Campbell, Andrew Courtney, Jr. ()

Memorial for Andrew Courtney Campbell, Jr.
As a tribute to the gallantry and self-sacrifice of Andrew Courtney Campbell, Jr., who was killed during the first week of October, 1917, in an engagement with three German airplanes, plans were inaugurated last Saturday toward the establishment of a memorial hospital in France. With the announcement that $1,500 had already been subscribed for the Andrew Courtney Campbell, Jr. Emergency Hospital, friends of young Campbell bent their efforts toward obtaining several thousand dollars for the hospital, which wll be stationed in a French village not far behind the firing line.

Andrew Courtney Campbell was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Courtney Campbell of Kenilworth avenue, Kenilworth, and was a member of the Lafayette Escadrille. Mrs. Samuel W. Allerton, Mrs. Hugh Johnston McBirney and Robert W. Allerton started the fund with contributions of $500 each. Mrs. McBirney will act as treasurer and will receive subscriptions at the office of the American Fund for French Wounded, room 313, 60 East Washington street.

Inspiration to others
"A number of friends of this splendid boy and his family," said Mrs. McBirney, "have felt that there should be some testimonial to his gallant life and death, and we feel that it would be an inspiration to others.
"The most effective memorial, we think, would be one that would help the people he died to help. We hope to raise the necessary money by subscriptions from young Campbell's friends and from the public. No subscription will be either too large or too small to be gratefully acknowledged."
By a strange caprice of fate, Mr. and Mrs. Campbell but recently received a glowing tribute to him in a letter written by Dumaresq [sic] Spencer, a young Highland Park aviator who was killed last week, also as a fighter in the Lafayette Escadrille. In the course of his letter Spencer wrote:
"I know that it is very difficult to relieve the great sorrow that has come to you in the loss of your son [text may be misprinted] For I had said to myself that if I "Coty," [sic] but I trust that it will be some solace to hear from one who, though not an intimate friend, has greatly admired your son and his splendid work for France.
"When I arrived in France I feld that I had a special interest in "Coty" and followed his career very closely, [text may be misprinted] can only do as well as "Coty" Campbell I will be content and will be ready for any sacrifice that I might be called upon for.
"Since that time this hope and purpose has been growing stronger and stronger with me. It was strengthened by traces of his good records in the French schools, and then by his achievments at the front. First came the news of his first boche, then of his landing with one wing gone. Many of my monitors have spoken of this and pointed it out as an example of the action of a man that would never give up. The next we heard was that Coty Campbell had knocked down two more boches. This was even more wonderful, but it seemed that his call had come, for the next report was that Coty was missing.
"The date of his disappearance reminded me of a conversation that I had had in Paris a month before with Paul Rokwell [sic], the brother of Kiffen Rockwell, who had been a member of the escadrille. I asked Paul how Coty was getting along.

"Too Much Guts."
"He replied: "Coty is a wonderful man, but I will give him only about one more month to live." I was naturally surprised at this, and asked why; to which Paul said, "Because he has got too much guts."
"After reviewing his whole career and then the manner of his death, shot down fighting against great odds over the German lines, this expression of his courage seems to me to be the keynote of his life.
"Coty himself has gone, but this influence of his life will live on, for I know that there are many others who like myself, hold up as their ideal the record which he has made here in France. If, before they get me, I can boast of six months at the front during which time I have never shirked a duty or missed a fight and have three dead Germans to my credit, I will consider my life a glorious success, providing they accuse me of no greater fault than "too much guts."
Andrew Courtney Campbell, Jr., was born November 19, 1891, in Chicago. He attended the Mosley school at Twenty-fourth street and Michigan avenue and then New Trier high school. Then he entered the University of Virginia. He went to France in June 1916, and passed through the flying schools at Buc, Juvisy, Avord, Cazauz and Pau. At Juvisy he was the first American to graduate and stood highest in scholastic ability. His service at the front won him the Croix de Guerre with the gold star. To this two palms were afterward added for special citations for gallantry.