A year for France

Preface

Henry Howard Houston Woodward was born at Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, February 27th, 1896. Oldest son of Gertrude Houston and George Woodward.

Prepared for college at Chestnut Hill Academy and Taft School. Spent one year and a half at Yale, resigned after the mid-year examinations, February, 191 7, entered the American Ambulance Field Service, sailed for France February 19th, 1917, and later became an aviator in the French army.

The only official report on Houston's disappearance was that of "missing in action," April I,

1918, and the family have no further information. The "Henry" or "Hennie" mentioned in these

letters was Henry Howard Houston, II, both boys being named for their grandfather, Henry Howard Houston.

By a strange fatality all of Mr. Houston's descendants who were named for him died in Europe between 20 and 23 years of age. His son, Henry Howard Houston, Jr., died in Rome in 1879 just before his 21st birthday; Houston Woodward fell in action near Montdidier when 22 years of age, and Henry Howard Houston, II, the last of the name, was killed by a fragment of a shell near Fismes, August 18th, 191 8, age 23 years.

Since the above was in type a cable was received, February 22,

1919, from Mr. Edwards of the Y. M. C. A., that he had found Houston's grave near Montdidier.