Descriptive Summary |
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| Creator: | Williams II, Harvey Ladew | |
| Title: | The Harvey Ladew Williams II Papers | |
| Date Span: | 1917-1918 | |
| Abstract: | Letters, photographs, and other papers documenting Harvey L. Williams' military experience as ambulance driver, American Field Service, Section 26, April to November, 1917, with French Army on Verdun front, and American Red Cross Ambulance Service, Section 3, May 12 to Dec 28, 1918, with Italian Army on Piave front. | |
| Quantity: | Four albums | |
B. July 10, 1900 Stamford, Conn. d. March 23, 1986
Chevalier Legion d'Honneur, International business consultant
Emp: President, U.S. Council of International Chamber of Commerce (1978-1982); International Business Consultant (1966 - 1978); President, Fidelity International Corporation (1963-1965); President and Director, Philco International (1957-1962); Vice President, Avco Corporation (1953-1957); Vice-President and member Executive Committee, H.J. Heinz Co (1946-1953); U.S. Army (1943-1946); Chairman Connecticut Aeronautical Development Commission (1939-1943); Management Consultant; (1933-1966); President, Air Investors, Inc. (1928-1933); Stone and Webster (1922-1933)
Education: Morristown School, Morristown, N.J.; B.A.Harvard 1920; M.S. Electrical Engineering M.I.T. 1922
Married (1) 1927, Gertrude Elizabeth Hoxie (2) 1943, Brenda Hedstrom Boocock; s. Harvey Ladew III, daus. Eleanor Ladew (Dowd, decd.),Sheila (Bowman, Jr), Hannah Hooker (Ackerman, decd.)
This collection includes the contents of the four albums into which this correspondance had been assembled. Images of all original pages are available by request. Three albums contained letters; the fourth contained photographs.
Organization |
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| The records have been organized into four series, one per album. | ||
| The "Container" section lists individual letters from the album. A link is available to an html formatted representation of the page. The text is also available on the server in ASCII format with no markup. The filenames for the ASCII textfiles are encoded to reveal placement in the book. The filenames for the HTML representations are encoded to reveal the date the letter was written. | ||
The letters are arranged chronologically in the order in which they were written. Images are arranged in the order in which they were assembled into the album. It is not known if that was chronological or followed some other ordering.
Open to qualified researchers.
Appointments can be privately arranged.
Proper credit must be given for uses described. Please credit "Ackerman Archives - H. Richmond Ackerman"
Permission is granted to quote letters freely from this collection.
Permission is granted to reproduce or otherwise reuse up to ten (10) photographs from this collection.
Permission for other uses must be granted in writing.
Access Points |
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| Subject Names: | ||
| Williams II, Harvey Ladew | ||
| Topics: | ||
| World War I | ||
| Subject Places: | ||
| Milan, Italy | ||
| Paris, France | ||
| Vicenta, Italy | ||
Letters were originally written by the author overseas and mailed to his mother. His mother typed them and bound them in a series of albums. The albums remained in Williams' possession until his death in 198?. At that point the collection was inherited by H. Richmond Ackerman.
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Book I: Letters written while with the American Ambulance Field Service - 1917 |
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Scope and Content: Letters, photographs, and other miscellany contained in the first album of the collection. Covers from April 18, 1917, to July 15, 1917. The page number reflects the order of the pages in the album. Some pages have numbers which do not reflect the current order of the pages. |
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| Page | Link | Description | Thumbnail |
| 1 | passport.jpg | Photograph with hand-written comment: "Passport photo - April 18. 1917" | |
| 2 | clippings | Three newspaper clippings announcing his departure to France. |  |
| 3 | Brief note: all is well. | ||
| 4 | b1-p4.txt | April 29 - May 5, 1917: New York to Bordeaux, aboard the S.S. La Touraine. | |
| 10 | b1-p10.txt | May 9, 1917: Bordeaux to Paris | |
| 12 | b1-p12.txt | May 11, 1917: Paris, submarine encounter | |
