The beautiful bridge between Watsontown is the Nurse Helen Fairchild bridge, in honor of a World War 1 nurse who died in France in 1917. Helen was born in Milton, and raised in Allenwood, but at the time of her death in 1917, her parents had moved to her grandparents house in Watsontown, leading newspapers to refer to her as a "Watsontown Girl", even though she herself had never lived in Watsontown.
Nurse Fairchild was in the first group of Red Cross nurses to go to France, and soon after her arrival there, she was on the front lines, working in a Casualty Clearing Station near Flanders Fields - where the famous Poppy Poem had been penned just two years prior. Although these Casualty Clearing Assignments typically lasted 48 hours, Nurse Fairchild was unexpectedly there for more than 5 weeks (McClelland, who had traveled to the front with Fairchild and was at a different, nearby, Casualty Clearing Station remained even longer). The medical teams worked 12 and 14 hour shifts, with mud past their ankles, often performing surgeries with flashlights as the only source of illumination. The nurses would then wash their uniforms out and hang them to dry, having only planned to be on duty for 48 hours, and having only packed one change of uniform.
Upon returning to the Base Hospital, Fairchild's stomach issues, having been a problem long before she came to France, had returned. By Christmas of 1917, she could not keep any meal down. An x-ray revealed a large gastric ulcer obstructing her pylorus, and in January she underwent surgery. Initially she recovered well, but within days she was jaundiced, and then she slipped into a coma, dying on January 18th 1918. The Post Mortem attributed her death to acute liver failure, caused by the chloroform used in the surgery, and possibly worsened by her exposure to mustard gas.
Today Helen is best known for the many letters, more than 100 pages of them, that she wrote home, detailing the life of the Red Cross nurses at the front in World War 1.
Helen Fairchild was born on November 21 1885, in Milton Pa, the daughter of Ambrose and Adda Louise [Dunkle] Fairchild. The prominent banking and farming family lived near "Braun's Mill", in Turbut township. Around 1889 the Fairchild family moved to Griffey's "Millinery Mansion", three miles west of Allenwood.
The Fairchild Family at their Milliners Mansion Home in Allenwood, about 1910
The Fairchild Family at their Milliners Mansion Home in Allenwood, about 1910
"Milliners Mansion", built by Benjamin Griffey, who also built the White Deer Gristmill and White Deer Rolling Mills. Griffey lived in the home for only a few years, moving soon after the fire in his woolen mills. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places for it's unique architecture, but the top floors were destroyed by a fire in 1980. The house, now much smaller in size, can still be seen on the right, about 3 miles from rt 15, on the right, before the entrance to the game lands.
In 1913, Helen graduated nursing school at the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.
When the United States joined the War in 1917, she volunteered, along with 63 other nurses from the Pennsylvania hospital, to go oversees with the Army Nurse Corps.
In early May of 1917, Helen came home to visit her parents, who had moved from Allenwood to a home on 512 Main Street in Watsontown. Within days of arriving in Watsontown, Helen received a telegram ordering her to report to the docks of Philadelphia by May 12, for overseas duty. She immediately sent a letter to her brother, asking him and his wife to "try to write to Mother often, for she worries when she doesn't hear from you." Helen kept her own advice, and more than 100 pages of letters she wrote about the war and battlefield have been preserved. Despite the censorship, she managed to mention names, dates, and a description of her circumstances, giving a first hand description of the war.
"I forgot to tell you that we wear uniforms all the time, and our street uniforms are heavy dark blue serge, made very military, one piece, with big broad pleats over the shoulders with rows of big, black buttons down both sides, and swirls, with panels front and back, made quite short little
white bands around the collar and sleeves, and sort blue hats. At first we didn't like the idea of having to wear uniforms all the time, but we have learned the wisdom of it now, for it gives protection, and everywhere we go they leave us in without charges whatever." - Letter from Liverpool England, May 26, 1917
white bands around the collar and sleeves, and sort blue hats. At first we didn't like the idea of having to wear uniforms all the time, but we have learned the wisdom of it now, for it gives protection, and everywhere we go they leave us in without charges whatever." - Letter from Liverpool England, May 26, 1917
According to her letters, the nurses arrived in England and June and were welcomed and entertained in England before going on to France.
"On Wednesday we had tea at the Astor country home, and yesterday six of us had tea with Miss Emily Sargant, a sister of John Sargent, who is considered America's most famous artist, so you can see we are getting well treated, but at that, I am ready to go back work." - From the Waldorf Hotel, England, June 2 1917
In July, the 64 nurses took over a 2,000 bed British Base Hospital, chancing the name to the American Base Hospital No. 10, in Le Treport France, on the Belgian border.
