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Details:

In the town cemetery. Isolated Burial

In the town cemetery in the military burial section. Isolated Burial. The isolated burial of Richard Cutts Fairfield, killed while serving with a British Ambulance Service.  He has an elaborate tomb fenced off by four artillery shell casings and a chain.  There is a plaque with English text and three with Italian text below the concrete memorial.  There is also text designating him the first and youngest American to fall in Italy.

Monument Text:

The monument has four sides each with an engraved plaque.  Three sides are in Italian; one side in English.

 

Side 1: The English inscription reads:

Richard Cutts Fairfield

Born St Albans West Virginia US

February 20, 1899

Son of Walter Fairfield

and Lalla Griffith Fairfield Barr

Volunteer Youngest American

Killed in Execution of his duty

at Mestre Italy

January 26, 1918

Thy Will My Lord Be Done

 

Side 2:  The inscription in Italian reads:

 

 

RICHARD CUTTS FAIRFIELD

 

VENUTO VOLONTARIO

DAGLI STATI UNITI DA AMERICA

UCCISO DA BOMBA AREA NEMICA

DECORATO CON MEGAGLIA DI ARGENTO

AL VALORE MILITARE

QUI DOVE IMMOLAVA

PER UN IDEALE

LA DICIOTTOENNE SUA GIOVINEZZA

VOLLE LA MADRE RIMANESSE

FRA I COMMILITONI ITALIANI

PEGNO PURISSIMO DI PERENNE AMICIZIA

FRA DUE GRANDE NAZIONE

 

SIDE 2 translation in English:

 

RICHARD CUTTS FAIRFIELD

 

A VOLUNTEER COMING

FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

KILLED BY AN AERIAL BOMB

DECORATED WITH THE SILVER MEDAL

FOR MILITARY VALOR

SACRIFICED FOR AN HIGHER IDEAL

SO THAT THE MOTHER REMAINS

BETWEEN BROTHERS IN ARMS

A PURE AND PERENNIAL FRIENDSHIP

BETWEEN TWO GREAT NATIONS

 

 

SIDE 3:  The inscription in Italian reads:

 

AL PRIMO E PUI GIOVANE

AMERICANO

CADUTO SUL NOSTRO SOULO

 

 

Side 3 translation in English:

 

TO THE FIRST AND YOUNGEST

AMERICAN

TO FALL ON OUR SOIL

 

 

Side 4:  The inscription in Italian reads: 

 

I COMMILITONI ITALIANI

POSERO

 

 

Side 4 English translation:

 

PLACED BY

ITALIAN BROTHERS IN ARMS

 

Commemorates:

People:

Richard Cutts Fairfield

Units:

British Ambulance Service

Wars:

WWI

Other images :