The trunk group of Sgt. Fred Kurth of the Reserve Mallet

[Croix de Guerre]

An original water color of Fred painted by his friend C. LeRoy Baldridge during the winter of 1918 at Soissons, France.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_Leroy_Baldridge

 

 

Just came across this photo of Cyrus LeRoy Baldridge; Fred's buddy who drew his portrait during the winter of 1917 - 1918. This photo shows Baldridge wearing the unofficial beret of T.M.U. 184. Note his issue French Adrian helmet. Cyrus was quite an interesting man; check out this link to a bio of him on Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_Leroy_Baldridge

[Croix de Guerre]

Just came across this photo of Cyrus LeRoy Baldridge; Fred's buddy who drew his portrait during the winter of 1917 - 1918. This photo shows Baldridge wearing the unofficial beret of T.M.U. 184. Note his issue French Adrian helmet. Cyrus was quite an interesting man; check out this link to a bio of him on Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_Leroy_Baldridge

 

 

Drawings by C.L. Baldridge from the Kurth group - the sketch of the little boy wearing the Chasseurs de Alpine beret was a gift for Fred's little sister. The drawing of Col. Mallet is a copy from the History of the American Field Service.

[manayunkman]

The best part about this forum is that you get to see incredible stuff. Absolutely wild over the top grouping. I love it and plan to read it again.

 

thank you for letting us see it

 

M.

[Patchcollector]

Outstanding group! :bravo: What a life this guy lived;he certainly got around!And he saved all of his stuff too!Gotta love the packrat G.I's!

[so.mostyank]

Frederick William Kurth was born November 10, 1895 in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of William and Katherine Kurth. After preparing at Roxbury Latin School, Fred enrolled at Harvard University. In early 1917 he joined the American Field Service as a volunteer ambulance driver. Upon arriving in France he along with his fellow volunteers were asked to drive supply trucks instead of ambulances. In the preceding months, the French government had appealed to the directors of the AFS for volunteers to help with the French supply service. Most of the French soldiers assigned to operate supply trucks tended to be older men who were needed to be returned to their civilian roles as farmers, mechanics and factory workers. As it was, the number of volunteers with the American Field Service had outstripped the number of available ambulances, plus the United States had finally declared war with Germany; thus removing the concern of violating the laws neutrality that would normally prevent these volunteers from actively providing military assistance.

 

Fred was assigned to a truck driving school at the village of Dommiers, near the forest of Villers-Cotterets, where the new volunteers would learn the intricacies of operating a "camion".

 

To quote Fred, "During the following fortnight we were trained for our work at the front. This preparation was of a double nature, for the time was divided between drill and automobile instruction. We had been issued French equipment at 21 rue Raynouard (the American Field Service headquarters in Paris); gas masks, helmet, canteen, etc., and it was an awkward picture that we made during the first days as we maneuvered to the French commands. “Arme sur le’paule droite” was a signal for a confused sound of rifles banging against helmets; and after things had quieted down a bit, no two rifles were in the same position. "

It is amazing that these wonderful groups keep getting unearthed by the collectors on this forum...so.mostyank

[Croix de Guerre]

Thanks fellas for all your kind words. :thumbsup: