Esten, Thomas Stretton

Cairo, Egypt, April 30, 1942. Thomas Esten, 28, of 195 Walnut St., Stoughton, Mass, died of pneumonia in an Alexandria hospital [April 29]. He was buried in the British Cemetery with military honors. Thomas Esten served with the American Volunteer Ambulance Corps in France from October, 1939 to September, 1940 and during that time was awarded the Croix de Guerre twice, one with palm. For three days and nights, without rest, he helped carry wounded from the front lined to first aid posts, frequently acting as a stretcher bearer himself. Early in his association with the A.F.S. he showed his ability. He was selected as group leader and because of his experience and interest in map-making was given the job, during the long wait in India, of mapping out route marches. This earned him the endearing nick-name among his confreres of "The Mad Mapper" and "Slapsy Mapsie". The death of Tom Esten --- the first casualty in the A.F.S. during the present conflict --- saddened all of us who had the privilege of knowing him and we humbly pray that because of his supreme sacrifice we may do a better job.

__ AFS Letters No. 3

Tom Esten left for the desert in poor health. He insisted that he make the trip and assured one and all that he would be quite all right. The trip to Tobruk was strenuous, with long hours on a crowded jolting train to railhead, and from there in a three-ton truck. Upon arrival at the harbor city Tom was very ill. He was forced into the hospital and within a few days evacuated to Alexandria by hospital ship. He died of pneumonia (aggravated by desert dust) while on the operating table. Tom was a sincere, hard-working young man. He had seen service in France, where he won the Croix de guerre. His desire to do a job cost him his life.

__ Andrew Geer. Mercy in Hell. An American Ambulance Driver with the Eighth Army. McGraw Hill, New York 1943.

In Mena, Tichenor was left in hospital to recover from bronchitis. Esten, although having a bad cold, kept on with the group until three days later, when they reached Tobruk, he was admitted to the 62nd General Hospital with pneumonia and pleurisy. Tichenor later rejoined the unit in the desert, but Esten never recovered. Evacuated to Alexandria, be died on the operating table on 29 April, one lung collapsing as the other was being worked on. Esten was buried on the afternoon of 30 April at the Military Cemetery in Alexandria, with full military honors. He was the first member of the American Field Service to die in action in World War II.

__ George Rock. Chapter 3. "Middle East 1. Tobruk to El Alamein (November 1941 to September 1942)" History of the American Field Service, 1920-1955. New York 1956.

Esten was feeling pretty bad, they told me, and I went over to see him. He looked like death. He lay in the back of the ambulance along with our duffle bags, a barrel of wine, and a sack of hard rations; he lay in his sleeping bag, and wore dark glasses. The red and yellow dust powered his face, and crusted his lips. He was pretty bad, indeed. It takes a few minutes of red tape to get a man into any hospital, and Tom could barely stand. He felt ill in Alexandria, and really bad in Bardia. At Tobruk they found he had pneumonia and pleurisy.

__ AFS News Bulletin No. 2

APRIL 30, 1942

Stoughton Hero Ambulance Driver Dies in Egypt

CAIRO, Egypt, April 30 (AP)---Thomas Esten, 28, of 195 Walnut st., Stoughton, Mass., a volunteer ambulance driver with the American Field Service, died of pneumonia today in an Alexandria hospital. He, was buried in the British Cemetery with military honors.

He Won Croix de Guerre for Gallantry in France

Thomas Esten of Stoughton, 28-year-old volunteer ambulance driver in Africa, whose death was announced today had won the Croix de Guerre for his gallant service in various battlefronts. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Esten of 195 Walnut St., Stoughton, Esten had his ambulance wrecked in France and was interned in a German concentration camp after the fall of France. Upon his release he reenlisted for service in Africa.

Esten won the Croix de Guerre for bravery in action on the French front. For three days and three nights, without rest, he helped carry wounded from the front lines to first aid posts, frequently acting as a stretcher bearer himself .

The tall, good-looking American young man was in Spain during the Spanish war and from there went to France where he entered the American Field Service. He was married to Miss Barbara Standish Blackburn of Dedham in 1935.

Esten studied at Stoughton High, the Huntington School and the Museum of Fine Arts School in Boston.

__ Newspaper clipping in "A Mother's Scrapbook: John Newlin Hobbs and the American Field Service, 1942-1945."