Jeanne Bourquin, Operator
Quick Facts
- Alternate Name: Jeanne Marie Bourquin
- Unit: Seven
- Deployed: Group 7 was ready to board ships for France when the Armistice was declared, so they did not deploy; however, all had volunteered, were fully trained, and were ready to serve in combat.
- Repatriated:
- Hometown at Time of Enlistment:
- Original Hometown (if Known): Doubs, Departement du Doubs, Franche-Comté, France
- Education:
- Occupation at Enlistment:
- Lifespan: 18 May 1891 - 13 October 1918
- Remarks: Died of lobar pneumonia in Hartford Connecticut.
Articles and Documents on GG Archives
"Hello Girls" Documents & Reference Materials
Application for Membership in the Signal Corps Telephone Unit (1918)
How the Army recruited and screened bilingual operators for service in France. Features Exhibit B with Adele L. Hoppock’s questionnaire—language attestations, medical fitness, instruction pledge, and wartime commitment.
Miss Jeanne Bourquin, Courtesy Hartford Courant
In the midst of preparations for their trip overseas to operate the switchboards for the American Army in France, the members of the Seventh Unit of Telephone Operators were saddened by the death of Miss Jeanne Bourquin, one of their number, who died of influenza in Hartford, on October 13, 1918 just after having completed her course of instruction.
A funeral Service was held in Hartford, which was attended by all the members of her Unit in training there, and a touching tribute to her was paid as all the other girls stood at attention in two files while her body was borne between them into the chapel, and again as it was removed.
The interment was at Woodhaven, Long Island, and a family service was held in the French chapel there, which was attended by Miss Lundell, supervisor of the Seventh Unit, and Mrs. Kortepeter, supervisor in charge of the next group which will go over to France.
As was fitting, this girl “soldier” was buried in her uniform, and her casket was draped with American and French flags. Miss Bourquin possessed an attractive personality and was regarded as an extremely efficient operator.
Her interest in her work, and in the Red Cross and other activities, was intense, as she was of French descent, and she had a brother in the French Army from whom she had not heard for some months. She is survived by her mother.
"Miss Jeanne Bourquin," in The Telephone Review, December 1918, pp. 331-332.
Photographs
French Speaking Members of Unit Seven of the US Army Signal Corps Telephone Operators Pose in Front of the Highland Court Hotel in Hartford, Connecticut, Where They Were Staying While Training to Be Operators circa October 1918. Top Row (L-R) Sophie T. Lefebvre, Gilda Couleru, Gabrielle Toby, and Helene Toby. Front Row (L-R): Jeanne Bourquin, Elizabeth F. Thorne, Mathilde Ferrie, Ruth Clarke, Catherine A. Byram, Helene Champrigand, Marguerite De Saulles, and Aurelie C. Asten. Connecticut State Library, State Archives, Dudley Photograph Collection of Hartford During World War I, 1917-1919. | GGA Image ID # 237fc838e9. Click to View a Larger Image.
Repository Information
The Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives (GG Archives) is cataloged with the Library of Congress under MARC Org Code: WiMfGGA and ISIL: US-wimfgga.
Current location:
N91W16562 Pershing Ave, #1
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051-2170, USA
Note: Historic addresses listed in earlier MARC records include Marietta, GA and Woodstock, GA. These appear in authority files but are no longer active.
