David_Blanchard Posted 29 October , 2014 Share Posted 29 October , 2014 I am trying to find out more about a British soldier who saved the life of the American ambassador in Paris in 1921. He is mentioned in Bill Bryson's book about 1927 as being familiar with bombs from the First World War. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iWS--YBpdgsC&pg=PA317&lpg=PA317&dq=lawrence+blanchard+herrick+bryson&source=bl&ots=fYHNve_4Hn&sig=MbO-ehf9kEINIz9MlWAMsy71cP0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=v0tRVOiaIvCS7AbJKg&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=lawrence%20blanchard%20herrick%20bryson&f=false I cannot trace him on Ancestry- any help appreciated David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 29 October , 2014 Share Posted 29 October , 2014 His name appears to have actually been Walter Blanchard. Apparently, he was 32 when the incident happened in 1921, and had served through the entire war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 29 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 29 October , 2014 Thanks for your reply. How do you know it was Walter Blanchard? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 29 October , 2014 Share Posted 29 October , 2014 In view of post #2 there was a WO1 in the AOC in WW1 called Walter Blanchard, 04650, who might have been seen to have the credentials for such a detection.Served in france from 17 Sep 1915 and discharged to Class Z on 7 May 1919. I enjoyed "1927" ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Langdon Posted 29 October , 2014 Share Posted 29 October , 2014 According to the Palm Beach Post of October 1921 he was a bomber during the Great War.. Anyway, not a bad read... Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 29 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 29 October , 2014 Thanks. I checked again and the obituary for Ambassador Herrick names his valet as Walter Blanchard- so Bryson is wrong! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 29 October , 2014 Share Posted 29 October , 2014 Thanks for your reply. How do you know it was Walter Blanchard? David In Bill's defence, he does appear as "Lawrence" in a number of contemporary newspaper accounts. However, he appears in a number of biographies (he served a few important men), as Walter. The Chicago Tribune has him as an airship pilot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 29 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 29 October , 2014 Thanks again- interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 29 October , 2014 Share Posted 29 October , 2014 There are service papers on FMP for a Walter Alphage Blanchard, who I like the look of. A Walter A Blanchard appears on the Ellis Island website a lot over a number of years, which would be consistent with the job he had. There was an RFC W A Blanchard - http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D1365946 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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