"Upon their arrival, sixty four American nurses were faced with a 2,000 bed hospital. The first hard experience came when an exceedingly large convoy of patients, overwhelmed by Mustard gas, and the picture of intense suffering, poured in on them in great numbers... 600 in less than 48 hours, and it was repeated for many a night." - Paul B. Hoeber, written from Base Hospital No. 10
Inside Base Hospital No. 10
"Dear Mother,
The wind is whistling around the hut. I do not mind the rain so much, but the wind makes me cross, and it blows a perfect gale, even in perfect weather. You should see our clothes, no fancy things for us. I have 2 rain hats and 2 raincoats and a pair of rubber boots, so we never stay in on account of rain. One soldier said, "I didn't know American girls were so ugly."
After finding a rickety old Ford to take us, went shopping in Dieppe today on our half day off. I bought a knitted underskirt and a pair of the heaviest shoes l have ever had, great high ones too, cost fifteen dollars.
One has to pay well for everything here, but I am going to keep warm if possible. I had a notion to have you send me some shoes, as it is often impossible to find shoes here that we can wear, as they are such queer shapes.
Heaps and heaps of love, your very own,
Helen." - Base Hospital No. 10, Le Treport, France
The wind is whistling around the hut. I do not mind the rain so much, but the wind makes me cross, and it blows a perfect gale, even in perfect weather. You should see our clothes, no fancy things for us. I have 2 rain hats and 2 raincoats and a pair of rubber boots, so we never stay in on account of rain. One soldier said, "I didn't know American girls were so ugly."
After finding a rickety old Ford to take us, went shopping in Dieppe today on our half day off. I bought a knitted underskirt and a pair of the heaviest shoes l have ever had, great high ones too, cost fifteen dollars.
One has to pay well for everything here, but I am going to keep warm if possible. I had a notion to have you send me some shoes, as it is often impossible to find shoes here that we can wear, as they are such queer shapes.
Heaps and heaps of love, your very own,
Helen." - Base Hospital No. 10, Le Treport, France
In another letter she wrote, " I think I'll walk along the cliffs in time to watch the sun go down. The sunsets here are beautiful. I'll put my heavy dress on for it gets very cold in the evenings. We can only go out in our dark blue serge uniforms. Just as soon as I get home I am going to get dresses in all colors of the rainbow, but never again a blue serge one or a blue felt hat. Gee, I know now how the poor kids in orphan asylums must feel when they all have to wear the same clothes. Heaps of love and a kiss for each one of you, ever your own, Helen.”
While the nurses were taking over the hospital, the the third battle of Ypres was beginning. Nurses were needed at front line stations, Casualty Clearing Stations, where the wounded could be sorted, the emergencies dealt with on site and others being sent on by ambulance to the hospitals.
War Ravaged Flanders Field. The Poem "In Flanders Fields", which inspired the Red Poppies being worn in remembrance, was written from this location two years before Nurse Fairchild arrived there.
Two surgical teams, each composed of a surgeon an anesthetist a nurse and an orderly, were sent forward for duty in casualty clearing stations at the British Front Helen Fairchild and Helen Grace McClelland were the nurses chosen for this "coveted assignment".
The team left the base at six o clock on July 21 in ambulances driven by British chauffeurines.... Nurse McClelland wrote: "After we had left Hesden the ambulance ahead of us had some tire trouble so we stopped on the crest of a high hill beyond the forests and saw miles away a puff of blue smoke from one of the big guns and knew before long that we would see some of the destruction and agony which they were causing."
Surgical teams typically went to Casualty Clearing stations for duty lasting approximately 48 hours. Nurses cared for men injured in a particular drive, and then returned to base. They were instructed to take as little baggage as possible to the Casualty stations. But this time was different, and it would be 5 weeks before McClelland and Fairchild would be able to access additional clothing, or receive their mail.
Although her letters were upbeat, especially when written to her mother, she was soon working in unimaginable conditions.
Night after night the tents were bombed. One nurse lost an eye. Operations were performed while standing in mud over their ankles, often with only a flashlight for light.
Thousands of men passed through the station, having been gassed with mustard gas. The effects of the dark syrupy liquid contaminated the nurses as they removed the soldiers uniforms. The nurses hair and faces turned yellow, and their eyes were streaming. The nurses were issued gas masks, but according to many accounts, Fairchild gave hers to a soldier.
