Helen Fairchild facts for kids
Helen Fairchild was a brave American nurse. She lived from 1885 to 1918. Helen served during World War I with the American Expeditionary Force. She became famous for her letters. These letters shared what it was really like to be a nurse in wartime. She worked on the Western Front. Sadly, she died after surgery for a stomach ulcer while on duty.
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Helen's Early Life and Nursing Career
Helen was born in 1885 in Turbot Township, Milton, Pennsylvania. She grew up on a family farm. Helen was the fourth of seven children. In 1913, she finished her nursing studies. She graduated from Pennsylvania Hospital. After that, she worked as a nurse.
Serving in World War I
When the United States joined World War I, Helen volunteered. Sixty-three other nurses from her hospital also joined. They became part of the American Expeditionary Forces. In May 1917, Helen sailed from New York to London. Then she traveled to France. She arrived at Pennsylvania Base Hospital No. 10 in Le Treport in June 1917.
Helen bravely volunteered for front-line duty. This was during the Third Battle of Ypres. She moved to a special medical station called a casualty clearing station. It was located in Dozinghem. She worked as a combat nurse there. She faced heavy shelling and even mustard gas attacks. On August 17, 1917, German planes bombed her station. The medical team had to go back to Le Treport.
Helen's Illness and Death
Helen had problems with stomach pain before. Her pain got worse after her time on the front lines. Doctors used X-rays to look inside her stomach. They found a large stomach ulcer. This ulcer was blocking part of her stomach. She had surgery for the ulcer on January 13, 1918. At first, she seemed to get better. But then she fell into a coma. She died five days later.
Doctors believed she died from problems with her liver. This was likely caused by the chloroform used during her surgery. Her earlier exposure to mustard gas might have made things worse. Helen was buried with full military honors. Her grave was first in Le Treport. Later, she was moved to the Somme American Cemetery and Memorial in Bony, France.
How Helen is Remembered
Many places and groups honor Helen Fairchild.
- The Nurses' Post of the American Legion in Philadelphia is named after her. It is called the Helen Fairchild Nurses' Post #412.
- She is listed in the Women in Military Service for America Memorial. This memorial is at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
- A bridge in Watsontown, Pennsylvania, is named the Nurse Helen Fairchild Memorial Bridge. It is a long, arched bridge over the Susquehanna River. It is special for its design.
- A plaque stands near West Vleteren, Belgium. It is close to where her casualty clearing station was. The plaque shows her picture and tells her story. It was put there in August 2010. Many important people attended the unveiling.
Helen's Legacy
In 2018, a short film was made about Helen Fairchild. It was called Nurse Helen Fairchild: Killed in Action?. Eliciana Nascimento directed it. Daniel Bernardi produced it.
