The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1919-05-31
FORTY men, TEN
WOMEN, DIE IN ''w
SERVICE OVERSEAS
Sacrifice ProportionateIy One Quarter
as Great as That Of Army
Sixty-Three Decorated.

The Y. NJ. G. A. carried the Red Tri
angle into the camps and trenche
abroad at a cost of fifty-three lives. ,
sacrifice proportionateIy one-quartel
as great as that Of the American
ermy, according to a statement ISSUED
today by. the National War Worl
Council Of the Y. NJ. @. A. OF these
fatalities thirty-fve were due to dis
ease. and the remainder to shell-fire
bombs. gas-fever, drowning and
wounds. Ten of these were women
one of whom was killed by shell fire
and the other in q German air raid.
There were also fifty-ive non-fatal
casualties. These were due princi-
pally to machine gun fire. gas. shell
IRE, and motor transport accidents.
Numerous 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 a force
which at no time exceeded 5000 work.
ers, OF whom 1t is reckoned that more
than one-half were never sent to the
front, being employed in the hundreds
OF huts maintained throughout the
training areas and the '1eave areas"
Sixty-three "Y" workers were deco
rated, while In all more than 152 re-
ceived official recognition or distin-
Ruished service. Thirteen of these
were decorated with the Croix de
Guerre, while forty-eight received
other decorations. OF these three re-
eeived the Distinguished Service Cross,
three the Order of st. Stanislaus; five
the italian Cavaliere del Corona
thirty-eight the Italian War Cross, and
one the French decoration of the
Corps d'Armee. Seven were cited for
the Croix de Guerre. and seven for
other decorations. six commended for
meritorious conduct, and twenty-nine
received honorable mention In dis
patches. Several units were cited in
their entirety, those serving with the
Third division being cited twice. More
than score more reported decorations
nave not yet been confirmed.
Not one of these men under thirty
was fit for military duty, but the cita- |
ions show that they carried on with |
ne same courage and spirit that iden.
lned Americans throughout the war.
lhese records show that they went
'ver the top with the assaulting
waves. that they exposed themselves
lnder machine gun and shell fire to
Minister to the wounded, that they
gorked indefatigably as stretcher
carers. and that they drove ambu-
ances Into the midst Of battle to res
ue the wounded.
Others were sacrificed in the less
eroic but no less necessary work be-
IND the lines. Among these stands
ut Miss Winona Martin Of Rockville
enter, L. l., Y. NJ. G. A. secretary
no was the first American woman
liled In the war. She was killed by
bomb during a German air raid.
al her death made deep impression
, American minds. Ii
Miss Martin had been in Paris only
month, but had already done valu-
lie work In stimulating an interest r
nong the soldiers In the Y. NJ. c.. A.
Paris. lv
Miss Marion G. Crandei1 Of Ala. a
eda, CAL, killed by shell fire near n
1alons March 20, 1918, was another ,
the women sacrificed in helping the U
ldiers. LII
ofhcials were quick to see and an :,
eciate meritorious work, on the mart .
the secretaries and prompt to recog L
1e 1t officially. Major General Dick r;
IN OF the Third division gave a par. -
ularly strong citation of the units r
fached to that division, consisting of o
lrty-four men and six women. &c
A later commentator Of the same n,
It's was ordered by Major General
WISE. &c
Major General Henry T. Allen of the es
netieth division in letter to the al
Visional Y. M. c. A. secretary said:
wo secretaries. F. A. Dawes and B. Tx
FORD, actually went over the ton in
"A the assaulting battalions and car 20
o on their work in the midst of
severest losses" SO
The Y. NJ. G. A. honor roll of those gr
gave up their lives while help. nj
che soldiers win the war. and of
Sc who distinguished themselves in dI
work. contains the names of the te
owing men from the Southern re
ltary department: DR.. John 81.
ford. Tucson. Ariz., awarded Croix SO
Guerre; Thomas Neil Jefferson pr
n, Tex, awarded Italian Crofx
Guerre; William Alsa Miller. Aus. E
Tex. awarded Italian Croix de Oh
IRE. In