Her supervisor, Chief Nurse Julia Stimson, wrote: ". . . what with the steam, the ether, and the filthy clothes of the men...the odor in the operating room was so terrible that it was all any of them could do to keep from being sick . . . no mere handling of instruments and sponges, but sewing and tying up and putting in drains while the doctor takes the next piece of shell out of another place. Then after fourteen hours of this with freezing feet, to a meal of tea and bread and jam, then off to rest if you can, in a wet bell tent in a damp bed without sheets, after a wash with a cupful of water . . . one need never tell me that women can't do as much, stand as much, and be as brave as men."
Casualty Clearing Station No. 4, [Ypres-Passchendaele area], August 1917
Dear Mother,
...I am with an operating team about 100 miles from our own Base Hospital, closer to the fighting lines. I'll sure have a lot to tell about this experience when I get home. I have been here three weeks and see no signs of going back yet, altho when we came we only expected to be here a few days. Of course, I didn't bring much with me. Had two white dresses and two aprons, and two combinations. Now can you imagine trying to keep decent with that much clothing in a place where it rains nearly every day. We all live in tents and wade through mud to and from the operating room where we stand in mud higher than our ankles. It was some task, but dear old Major Harte, who I am up here with, got a car and a man; to go down to our hospital and get us some things. He brought me six clean uniforms and aprons, beside heaps of notes from all the nurses, letters from home and all kinds of fruit and cake.
We made the trip up to this place in an auto-ambulance 100 miles through France. Oh I shall have books to tell when I get home."
...I am with an operating team about 100 miles from our own Base Hospital, closer to the fighting lines. I'll sure have a lot to tell about this experience when I get home. I have been here three weeks and see no signs of going back yet, altho when we came we only expected to be here a few days. Of course, I didn't bring much with me. Had two white dresses and two aprons, and two combinations. Now can you imagine trying to keep decent with that much clothing in a place where it rains nearly every day. We all live in tents and wade through mud to and from the operating room where we stand in mud higher than our ankles. It was some task, but dear old Major Harte, who I am up here with, got a car and a man; to go down to our hospital and get us some things. He brought me six clean uniforms and aprons, beside heaps of notes from all the nurses, letters from home and all kinds of fruit and cake.
We made the trip up to this place in an auto-ambulance 100 miles through France. Oh I shall have books to tell when I get home."
For weeks, the American nurses, including McClelland and Fairchild, would wash their clothing out each night and hang it on the tent ropes, having only one change of clothing with them. After five weeks of this, a commanding officer noticed their plight and sent a special car back to the base to collect more of their clothing, and their mail.
On the night of 17 August, the casualty clearing station where Fairchild was working was bombed by German aircraft and the medical staff were evacuated back to Base Hospital No 10, in Le Treport
Base Hospital No. 10, October 1917
Dear Mother,
I hope by next summer I can be home to help eat the peaches Irma tells me you are putting up. One of the girls brought me some great big, dandy ones a day or two ago, but they were so bitter I couldn't eat them.
Just as soon as I get home I am going to get dresses all colors of the rainbow, but never again blue serge or a blue felt hat. Gee, now I know how the kids in orphan asylums must feel when they all have to wear the same kind of clothes.
Another of our operating team left for a place further up the lines this am. They went to relieve Dr. Mitchell, Dr. Packard and Miss McClelland, who have been up there since July 21st, and who are tired out. This team will take their place so they can come home.
Rained some last night and is frightfully windy and cold. I put on some woolen clothing for we do not have any fires in the hut yet, but in spite of two pairs of stockings my feet are cold. Right now I stopped writing and got two hot water bottles and have my feet on one and the other in my lap.
Please write letters often, they mean more to me than a package, for I get a little homesick sometimes.
Heaps and heaps of love and a big kiss to every one,
your very own, Helen.
Dear Mother,
I hope by next summer I can be home to help eat the peaches Irma tells me you are putting up. One of the girls brought me some great big, dandy ones a day or two ago, but they were so bitter I couldn't eat them.
Just as soon as I get home I am going to get dresses all colors of the rainbow, but never again blue serge or a blue felt hat. Gee, now I know how the kids in orphan asylums must feel when they all have to wear the same kind of clothes.
Another of our operating team left for a place further up the lines this am. They went to relieve Dr. Mitchell, Dr. Packard and Miss McClelland, who have been up there since July 21st, and who are tired out. This team will take their place so they can come home.
