The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-15
COST OF ST LIVES
Y. VI. Carried Cheer to the
Troops at the Front.
Red Triangle Was Where There
Was Much Danger.
So "Y" WORKERS DECORATED
Several Women Gave Their
Lives for the Cause.
5000 Workers Did Their Bit Mt
War Front.

new OTks Mdrcn 1o---1ne OuHS
Mems Christian association carried the
Red Triangle into the camps and
trenches abroad at a cost of 81 lives.
as great as that in the American army.
according to statement issued today
by the National War Work Council of
the 7. NJ. c. A. OF these fatalities
the remainder to shell fire. bombs,
gas-feser, drowning and wounds. Ten
of these were women, one of whom
was killed by shell fire and another
in a German air raid.
There were also 55 non-fatal cas-
ualties. These were due principally
to machine gun fire, gas. shell fire
and motor transport accidents. Nu-
merous cases of slight wounds and
castings which were attended at dress
ing stations. but were not reported
to headquarters are not included.
These casualties occurred in force
which at no time exceeded 5000 work
ers, of whom it is reckoned that more
than one-half were never sent to the
front. being employed in the hundreds
of huts maintained thruout the train
ing areas and the leave areas"
152 Are Given Honors.
Sixty-three 'Y'' workers were deco
rated, while in all more than 1872 re-
ceived official recognition for distin-
guished service. Thirteen of these
were decorated with the CroiX de
Guerre, while so received other deco
rations- OF these. three received the
distinguished service cross; three the
Order of ST. Stanislaus; five the Italian
Cavaliere del Corona; So the italian
war cross, and one the French decora-
ton of the Corps dArmes. Seven were
cited for the Croix de Guerre. and
seven for other decorations, six COM
mended for meritorious conduct, and
twenty-nine received honorable men
ton in dispatches. Several units were
cited in their entirety, those serving
with the Third division being cited
twice More than a score more re-
ported decorations have not yet been
confirmed.
Not one of these men under thirty
was fit for military duty but the cita-
tons show that they carried on with
the same courage and spirit that iden-
titled Americans thruout the war.
These records show that they went
over the top with the assaulting
waves, that they exposed themselves
minister to the wounded, that they
worked indefatigably as stretcher-
bearers md that they drove ambu-
lances into the midst of battle to
rescue the wounded
First American Woman Killed
Others were sacrificed in the less
heroic but no less necessary work be-
out Miss Winona Martin of Rockville
Center, L. l., Y. NJ. c. \. secretary.
who was the first American woman
killed in the war. She was killed by
a bomb during a German air raid. and
her death made a deep impression on
American minds.
Miss Martin had been in Paris only
a month. but had already done valua-
BILE work in stimulating an interest
among the soldiers in the Y. NJ. c. A.
in Paris.
Miss Marion G. Cranden of Ala
media, Cal, killed by shell fire near
Chalons March 26. 1918, was another
of the women sacrificed in helping the
soldiers.
The citation of the units attached
to the Third division. consisting of "a
men and six women, by Major Gen.
eral Dickman, reads in part:
The commanding general desires
to make of record in the general or
ders of this division his appreciation
of the part taken by the members of
the Y NJ c. A who have been at
tached to this division and actively
carried on their work in all its pha
during the time that this division was
in contact with the enemy.
While the men of the Y. NJ. C A
were with the troops in the front line,
the young women of the Y. NJ c. A.
were detailed with the hospitals, and
the medical staff of this division bear
testimony of their most efficient help
these two weeks of great