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Fairfield Richard Cutts

Monuments

ISOB Fairfield

 

Name:
Richard Cutts Fairfield
Rank:
Serial Number:
Unit:
Ambulance Corps
Date of Death:
1918-01-26
State:
Rhode Island
Cemetery:
cimitero civile di Mestre (VE)
Plot:
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Medaglia d'Argento al Valor Militaire
Comments:

Richard Cutts Fairfield was born in West Virginia on February 20, 1899, the son of Walter Browne Fairfield and Lalla Griffith Fairfield-Barr. He lived in New Hampshire and New York City, an then graduated from the St George’s School in Newport, RI. He was accepted into Harvard University, but instead joined the (British) Wynne Bevan Ambulance Corps and served in Italy. At the age of 18 he was the youngest of the five Americans in the British organization and lived with his parents before he left for the front. On 26 January 1918, the city of Mestre (VE) suffered an air raid. Fairfield and his comrade William Platt of Baltimore rode out from the hospital in a moped to help rescue victims. possible victims. Just when they reached the Mestre hospital to start the rescue, more bombs fell and they both were killed. One received a heart fragment of bomb, while the other was hit by three splinters, in the head, stomach and legs. His coffin covered with American and Italian flags received military honors from the two nations and he was buried in the town cemetery, beneath a specially erected memorial. His mother attended the funeral, along with Gen. Evan M. Johnson representing the American Army, Gen. Guglielmotti representing the Italian Ministry of War, the Mayor of Mestre and high civil and military authorities. For this noble gesture of courage, he was awarded the Italian Silver Medal of Military Valor. Some Hemingway scholars believe that Richard Cutts Fairfield may have been an inspiration for a character in the book “A Farewell to Arms”.