A Volunteer from the USA
Repatriation – Unsuccessful
File of IWGC correspondence concerning the grave of Sapper Howard George Nelson, an American from Carrolton, Illinois. Howard attempted to enlist in the United States armed forces, and the Royal Flying Corps, but refused on account of a physical defect and subsequently successfully enlisted in the Canadian Army. Sapper Nelson died of illness in No. 7 General Hospital, St Omer and buried in Longuenesse (St. Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, France.
Main topics concern correspondence regarding the next of kin’s request to have Sapper Nelson’s remains repatriated back to the United States of America.
Repatriation of American Remains in the Great War
Americans understood that significant numbers of military personnel would die in Europe once their country entered the Great War. However, most expected the return of dead for burial in home soil. This was the precedent established in the Spanish-American War, the Filipino Insurrection and the Boxer Rebellion.
The French government passed a law prohibiting all exhumations of war dead from its soil for three years, beginning in 1919. Quick repatriation of all of these dead would stunt France’s reconstruction from war and further the emotional depression of the French people. French Marshal Philippe Pétain (1856-1951) hoped that Americans would leave their dead in the soil of their historic ally. However, Secretary of State Robert Lansing (1864-1928) convinced the French government to allow US repatriations to take place prior to the three-year exhumation ban’s end.
Such decisions at odds with IWGC policy, which appeared to be arbitrary during the 1920’s. While the IWGC enforced a strict, uniform ban on the return of bodies from the Western Front, they were forced to make exceptions that appeared inconsistent, fueling public outcry. Though thousands of American bodies eventually repatriated, the body of Sapper Howard George Nelson remains at Longuenesse (St. Omer) Souvenir Cemetery today.
Mr Howard B. Nelson
Handwritten letter from Mr Howard B. Nelson, the father of the casualty, explaining the circumstances of his son’s death and requesting for his body to be brought back to the USA, dated 25 March 1918;
Burial report providing summary of Sapper Nelson’s admission to hospital and death on 28 February 1918, undated;
Mr Henry Thomas Rainey
Letter from Mr Henry Thomas Rainey, a member of the Democratic Party from Illinois, writing on behalf of Mr Nelson in regards to his request to have his son’s body repatriated, dated 2 April 1919;
2nd Lieutenant William H. Chambers
Typed letter from 2nd Lieutenant William H. Chambers, US Army and a close relative of Sapper Nelson, requesting for Nelson’s body to be repatriated back to the USA, dated 14 May 1919;
Letter from Henry Thomas Rainey referring back to the case of Nelson and the practice of repatriating the bodies of all American soldiers back to the USA, dated 23 May 1919;
Colonel Charles C. Pierce
Typed letter from Colonel Charles C. Pierce, Chief of the American Graves Registration Service, requesting that the AGRS be granted custody of Nelson’s body so it could be repatriated, dated 9 January 1920;
Brigadier-General E.S. Bowder
Typed letter from Brigadier-General E.S. Bowder, DGRE, referring to a similar case in which the body of an American who served with British forces was handed over to the AGRS, dated 13 February 1920;
Major L.A. Shipman
Typed letter from Major L.A. Shipman, QMC to Colonel H.T. Goodland requesting for the AGRS be given custody of Nelson’s body so it may be repatriated, dated 18 March 1920;
Permission to Repatriate, 22 March 1920
Colonel H Tom Goodland
Typed response letter from Colonel Goodland advising why it would not be possible for Nelson’s body to be repatriated, dated 27 March 1920;
Lord Arthur Browne
Typed letter from Lord Arthur Browne regarding future cases of exhuming Americans who served in British units, dated 20 May 1920;
Typed letter from William H. Chambers of Washington University, St Louis, regarding the question of the removal of Nelson’s body to the USA, dated 13 September 1921;
Born in the USA
Complicating the case, likely because of failed repeated attempts to enlist with US Forces, when accepted by the CEF, Private Nelson had declared he was born in Toronto, Canada.
Signed declaration by James McNabb confirming Nelson’s status as a US citizen, dated 10 March 1921;
Signed declaration by Dr James Howard Burns confirming Nelson’s status as a US citizen, dated 10 March 1921;
IWGC Repatriation Policy
Copy letter from Lord Arthur Browne regarding Nelson’s case and the Commission’s policy regarding repatriation, dated 22 March 1922;
Handwritten letter from Henry T. Rainey regarding request for the repatriation of Nelson’s body, dated 29 April 1922;
J.M. Carson
Copy letter from J.M. Carson, Acting Quartermaster General of the US War Department to Mr H.B. Nelson explaining it would not be possible to repatriate his son’s body and it would cared for by the IWGC, dated 24 May 1922;
Copy letter from Mr H.B. Nelson to the American Graves Registration Service insisting on repatriating his son’s body back to the USA, dated 20 January 1921;
W. O’Maloney
Copy letter from W. O’Maloney, Overseas General of the League of Nations Union, addressed to Colonel Heath of the British Legion regarding next of kin’s request for Nelson’s body to be repatriated, dated 4 July 1923.
Major-General Sir Fabian Ware
In 1923, Vice-Chairman of the IWGC, Major-General Sir Fabian Ware, expressed interest in the case.
Final Decision
Repatriation of Canadian-born soldiers
The case of Captain Durie one of the few successful, and illegal repatriations of a Canadian soldier in the CEF.
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