ISOB Richard Cutts Fairfield - British Ambulance Service WW1
Details:
In the town cemetery.
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
