

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John---that is a great family portrait---a reminder of just how much the entire country was involved in supporting the effort---granted, there were exceptions, but for the most part it was a team effort---

 

attached here is a photo of another part of the team---the Red Cross volunteers of Richmond who met the troops trains passing through town and handed out candy and drinks to the soldiers either in route to training camps or on their way to the port of embarkation for the long journey to France...

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Here's a fascinating internet "grab": an ARC nurse wearing bullion aviator wings on the left cuff! Taken at a Paris studio on 6 August 1919.

 

There's much debate about the presence of those bullion wings on her cuff. The prevailing theory is this nurse worked alongside the U.S. Air Service.

 

-Chuck

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Here's a fascinating internet "grab": an ARC nurse wearing bullion aviator wings on the left cuff! Taken at a Paris studio on 6 August 1919.

 

There's much debate about the presence of those bullion wings on her cuff. The prevailing theory is this nurse worked alongside the U.S. Air Service.

 

-Chuck

 

 

She has entered the realm of "One of favorite auxiliary photos!"

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  • 2 weeks later...

This group of YWCA workers posed for this photo on the first anniversary of the armistice, November 11, 1919.

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I do not recognize the shield shaped patches seen in this photo, but the man leaning on the train sports a 3rd Army patch also.

 

mccooper

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world war I nerd

I have no idea if this is correct, but I've seen that photo before listed as "Civilian Service Organization".

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Taken in a German studio, this RPPC shows a YWCA woman with an Infantry officer in a more than suggestive pose not often seen in portraits at this time.

 

The back is inscribed, "Isn't this the warmest thing you ever saw? I look like "I'd been stage with__" Have a glance at my "girlish figger!" Oy looks like he had just rec'd a severe blow. you should see the others. They're worse. Dearie Oy & I were in Paris 3 days to get here on my way back to C now. Had the most wonderful time I ever had--I went in to "shop" for the Hut."

 

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Regarding the photograph of the YMCA women who received the Croix de Guerre: I heard back from the YMCA Archives people at the U. of Minnesota, and there is no specific data there regarding those awards - no names, dates, etc. Is there a French source that would list all recipients of the Croix de Guerre by name - and unit? While this is not a pressing issue, I think it would be great to learn of the accomplishments which led to these women being so honored.

 

mccooper

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Unidentified Navy chaplin and what I think may be a Red Cross member.

 

Real photo postcard, ca. 1918. No info on the back.

 

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Salvation Army member photographed wearing a helmet, gas mask, and pistol at the Cincinnati the Allied War Exposition, hosted at Music Hall from December 14 until December 22, 1918.

 

 

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Dr. Anna Howard Shaw receiving the Distinguished Service Medal for Secretary Baker. Dr. Shaw was the chairman of the Woman's Committee of the Council of National Defense during WWI.

 

She was also the first female minister in the Methodist Protestant Church and spent most of her life working for the cause of women's suffrage.

 

 

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They just keep coming! While working on another project, I found this shot of a YMCA secretary attached to the Czech Legion in Irkutsk, Russia.

 

mccooper

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Jayhawker353

Here's a fascinating internet "grab": an ARC nurse wearing bullion aviator wings on the left cuff! Taken at a Paris studio on 6 August 1919.

 

There's much debate about the presence of those bullion wings on her cuff. The prevailing theory is this nurse worked alongside the U.S. Air Service.

 

-Chuck

 

 

What a find!

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