WWI ARC and ANC Ephemera Grouping - Photos, documents

[MasonK]

 

Hi All,

I picked up this paper grouping named to a nurse who served during WWI. I shared it before, but never got around to researching it further, and scanning the documents. It originated as 2 books with everything glued onto construction paper. It was crumbling apart, so I decided the best bet was to disassemble it, and place the sheets into protective sleeves.  

 

The group intrigued me because of the great photos, and that she, Gertrude Levy, was local to me, having once lived in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. I'm from the close by Olney section originally, and my Grandfather, his father, etc., were predominantly from Germantown. 

 

In any case, I've found lot's of information on her, but I'm trying to string it all together. From what I can gather, she was born in France, joined the American Red Cross in France, then joined the Army Nurse Corps? She bounced around from hospital to hospital during and post-war. She eventually came to the US in 1920, and obtained her citizenship in 1921.

 

It's a great photo grouping. Most of the photos are original, as Gertrude can be found in them. Lot's of great hospital shots. Some photos may be reprints, and there were a lot of post cards that I didn't photograph.

 

In any case, here is some of the documentation I found in my research. 

 

[MasonK]

Photos and other pieces from the booklets.

 

Some great uniform shots, including SSI.

[MasonK]

Continued

[MasonK]

Continued

[MasonK]

A couple of these may be prints, like the courtyard shots. all are 8x10, and printed in the same method as the other photos, which include Gertrude. 

[MasonK]

Lastly, a few menu's and other pieces that I thought were interesting. There's a lot more, but it's mostly postcards.

 

She was also active with the VFW post-war, and there were quite a few documents related to that. Mostly budgets, etc., so nothing worth sharing. 

 

Thanks for looking!

[cutiger83]

Wow! Just wow! There is so much to see that I am going to have to look thru this several times!

 

Congrats! ...Kat

[AustinO]

Absolutely fantastic photos.  I've spent about 20 minutes so far examining them!

 

I took a look and am hesitant to make a call one way or the other on where she was before the war started.  I certainly couldn't find her coming to the US before the war.  Her naturalization application states that she was in the PA in 1916:

[MasonK]

13 hours ago, cutiger83 said:

Wow! Just wow! There is so much to see that I am going to have to look thru this several times!

 

Congrats! ...Kat

 

That's, Kat! I wish I could display it better. I'm considering framing up some of the 8x10 photos, along with other on-off photos I've picked up over the years. 

[MasonK]

17 minutes ago, AustinO said:

Absolutely fantastic photos.  I've spent about 20 minutes so far examining them!

 

I took a look and am hesitant to make a call one way or the other on where she was before the war started.  I certainly couldn't find her coming to the US before the war.  Her naturalization application states that she was in the PA in 1916:

 

Thanks, Austin! I have that document, and focused on the final date of 2/18/21. My brain must've been fried, for missing that part.

 

Makes sense she would have been here prior to the war, and likely joined the ARC stateside.

 

Thanks!

 

 

[bertmedals]

Great grouping and thanks for posting it.  I have a small (very, very small) collection of WW1 nurse material and I always enjoy seeing it.  The photographs are fantastic.  

 

I noticed on Gertrude Levy's AGO card that she was in Red Cross Military Hospital 1 (also shows that in the photos).  Here is a link to a page I found that recounts the service of another nurse at that hospital.  Thought you might find it useful in the event you had not already discovered the page.

 

Link: https://rememberingwwi.villanova.edu/military-hospital/#:~:text=1%2C located just outside of,Red Cross operated in France. 

 

Dennis

[Brian Keith]

Really interesting to see! Thanks for posting these historic photo's. The wounded soldiers in the traction beds are great photos!

BKW

[MasonK]

8 hours ago, bertmedals said:

Great grouping and thanks for posting it.  I have a small (very, very small) collection of WW1 nurse material and I always enjoy seeing it.  The photographs are fantastic.  

 

I noticed on Gertrude Levy's AGO card that she was in Red Cross Military Hospital 1 (also shows that in the photos).  Here is a link to a page I found that recounts the service of another nurse at that hospital.  Thought you might find it useful in the event you had not already discovered the page.

 

Link: https://rememberingwwi.villanova.edu/military-hospital/#:~:text=1%2C located just outside of,Red Cross operated in France. 

 

Dennis

 

Thanks for the link, Dennis. I hadn't found it in my research. Right off the bat is the group shot of the nurses. It's the same Gertrude has in her album. Gertrude identifies herself in the photo with a small check mark above her head.

 

Checked out Alma's scrapbook, which was amazing in it's own respect, and a handful of the same photos appear throughout. Obviously they new each other at Hospital 1. Wonder if the knew each other back home. Appears Alma as from Bryn Mawr, which is just outside of Philly. 

[MasonK]

4 hours ago, Brian Keith said:

Really interesting to see! Thanks for posting these historic photo's. The wounded soldiers in the traction beds are great photos!

BKW

Thanks for the kinds words. Appreciate it, and glad you enjoyed. 

[bertmedals]

48 minutes ago, MasonK said:

 

Thanks for the link, Dennis. I hadn't found it in my research. Right off the bat is the group shot of the nurses. It's the same Gertrude has in her album. Gertrude identifies herself in the photo with a small check mark above her head.

 

Checked out Alma's scrapbook, which was amazing in it's own respect, and a handful of the same photos appear throughout. Obviously they new each other at Hospital 1. Wonder if the knew each other back home. Appears Alma as from Bryn Mawr, which is just outside of Philly. 

Excellent.  I'm glad the link was helpful.