| 15 | May 11, 1917: Newspaper clipping from the "Paris Herald" describing "American Field Service Day" | ||
| 16 | May 11, 1917: Newspaper clipping from the "Paris Herald" describing patriot crowds in New York City. | ||
| 17 | b1-p17.txt | May 17, 1917: Settling into Paris | |
| 20 | b1-p20.txt | May 21, 1917: More on Paris | |
| 22 | b1-p22.txt | May 24, 1917: First assignment: politics | |
| 30 | b1-p30.txt | June 3, 1917: On the road; bad food | |
| 32 | b1-p32.txt | June 7, 1917: Settling in, Verdun | |
| 36 | b1-p36.txt | June 12, 1917: He's bored, cooks a dinner | |
| 38 | b1-p38.txt | June 12, 1917: Mme. Lestelle | |
| 39 | b1-p39.txt | June 15, 1917: Complaining about food | |
| 42 | b1-p42.txt | June 20, 1917: New post; artillery and bombs | |
| 45 | b1-p45.txt | June 21, 1917: Chit chat | |
| 51 | b1-p51.txt | June 27, 1917: German plane downed | |
| 53 | b1-p53.txt | July 5, 1917: Verdun devastation; auto accident | |
| 57 | b1-p57.txt | July 15, 1917: Spends his 17th birthday in the trenches | |
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Book II: Letters written while with the American Ambulance Field Service 1917 |
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Scope and Content: Letters, photographs, and other miscellany contained in the first album of the collection. Covers from July 23, 1917, to November 18, 1917. |
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| Page | Link | Description | Thumbnail |
| 1 | b2-p1.txt | July 23, 1917: ...don't send sardines | |
| 5 | b2-p5.txt | July 24, 1917: Nice letter to sister | |
| 8 | b2-p8.txt | July 31, 1917: Munitions depot explosion, etc. | |
| 13 | b2-p13.txt | August 5, 1917: New hospital, tartaric acid lemonade | |
| 15 | b2-p15.txt | August 9, 1917: Thoughts on reenlisting | |
| 18 | b2-p18.txt | August 11, 1917: Breadfast menu | |
| 20 | b2-p20.txt | August 14, 1917: More war | |
| 22 | b2-p22.txt | August 19, 1917: More war, and gas | |
| 26 | b2-p26.txt | August 23, 1917: Rumors of a move | |
| 27 | b2-p27.txt | August 26, 1917: Small note, small attack | |
| 29 | b2-p29.txt | August 31, 1917: Re-up or what? | |
| 31 | b2-p31.txt | September 1, 1917: Send cigars! | |
| 32 | b2-p32.txt | September 3, 1917: Big bombs | |
| 33 | b2-p33.txt | September 11, 1917: Neighborhood under attack | |
| 36 | b2-p36.txt | September 11, 1917: Dear Grandpa (patriotic sentiments) | |
| 38 | b2-p38.txt | September 23, 1917: Under attack once more | |
| 40 | b2-p40.txt | September 27, 1917: Out soon! | |
| 42 | b2-p42.txt | October 1, 1917: What's next? | |
| 43 | b2-p43.txt | October 3, 1917: Yow! Closest call yet. | |
| 50 | b2-p50.txt | October 12, 1917: Croix de guerre (order de corps a l'armie) | |
| 53 | b2-p53.txt | October 17, 1917: Planning | |
| 57 | b2-p57.txt | October 21, 1917: Paris encore | |
| 59 | b2-p59.txt | October 23, 1917: More Paris | |
| 64 | b2-p64.txt | October 29, 1917: New job in Paris | |
| 66 | b2-p66.txt | November 2, 1917: Paris | |
| 70 | b2-p70.txt | November 7, 1917: Paris | |
| 72 | b2-p72.txt | November 18, 1917: Cable "Coming home for Christmas" | |
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Letters written while in the Ambulance Service in Italy |
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Scope and Content: Letters, photographs, and other miscellany contained in the third album of the collection. Covers from June 20, 1918 to December 12, 1918. |
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| Page | Link | Description | Thumbnail |
| 1 | ital-pap.htm | Agosto 22 - '18: Red Cross papers | |
| 2 | ital-map.jpg | Map showing service points in Italy | |
| 3 | b3-p3.txt | June 18-30, 1918: On boat to London | |
| 5 | b3-p5.txt | Undated letter still on boat to London | |
| 7 | b3-p7.txt | July 2, 1918: Cosmo Hotel, London | |
| 9 | b3-p9.txt | July 4, 1918: London | |
| 11 | b3-p11.txt | July 5, 1918: le Havre | |
| 12 | b3-p12.txt | July 8, 1918: American Hotel, Paris | |
| 13 | b3-p13.txt | July 10, 1918: Milan | |
| 15 | b3-p15.txt | July 12, 1918: Vicenza | |
| 16 | b3-p16.txt | July 14, 1918: Section 3, The Front | |
| 19 | b3-p19.txt | July 18, 1918: Settling in, skinny dipping | |
| 21 | b3-p21.txt | July 24, 1918: Air raid | |
| 23 | b3-p23.txt | July 24, 1918: Review by the King of Italy | |
| 25 | b3-p25.txt | July 26, 1918: Thanks, Dad | |
| 26 | b3-p26.txt | July 26, 1918: Quiet | |