Rained some last night and is frightfully windy and cold. I put on some woolen clothing for we do not have any fires in the hut yet, but in spite of two pairs of stockings my feet are cold. Right now I stopped writing and got two hot water bottles and have my feet on one and the other in my lap.
Please write letters often, they mean more to me than a package, for I get a little homesick sometimes.
Heaps and heaps of love and a big kiss to every one,
your very own, Helen.
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Cause Of Death
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Helen had a history of abdominal pain after meals before she left for France. Beginning in November 1917 she suffered a recurrence. By Christmas she was vomiting after every meal.
In her last letter, written home to her mother on December 28th, she wrote:
"Dr. Norris was just in to see me and told me I could stop some of my medicine. He said my throat looked much better but I still can't go on duty "till I eat and get some color, so I see my finish, for as usual, I look like the wrath of Kingdom come, but I'll make them let me go back soon, for it's too lonesome here to be off duty.
Gee but I'll be glad to see you all by the time this war is over, but at the same time I am glad to be here to help take care of these poor men, and I'll be doubly glad when our own U.S. boys will be [in this part of France] with us, for they will be so far from home, and they will have no one but us American nurses to really take any genuine interest in them, for their own friends will not be able to reach them.
What the Red Cross and the YMCAs are doing for us here means so much to us. Really, it would be awful to get along without the things they send us. Most of the pleasure that the troops get are the ones provided by the YMCA.
If you could only see what the boys here have to go through sometimes, you would see they need all the comfort possible. Without the supplies sent to us by the Red Cross Society, we could not do half as much for them as we are."
Gee but I'll be glad to see you all by the time this war is over, but at the same time I am glad to be here to help take care of these poor men, and I'll be doubly glad when our own U.S. boys will be [in this part of France] with us, for they will be so far from home, and they will have no one but us American nurses to really take any genuine interest in them, for their own friends will not be able to reach them.
What the Red Cross and the YMCAs are doing for us here means so much to us. Really, it would be awful to get along without the things they send us. Most of the pleasure that the troops get are the ones provided by the YMCA.
If you could only see what the boys here have to go through sometimes, you would see they need all the comfort possible. Without the supplies sent to us by the Red Cross Society, we could not do half as much for them as we are."
A Barium meal X-Ray revealed a large gastric ulcer obstructing her pylorus and she underwent a gastro-enterostomy operation for the pyloric obstruction on the 13th. January 1918.
Initially she did well but she became jaundiced on the third day postoperatively and deteriorated rapidly, dying in a coma at 11.20 AM on the 18th. January 1918.
The cause of death was "acute atrophy of the liver". The post-mortem examination suggested that she died as a result of hepatic complications from the chloroform used as the anesthesia during her operation, possibly worsened by her previous exposure to mustard gas.
"When an officer was buried as many officers as could be spared from the hospital were detailed for the escort One the most impressive funerals in our experience was that of Nurse Helen Fairchild who was buried on January 19th 1918, Every officer, nurse, motor driver, and enlisted man that could be spared from duty attended the service Every hospital in the group was largely represented " -
History of the Pennsylvania Hospital Unit (Base Hospital No. 10, U. S. A.) in the Great War
History of the Pennsylvania Hospital Unit (Base Hospital No. 10, U. S. A.) in the Great War
In 1920, women veterans organized the Helen Fairchild American Legion Pot No 421 in Philadelphia. An oak tree was planted on the ground of Pennsylvania Hospital in Fairchild's honor.
In 1977, a memorial stone was placed in the Watsontown Cemetery.
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An Index Of Stories & Photos Of Those Who Didn't Make It Home
And A Closer Look At Some Of The Memorials Erected For them.
https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/05/memorial-day-in-valley-through-decades.html
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For More Stories & History From Allenwood Pa
For More Stories & Histories from Local Towns:
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READ MORE
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Nurse Helen Fairchild, WWI, 1917-1918
By Nelle Fairchild Rote, Helen Fairchild · 2006
The Millinery Mansion - Where Helen Fairchild grew up
Fairchild and McClellan traveled together to the front, but went to different Casualty Clearing Stations. McClelland wrote the above account of Casualty Clearing Station 61.
In 1929 Congress enacted legislation that authorized the secretary of war to arrange for pilgrimages to the European cemeteries "by mothers and widows of members of military and naval forces of the United States who died in the service at any time between April 5, 1917, and July 1, 1921, and whose remains are now interred in such cemeteries."
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