Woman in War

I've chosen to research about H-Minerva which focuses on the topic of women in war. The subject thread I am following is "Query about a woman in WWI". The one who began the discussion, Susan Holahan, immediately introduced her subject by hoping to get advice from WWI veterans. This shows that she recognizes that primary resources are the most critical to research. She goes on to ask about who received Croix de Guerre during WWI. She received limited responses to her post partly, I believe, because she did not describe this war award. If she had listed a description those who were willing to help might have been given an easier platform in which to begin. Through my own research I discovered that is was a military decoration given from both France and Belgium and it was known to be given to foreign allies (Fortin 8/4/2008). It was received when acts of heroism were performed while in combat. She goes further to explain that she is verifying a story about a women who received such an award for ambulance driving in the late 1914 or early 1915. The woman is named as Maggie Owen Wadelton. Holahan disputes these facts with the "British Ambulance Service" in which she says "she was on medical leave" (Holahan 8/4/2008). Holahan seems to be implying that another woman received this award and was mistaken for Wadelton.

 

Her first response was by Noonie Fortin who is a retired United States Army Reserve first sergeant. She offers Holahan a link. Fortin also states that "Capt. Barb only mentions 3 women getting the award". The obvious question is who is Capt. Barb and why are his words so powerful that Fortin would see no reason in questioning him? The link, I later discovered, was out of date. If this link offered non refutable information how is that it was out dated?

 

Among other responses Holahan received a post by a Pat Jernigan who did not identify her credibility. She suggested a book "20^th Century Women of Courage" by Beryl Escott. This book is said to contain "…women from the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US/ and awards issued by these countries" (Jernigan 8/5/2008). Because this book was published by a distinguished publisher do we take their facts without question? She also suggests archives from www.womensmemorial.org. Ultimately, why are these sources difficult to find for Holahan?