| 28 | b3-p28.txt | July 29, 1918: Smista menta | |
| 32 | b3-p32.txt | August 2, 1918: In town | |
| 34 | b3-p34.txt | August 6, 1918: Description of post | |
| 36 | b3-p36.txt | August 6, 1918: Description of post | |
| 39 | b3-p39.txt | August 6, 1918: Record for miles covered | |
| 41 | b3-p41.txt | August 9, 1918: Field headquarters | |
| 43 | b3-p43.txt | August 12, 1918: Stories from the post | |
| 47 | b3-p47.txt | August 15, 1918: 1/4 mile from front | |
| 48 | b3-p48.txt | August 17, 1918: Drove 381 kilometers | |
| 49 | b3-p49.txt | August 20, 1918: Good description of the front | |
| 52 | b3-p52.txt | August 25, 1918: The good life at HQ | |
| 55 | b3-p55.txt | August 25, 1918: New post | |
| 57 | b3-p57.txt | August 30, 1918: Minor shelling | |
| 59 | b3-p59.txt | August 31, 1918: Summary to friend. Best letter of collection. | |
| 64 | b3-p64.txt | September 1, 1918: Shelling and bombing | |
| 68 | b3-p68.txt | September 2, 1918: Italian hand grenade | |
| 70 | b3-p70.txt | September 12, 1918: Money | |
| 72 | b3-p72.txt | September 18, 1918: More maleria | |
| 75 | b3-p75.txt | September 23, 1918: Unusual artillery action | |
| 78 | b3-p78.txt | September 25, 1918: Big storm | |
| 80 | b3-p80.txt | October 1, 1918: Mom: sign up again? | |
| 82 | b3-p82.txt | October 6, 1918: No news is good news | |
| 84 | b3-p84.txt | October 11, 1918: Local news | |
| 86 | b3-p86.txt | October 12, 1918: People headed home | |
| 88 | b3-p88.txt | October 26, 1918: Close shelling | |
| 91 | b3-p91.txt | November 5, 1918: Armistice Day: convoy, prisoners, "Stop thief" | |
| 94 | b3-p94.txt | November 14, 1918: Milan; honorable discharge | |
| 95 | b3-p95.txt | November 17, 1918: Rome | |
| 96 | b3-p96.txt | November 19, 1918: Naples | |
| 98 | b3-p98.txt | November 22, 1918: Firenze | |
| 100 | b3-p100.txt | December 3, 1918: Paris | |
| 104 | b3-p104.txt | December 12, 1918: Paris | |
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Photographs - Pictures of the Italian Front 1918 |
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Scope and Content: A photograph album containing photographs taken in Italy in 1918. Each page in the album was scanned at 300 dpi. A thumbnail is displayed on this page. Clicking the link displays the image at full size. |
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| Page | Link | Description | Thumbnail |
| 1 | Full size (398K) | Aboard the Touranine. Photos of guns and friends. One enscribed "Jim Eaton" and two enscribed "Aboard S.S. La Touraine" |  |
| 2 | Full size (657K) | Photos of French countryside from train. Enscriptions: "Bordeaux" and "New Modane" |  |
| 3 | Full size (595K) | Photos of people, including HLW. One inscribed "At Vicenza" includes the following names: H. Brackett, Huber, Beyton Carr. Another titled "en route to Paris" |  |
| 4 | Full size (753K) | Photos of countryside. One labeled "between Modane and Turin" |  |
| 5 | Full size (585K) | Photos of two buildings in Casale (one is "the big house" and one is "the small house") and one of HLW. |  |
| 6 | Full size (772K) | Interior photographs of lodgings: "My corner", "rest of room", and June 1918 H.L.W." |  |
| 7 | Full size (835K) | Local scenery. Two pictures of "Smithy" one with, one without gas mask |  |
| 8 | Full size (751K) | More photos of Casale, some showing tools and processes used in threshing, and some showing local people and children. |  |
| 9 | Full size (664K) | More people. Two pictures of naked men diving into the Sile River. One lableled "Smithy", one "Malcolm G. Olson", one "Gus Noyes" |  |
| 10 | Full size (629K) | Casale pictures: "the little sister", "Teresina", "Cars at big house Headquarters at Casale", "Going up", "The Attic Club", "Casale - the town" |  |
| 11 | Full size (374K) | "Soldiers", "Gus Askam Tiny Tim Serites Henderson",Road gang at lunch", "The barn behind the house", "looking from the roof" |  |
| 12 | Full size (552K) | Three larger photographs, one labelled "Portegrandi Regimental Post" |  |
| 13 | Full size (553K) | "Porto Grande", "Road Barriers"; pictures of troops and buildings. Interesting mounted barbed wire obstacle to block off roadway. |  |
| 14 | Full size (822K) | Two larger photographs of "#89 - my car - a Meulu [sp?]" and a small photo along the river. |  |
| 15 | Full size (549K) | "Bringing sick men back by boat" shows a soldier leading a horse which is towing a boat full of soldiers in the adjacent canal or river. Other photos of soldiers as well. |  |
