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The
Gard family originally emigrated from Bideford, Devon to
America
in the early 17th century. Frank was born on 27th March 1892 in
Tremont City
,
Ohio
the eldest child of Emerson Earl Gard and Laura E. (nee Shanley). His father
held various jobs, farmer, grocer, a wholesale and retail meat business in
Ohio
before moving to
California
in 1905 and starting
Orange
growing. He became President of Glendora Heights Orange & Lemon
Association.; Vice-President of First National Bank,
Glendora
; First Natl. Savings Bank; Glendora Irrigating Co. Methodist.
Above
the Gard house on
Grand Avenue
. Built by his father in 1910. Image courtesy of Glendora Library.
Above the
Gard House (left of picture) on Grand Avenue, Glendora, California in 1955
(left) and 2010 (right) Photos
courtesy of the Gledora Historical Society
Frank
was educated at
Citrus
Union
High School
,
Glendora
, graduating in 1910, and
Stanford
University
from 1910 to 1914, graduating with an AB. He was captain of the 1914 American
Football and rugby sides. He was affectionately known as "Deke"
or "Deacon"
 Above t
The Stanford Freshman
Footballers that played California Cardinals on 15th October 1910 at
Palo Alto (L-R): Presley (Coach), Mitchell, Olmstead, Watkins, Kauffman, Clover,
Barman, Brown, “Dad” Moulton (Trainer), Gard, Knight (sub), Murray (sub),
Gilmore (sub), Blas (sub), Boulware, Henry (sub), Tilton, Hall, Geissler
(captain), Harrogan, Reeves, Darsie.
Above
the 1911 Stanford Freshmen rugby team. 1. Watkins, 2. Boulware, 3.
Burbank
, 4. Brown, 5. Darsie, 6. Presley, 7. Kauffman, 8. Clover, 9. Reeves, 10.
Barman, 11. Geissler, 12. Hall, 13. Gard, 14. Tilton, 15. Harrigan.
Above
the 1911-12
Stanford
University
side. Frank Gard no.10.
Above the Lambda Sigma
Chapter of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity at
Stanford
University
in 1912. Back Row (L-R): Kilpatrick, Rounds, Schaupp, Wright, J.L.Arrell.
Second Row: Hayes, Robertson, M.Rounds, Krost, Gehrman, C.Knight, Third Row:
Nimmo, H.Knight, Bickel, Stoll, D.Arrell. Front Row: Smith, D’Journal, Gard,
Burns.
Above
Frank’s chapter at Stanford, the Lambda Sigma Chapter of Beta Theta
Pi Fraternity at Stanford University.
Above
Frank Gard at Stanford in 1912
Above the
USA
side that played
Australia
in 1912. Back Row (L-R) Guerin (Olympic RFC) (not used), Robert Howe Fletcher
(University of California) (not used), William Norris King (University of
California), Chris Martin Momson (Santa Clara University), Karl Ludwig Schaupp
(Stanford University), Frank Jacob Gard (Stanford University), James Lee Arrell
(Olympic RFC), Warren L. Smith (Stanford University), Chester Arthur Allen
(University of California), Eugene
Francis Kern (Stanford University) (not used),
Glasscock (Olympic RFC) (not used), Phillip Frederick Harrigan (Stanford
University). Front Row: Charles Allphin Austin (Olympic RFC), Augustus Mudge
Sanborn (Stanford University), Joseph Louis McKim (University of California),
Stirling Benjamin Peart (University of California), Laird Monterey Morris
(University of California) (Captain), Benjamin Edward Erb (Stanford University),
Ralph Matthews Noble (Stanford University), Louis Cass (Stanford University)
(not used) , Bertram Risling (Stanford University) (not used).
In
the match against
Australia
the
USA
were beating the Olympic Champions 8-6 with five minutes to go before
Australia
finally won 12-8.
Above
Frank Gard in 1913
Above the 1913
Stanford
University
side. Frank Gard no.6. 1 Maloney
(Trainer), 2 Partridge, 3 Darsie, 4 Burbank (Manager), 5 Smith, 6 Gard. 7 Urban,
8 Corbett, 9 Harrigan, 10 Hall, 11 Presley (Coach), 12 Sanborn, 13 Schaupp, 14
Cass, 15 Kern, 16 Erb, 17 Dingley, 18 Risling, 19 Noble.
He
played rugby for All America from 1911 to 1913.
He captained the
United States
in their first two matches v
Australia
on 16th November 1912, at
Berkeley
, and on 15th November 1913 against
New Zealand
, at
Berkeley
. He played flanker in both matches.
