Prescott Evening Courier, Saturday, June 4, 1932

Edmund Andreas Kryss, well known in Prescott and Whipple, died at one-thirty o’clock this morning on Ward Four from injuries resulting from brilliant service overseas during the World war. He was forty-three years old.

Anticipating that he had not long to live, when he re-entered the hospital early in May, Captain Kryss told the hospital authorities and also one of his closest friends, L. A. Fitzpatrick, manager of the Yavapai club, that he wanted to be buried in the Whipple cemetery.

In all probability there will be joint services early next week of the Prescott Elks Lodge , No. 330, of which he was a member, and of the Ernest A. Love post of the American Legion and the Fort Whipple chapter of the Disabled American Veterans of the World war, with which he was also affiliated with.

His military service extended from the Mexican border when Pancho Villa was giving so much trouble, to France and the Austrian frontier during the World war, in each instance as an aviator. For eight months in the great war he was attached to the air service of Italy as a representative of the United States army and for valorous duty on numerous dangerous but daring bombing raids over the Austrian lines he was made a chevalier of the Order of the Crown of Italy. The decree reads;

“His Majesty , Victor Emmanuel, 111, by the grace of God and the will of the nation King of Italy, Grand Master of the Order of the Crown of Italy, has signed the following decree:

“ ’On the recommendations of our minister, secretary of state for foreign affairs , we have appointed and do appoint Edmund Kryss , captain of the American army, chevalier of the Order of the Crown of Italy, with the privilege of wearing the insignia prescribed for such knightly rank.

“‘The registrar of the order is charged with the execution of this decree which shall be recorded in the register of the order.

“’Given at Rome, October 2, 1919.’”

The decree is signed “V. Emmanuel,” countersigned by Tittoni and vised by P. Boselli. And then follows this inscription: “The registrar of the Order of the Crown of Italy declares that in execution of the foregoing esteemed royal order, the aforesaid Edmund Kryss was inscribed in the roll of chevaliers (foreign) at No. 3554 (second series) and issues this diploma to him in attestation thereof. Rome, December 31, 1920. The registrar of the order, P. Boselli, the director, chairman of division one (signature illegible).”

Captain Kryss also held an “expert aviation” license from the Aero Club of America, sole representation of the Federation Aeronatique Internationale, under date of June 20, 1917, while a sergeant in the New York national guard.

He was born in Adelaide, Australia, November 18, 1888. In 1912 he came to the United States for the purpose of studying business methods and the intention of remaining in this country only two months but he never returned to his native land. Rather, he was naturalised in San Diego.

In October, 1915, he enlisted in the New York national guard, in New York city. His assignment was to the air service of the signal corps and in that capacity he was sent to the Mexican border. Later he was on detached service as an instructor for the regular army in flying at North Island, San Diego. After the war broke out, or in March, 1918, he was commissioned a first lieutenant in the air corps of the regular army, served for a period in France, and then was attached to the Italian army for a period of eight months. Afterward he returned to France and then came directly to Fort Whipple for treatment. When Whipple was changed from an army hospital to a public health service hospital, Captain Kryss was sent to Fitzsimmons hospital just out of Denver. He received his army discharge May 29, 1920.

He then went to Chicago and attempted to work as a machinery salesman but his health would not permit such activities and he entered the Hines hospital in Chicago, thence to Letterman General hospital in San Francisco and, in 1924, back to Whipple for another four years. In 1929 he came downtown to live in the Hassayampa hotel for more than a year and in December 1930 he removed his residence to the Yavapai club, where lived until the first part of last month, when he was forced to enter Whipple for the third time. His condition had then become serious and rapidly went from bad to worse. The last few days he had been unable to receive friends except for a couple or three minutes at a time.

Before his war service he was a truck salesman for the Packard Motor company in New York and Boston. He was married but divorced four years ago. His hobbies were fishing and hunting. A brother of Captain Kryss was killed in France while serving with the Australian army. Two sisters survive, Mrs. A. E. Freer of Walkerville, South Australia, and another whose name is not known here, who lives in Adelaide.

He had numerous friends, by nature he was quiet and unassuming, never complaining about his lot nor boasting of his valiant service to his adopted country.

Edmund A Kryss