Edgar Scott Sr, Edgar Scott Jr,
and the Norton-Harjes American Volunteer Motorized Ambulance Service
and the Norton-Harjes American Volunteer Motorized Ambulance Service
The Norton-Harjes American Volunteer Ambulance Service was created by Richard Norton, (Harvard '92) in
1914. Norton, a noted archeologist and son of Harvard professor Charles Elliot Norton, like many Americans,
became disturbed by rising death tolls from the delay getting wounded soldiers to aid stations. With
the help of sponsors and donations, including French millionaire banker Henry Herman Harjes, who donated
vehicles,Norton-Harjes motorized ambulances could get the wounded from the first-aid stations in from ten to
twenty minutes instead of the hours-long trip of those early days. Norton and others recruited volunteer drivers
from various colleges and the ambulance service was sometimes called the "gentleman's ambulance corps."
Volunteers for Norton-Harjes and after April 1917, the Red Cross included such literary figures such as John Dos
Passos, E.E Cummings, Harry Crosby, William Seabrook, Malcolm Crowley, Henry James, Robert Service, Walt
Disney and Ernest Hemingway. (see picture below)
Edgar Scott Sr (Harvard '92 and son of Thomas A. Scott, President of the Pennsylvania Railroad) served as
Director of Transportation for Norton-Harjes from May to October 1917 following the April 1917 entry of America
into the War. He was commissioned a Major and served with the Inspector General's office for the American
Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.) He died on October 20, 1918 in the Saint-Mihiel offensive, three days after his
47th birthday and 22 days before the Armistice. He is buried in the Saint Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial
Thiaucourt-Regnieville Departement de Meurthe-et-Moselle Lorraine, France and there is also a memorial to him
in Woodlands Cemetery, Philadelphia.
In 1916, Edgar Scott, Junior (Harvard '20) served as a volunteer driver before America's official entry into the
war. After the war, Edgar married Helen Hope Montgomery who was the inspiration for "The Philadelphia Story."
As additional note, Edgar Scott Seniors' second son, Warwick Potter Scott (Harvard '23) was born in 1901, was
captured in Corregidor and died when a Japanese prison ship was sunk, December 15, 1944.
1914. Norton, a noted archeologist and son of Harvard professor Charles Elliot Norton, like many Americans,
became disturbed by rising death tolls from the delay getting wounded soldiers to aid stations. With
the help of sponsors and donations, including French millionaire banker Henry Herman Harjes, who donated
vehicles,Norton-Harjes motorized ambulances could get the wounded from the first-aid stations in from ten to
twenty minutes instead of the hours-long trip of those early days. Norton and others recruited volunteer drivers
from various colleges and the ambulance service was sometimes called the "gentleman's ambulance corps."
Volunteers for Norton-Harjes and after April 1917, the Red Cross included such literary figures such as John Dos
Passos, E.E Cummings, Harry Crosby, William Seabrook, Malcolm Crowley, Henry James, Robert Service, Walt
Disney and Ernest Hemingway. (see picture below)
Edgar Scott Sr (Harvard '92 and son of Thomas A. Scott, President of the Pennsylvania Railroad) served as
Director of Transportation for Norton-Harjes from May to October 1917 following the April 1917 entry of America
into the War. He was commissioned a Major and served with the Inspector General's office for the American
Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.) He died on October 20, 1918 in the Saint-Mihiel offensive, three days after his
47th birthday and 22 days before the Armistice. He is buried in the Saint Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial
Thiaucourt-Regnieville Departement de Meurthe-et-Moselle Lorraine, France and there is also a memorial to him
in Woodlands Cemetery, Philadelphia.
In 1916, Edgar Scott, Junior (Harvard '20) served as a volunteer driver before America's official entry into the
war. After the war, Edgar married Helen Hope Montgomery who was the inspiration for "The Philadelphia Story."
As additional note, Edgar Scott Seniors' second son, Warwick Potter Scott (Harvard '23) was born in 1901, was
captured in Corregidor and died when a Japanese prison ship was sunk, December 15, 1944.
Volunteer Ambulance Driver Ernest Hemingway