Above
the
USA
side that played
New Zealand
in 1913. Back Row (L-R): Daniel Brendon Carroll (Stanford University), Clark
Lewis Boulware (not used) (Stanford University), Haley (not used) (Stanford
University), William Pettigrew Darsie (Stanford University), Herbert Rowell
Stolz (replacement) (Stanford University), Brant (?) or Flemming (not used) (?),
Joseph C. Urban (Stanford University), A.Knowles (replacement) (?), Charles A.
Austin (Olympic), G.Voight (Santa Clara University), Frank Jacob Gard (Captain)
(Stanford University), Roland Roy Blase (Stanford University), William Norris
King (University of California). Front Row: Forbes (not used) (?), Stirling
Benjamin Peart (
University
of
California
), Joseph Louis McKim (
University
of
California
), G.Glasscock (Olympic), E.B.Hall (
Stanford
University
), Benjamin Edward Erb (not used) (
Stanford
University
), Louis Cass (
Stanford
University
), Mowatt Merrill Mitchell (Los Angeles Athletic Club), Quill (not used) (
Santa Clara
), J.A.Ramage (
Santa Clara
University
).
Ten
thousand spectators saw both matches at California Field,
Berkeley
,
California
.
Australia
won the first match 12-8 and
New Zealand
the second 51-3.
Above
New York
Tribune 16th November 1913
Above the 1914
Leland
Stanford
Junior
University
. 1. Watkins, 2. Blase, 3. Maloney, 4. Gard, 5. Clover, 6. Wilcox, 7. Urban, 8.
Wines, 9.
Austin
, 10. Carroll, 11. Brown, 12. Lachmund, 13. Davidson, 14. Darsie, 15. Peck, 16.
Andrews, 17. Erb, 18. Hall, 19. Reeves, 20. Tilton.
He
graduated from
Stanford
University
in 1914 with a degree in Chemistry.
Frank
enlisted in the US Army at
Glendora
,
California
on 13th June 1917. He received honourable mention from his superior
officers for the rapid strides he made in training camp at Presidio,
San Francisco
. Ten straight shots to the bulls-eye were made by Gard in one minute and twenty
seconds. This was more remarkable as it was necessary to reload with each shot.
He was made a First Lieutenant in the 362nd Infantry Regiment, 91st Division,
known as “The Wildwest Division” as they were recruited from the eight
Western States in 1917.
Above
Frank Gard’s draft card
Above
a panoramic view of
Camp
Lewis
Above
Frank Gard in uniform
The
362nd Infantry left
Camp Lewis
,
Washington
at four o’clock on the afternoon of 23rd June 1918 by train to
New York City
. They sailed from
New York
aboard the Empress of Russia on 6th July 1917 in the largest convoy
that up to that time had crossed the
Atlantic
.
Above
the 362nd board the Empress of Russia in
New York
on 6th July 1917
Above
the Empress of
Russia
Nine
days later they arrived in
Liverpool
. The next day they marched through the streets of
Liverpool
and on to Knotty Ash Rest Camp. They then travelled by train to Southampton and
then to
Le Havre
.
They
were quartered in temporary barracks and trained for several weeks and then
marched to the front as part of the Meuse-Argonne offensive (also called the
Battle
of the
Argonne
Forest
) which was the largest
battle ever fought by US troops so far in their history.
On
the 26th September 1918, the first American Army took the place of
the Second French Army, and began a series of attacks upon the Germans stationed
in the broad valley of the River Meuse. The main object of the American attack
was the Sedan-Mezieres railway, the principal line of transportation of supplies
for the German forces along an important section of the western front. The 91st
Division was placed in bivouac in the Foret de Hesse. Their orders were to
attack almost due north between Avocourt and Vauquls on September 26th.at
2.30 in the morning. All the guns of the corps and divisional artillery went
into action. As soon as the barrage lifted the soldiers rushed ahead and took
the enemy front line trenches at Cheppy Woods. These were found to be deserted
by the enemy. The first waves of the division penetrated into the Bols de Cheppy
and in spite of the thick forests, full of wire entanglements and wrecked and
torn by the bombardments, they reached the German positions at La Neuve Grange
Farm and along the Ravin de Lal Fuon.
Above
La Neuve Grange Farm from Hill 197.
Heavy
enemy machine-gun fire was encountered at these points. The German machine guns
were, however, silenced, and the troops went ahead, taking position after
position. The
Village
of
Very
was captured after strong resistance. Headquarters were established here after
the day’s fighting.
Above
no-mans-land in the
Argonne
Gard
was killed on 27th September 1918 when the 362nd
Infantry Regiment moved towards Gesnes. Both
officers and men of the 91st complained about the lack of air support
in the region. As it was impossible to get aeroplane reconnaissance of the enemy
gun positions Gard was one of the men given the job of identifying the enemy
positions.
