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Memorial Certificate French Version


Radio Operator
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Radio Operator

Found this at an antique store recently which was also the first time I have ever seen one of these. This one is in excellent shape and named to US Navy sailor William Henry Hartley, so far I have not found anything on him. It was hard to find any information on this as they don't seem to be talked about much. There are two older threads on here that mention them, but don't have a lot to say on them besides the they are equivalent to the Presidential KIA/WIA certificate. Fortunately, the Rochester Public Library digitized a local world war service record book which provided some useful information. It is also an interesting read and I'll link it below.  

 

The book describes these as a "memorial certificate presented by the French to next of kin of all Americans who died in the service during the world war" (page 19). This makes a lot of sense as the few I have seen here and on other sites were for servicemen who passed away be it from combat or disease. On the following page is an english translation of the french text, an interpretation of the image, and the translation of the latin beneath the "1914 -1919 date" which are lines from a Victor Hugo Poem. If anyone has more information on the sailor or certificate please let me know, thanks for reading!

 

Link: Output.pdf (libraryweb.org)

 

 

 

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Name:William Henry Hartley

Record Type:Military Service

Birth Date:13 Sep 1890

Military Date:8 Sep 1918

Residence Place:Chelsea, Massachusetts

Death Date:8 Sep 1918

 

He was stationed at the Navy Radio Station in Chatham Massachusetts

 

Died of disease at the Navy Hospital in Chelsea Massachusetts - He was from Revere Mass. and there is/was a square in the town named for him

 

Bill

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Radio Operator

Thank you for the information, Bill I greatly appreciate it! I'm trying to see if I can find the square in the town named for him.

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