| 16 | Full size (900K) | "Casa Fraceschia 1/4 mile behind line" |  |
| 17 | Full size (739K) | Interesting sign-post; "Building the abri" and "The abri finished" along with some portraiture |  |
| 18 | Full size (557K) | Close-ups of ambulances and a machine gun emplacement |  |
| 19 | Full size (768K) | "200 yards behind the lines" |  |
| 20 | Full size (1750K) | Men and stretchers titled "100 years to the lines"; close-up of road barrier; other landscape shots |  |
| 21 | Full size (844K) | "The lines were less than 50 yards away - the camouflaged road", "Making paper knives", "Caso Cento", new headquarters |  |
| 22 | Full size (584K) | Cento and Croce; "Second lines near Cento" Sobering burial grounds at Cento. Totally destroyed "Church at Croce" |  |
| 23 | Full size (679K) | In towns of Casale and Mestre; the marshes near Cento |  |
| 24 | Full size (738K) | Prisoners marching; more town and marsh photographs |  |
| 25 | Full size (1368K) | "Ardidi"; shelled out buildings; "Manoevers before the attack" |  |
| 26 | Full size (819K) | "The Review by the King" marching for the King of Italy. Soldiers on bicycles; lots of other weapons |  |
| 27 | Full size (655K) | More photographs of the review. Observation balloons, lots of troops, early armed vehicle |  |
| 28 | Full size (827K) | "Near the front on our side of the Piave" lots of destroyed buildings |  |
| 29 | Full size (744K) | Toddler; destroyed rail trestle and buildings; air frame and engine for airplane |  |
| 30 | Full size (874K) | "Hospital boat"; "Company Kitchens"; built up second lines |  |
| 31 | Full size (764K) | Plane crash: "An Austrian ended"; large wine cask being towed by horse: "Wine!"; several 155 mm. gun photographs; worried child looking at camera as guns are towed by. |  |
| 32 | Full size (1279K) | "A 75 mm." and "75 mm breech"; gun with open breech and loaded caison; "moving guns" |  |
| 33 | Full size (718K) | Picture of destroyed church from inside shell hole, with writing "Just behind our lines our lines were not more than 100 ft. this way" and many images of destruction |  |
| 34 | Full size (808K) | Destroyed airplane; several gun emplacements, "observation balloon" |  |
| 35 | Full size (771K) | "The front lines in June"; "The June line"; "Dead Austrians" |  |
| 36 | Full size (876K) | Another destroyed airplane; troops and guns on the move; dead soldiers, one seemingly decapitated; "a Fiat machine gun in the swamp"; |  |
| 37 | Full size (731K) | "communicating trench"; "First line"; "behind the first line"; photographs of trench system and war constructions |  |
| 38 | Full size (637K) | "Second line abris note shell burst"; "Front line the trees are in Austrian territory"; other shots of front |  |
| 39 | Full size (676K) | "Wagons going up"; "First day of the offensive - prisoners"; "The cars on the bridge"; group shot with Doe, Pillsbury, Smithy, Thomas, and Huban |  |
| 40 | Full size (543K) | "Italian Cavalry"; "The first town across the river"; "Smithy in a shell hole"; other photos of Red Cross vehicles and destroyed buildings |  |
| 41 | Full size (742K) | "Cessalta - first stop in Austrian country" large Red Cross on top of building; other shots of town, with buildings in decent shape |  |
| 42 | Full size (629K) | "The whole section" photograph of at least 18 ambulances lined up; destroyed bridge and rebuilding effort |  |
| 43 | Full size (769K) | "Feldspital 1001 Teglio"; "Austrian prisoners washing cars at Teglio" as women do laundry in river |  |
| 44 | Full size (609K) | "Trieste"; "The last mean at Meolo", "The bridge home after the armistice" "the Piave" |  |
| 45 | Full size (668K) | "On Leave": "Milan" cathedral; several shots of Rome |  |
| 46 | Full size (642K) | More leave photographs. "Pompeii with Vesuvius" |  |
| 47 | Full size (1469K) | "Paris"; lots of shots of artillery pieces |  |
| 47 - back | Full size (1469K) | "21 rue Raynauard Passy - Paris headquarter"; "President Wilson's Arrival"; other shots of Paris |  |
| 48 | Full size (725K) | "Florence"; soldiers getting onto train; "S.S. Niagra" ship shots |  |
| 48 - back | Full size (1469K) | More shots of ship and ocean |  |
| 49 | Full size (725K) | "Ambrose Channel"; "Smithy and the Czecho-Slovach minister"; boat shots; "Home Dec. 28. 1918" with Statue of Liberty | |
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