The
“History of the 362nd Infantry Regiment” records
GARD,
Frank J., 1st Lt.
Killed
in action Sept. 27, 1918. Killed either by machine gun or rifle fire while
observing machine gun fire during the advance through Gesnes Sept. 29, 1918.
Location at time of death, Very 1/20,000 5.2-0.6. Death was instantaneous.
Buried Oct. 6, 1918. Map Very 211 5.8-9.8.
Gard is buried at: Plot B Row 33 Grave 24,
Meuse-Argonne
American
Cemetery
,
Romagne
,
France
. This is the largest American military cemetery in
Europe
.
Above
the
Meuse-Argonne
American
Cemetery
,
Romagne
,
France
Above
plan of the
Meuse-Argonne
American
Cemetery
,
Romagne
,
France
. Gard is buried at Plot B Row 33
Grave 24
The
Meuse-Argonne offensive lasted from 26th September to 11th
November 1918 and involved 1.2 million American troops. There were 117,000
American casualties, 70,000 French and 1000,000 German. The American casualties
represented 40% of their total battlefield losses during the war.
Above
map of the Meuse-Argonne Region on the Northeast Wall of the Vestibule
The
Glendora
veterans group, which formed in 1919, was named in his honor and became Frank
J. Gard American Legion Post #153.
Above the WWI (and WWII on the other side) memorial at
Oakdale
Cemetery
in
Glendora
. Gard’s name at the top. Photo courtesy of the Gledora Historical Society
A bronze memorial plaque was also placed at the
Citrus
High School
.
Memorial
plaque inside
Citrus
Union
School
. Photo courtesy of the Gledora
Historical Society.
Above
his Service Card
His
mother, then living at Route
3,
Pasadena
,
Los Angeles
put her name forward for the
US World
War 1 Mother's Pilgrimage in 1930. This
was organized by the United States Government who compiled a list mothers and widows of deceased soldiers killed in
World War I and offered to send them to their loved one's final resting place in
Europe
. The pilgrimages
were not without controversy. The War Department segregated black women from the
white, forcing them to travel on separate, but not equal, pilgrimages. The black
women endured second-class treatment in the
U.S.
before experiencing unprecedented freedom in
Paris
. In addition, a number of citizens protested what were perceived as
“luxury” foreign trips at government expense during the depths of the Great
Depression. Nevertheless, the trips proceeded as planned.
Above
his sister, Mary Gard, acting at Stanford in 1915
In
1947 his sister, Mary Carolyn Gard Jamieson, donated $10,000 towards Frank J.
Gard Post #153 to build a Legion Hall. In April 1966, the building was deeded to
the city of
Glendora
and continues to be used by the Community Services Department. According to Bob
Antonoplois, 20-year Post Commander, “The taxes were so high, we couldn’t
afford the place. When we gave the building to the city, we reserved the right
to continue to meet there.”
Above
Frank J. Gard American Legion Post #153 which
was
Glendora
's first City Hall, police station and fire department, built in 1913. Photo
taken in 1958 courtesy of the Gledora Historical Society.
Memorial
plaque outside in front of the Frank J. Gard American Legion Post #153. Photo courtesy of the Gledora Library.
Above
Membership list of the Frank J. Gard Legion in 1919.
His sister, named her only son Frank Gard Jameson,
who also went to
Stanford
University
. He became a prominent
Southern California
aeronautics industry executive and philanthropist. His
3rd wife was Eva Gabor, the Hungarian-born socialite and actress. He
was her 5th and last husband. He died of a heart attack on 16th
May 1993 while attending a conference at a Rancho Mirage hotel, he was 68. He
was buried at
Pacific
View
Cemetery
in
Newport Beach
. Surviving him were children Jim Jameson of Rancho
Santa Fe
and Frank Gard Jameson Jr. of
Boulder City
,
Nevada
; two daughters, Joanne Jameson Hunt of Corona del Mar and Mary Gard Jameson of
Beverly Hills
, and seven grandchildren.
Above
Frank Gard Jameson with his final wife Eva Gabor
After
Eva Gabor’s death on 4th July 1995 there was a dispute the trustees
of her estate. Gabor set up the
trust a year before she died, naming as trustees her stepdaughter, Mary Gard
Jameson, and long-time manager, Raymond Katz.
http://sites.google.com/site/caseybooks
http://www.cliftonrfchistory.co.uk
Thank you to
Ryan Price,
Glendora
Historical Society
Janet Stone,
Glendora
Library
Book
T.Ben
Meldrum. History of the 362nd Infantry Regiment. A.L.Scoville Press.
1920.
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The
Rugby History Society