Description
Object description
26 ms letters and V-Mail (36pp, September 1942 – May 1944) to his wife, father and three sisters recording his experiences serving as Battalion Surgeon with the 116th Infantry Regiment (29th US Division) during the voyage to the UK in the QUEEN MARY and in the UK (he was killed in action on D-Day, 6 June 1944 while attempting to land on Omaha Beach during the Normandy landings and is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery at St Laurent, France), including commenting on the prospect of going overseas; the possibility of not returning; life on a troopship, notably his sea-sickness; his impressions of England, notably the beautiful countryside, the weather, the currency, the Black Out, the shortages, the rationing, the ancient buildings, the local population including Land Girls, the absence of cars and men, that 'everyone is in war work' and 'all the women wear some sort of uniform', and the high morale, having a temporary license to practice in England and his medical training notably attending the School of Hygiene and a course in tropical medicine at the University of London; treating his soldiers and their ailments; army red tape; German air raids; a visit from Mrs Elena Roosevelt; being homesick and longing to see his wife and son again. Also included are his six ms letters (16pp, October 1941 – December 1942) to his former class-mate at the Medical College of Virginia, Dr Edward L King ("Edard") commenting on manoeuvres, the deaths of soldiers in motor accidents, defending the Atlantic coast of North Carolina, as the only medical officer "for the entire battalion plus a battery of artillery", his training at the Medical Field Service School at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, the prospects of leave and promotion, the birth of his son, the censorship of letters, getting used to "the peculiarities of the English customs", language and money, the sacrifices made by the English people and his admiration for them, and the progress of the war; two Christmas Cards sent to his wife and son (4pp, undated, but probably 1943) and to his sister and brother-in-law (1p, November 1943); ten letters (22pp, July 1944 – November 1944) from associates, fellow officers and an English friend to his wife and father expressing shock at his loss, giving some details about his death and offering sympathy; two photographs of his wife and baby son in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA (2pp, November 1942 and 1943); his ts Certificate of Temporary Registration in the Medical Register (1p, April 1943) and two leaflets (4pp, June 1933 and Form No.24, 1p, undated), outlining forms of professional misconduct which would result in a registered medical practitioner being removed from the Medical Register, issued by the General Medical Council, London; a photocopy of his Honorary Membership of the British Legion, Tidworth (2pp, January 1943); a ms letter (2pp, January 1944) from Private P Cload in Hunsdon thanking him for his help; eight photographs of him in uniform 8pp, September 1943 – October 1943); a ts newspaper cutting (1p, undated) reporting that he was killed in action and giving details of his military service (July 1940 – June 1944); a colour photograph of his grave taken by the American Battle Monuments Commission (3pp, June 2002); and two ts leaflets relating to The National D-Day Memorial at Bedford, Virginia, USA (7pp and 7pp, undated).
Content description
26 ms letters and V-Mail (36pp, September 1942 – May 1944) to his wife, father and three sisters recording his experiences serving as Battalion Surgeon with the 116th Infantry Regiment (29th US Division) during the voyage to the UK in the QUEEN MARY and in the UK (he was killed in action on D-Day, 6 June 1944 while attempting to land on Omaha Beach during the Normandy landings and is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery at St Laurent, France), including commenting on the prospect of going overseas; the possibility of not returning; life on a troopship, notably his sea-sickness; his impressions of England, notably the beautiful countryside, the weather, the currency, the Black Out, the shortages, the rationing, the ancient buildings, the local population including Land Girls, the absence of cars and men, that 'everyone is in war work' and 'all the women wear some sort of uniform', and the high morale, having a temporary license to practice in England and his medical training notably attending the School of Hygiene and a course in tropical medicine at the University of London; treating his soldiers and their ailments; army red tape; German air raids; a visit from Mrs Elena Roosevelt; being homesick and longing to see his wife and son again. Also included are his six ms letters (16pp, October 1941 – December 1942) to his former class-mate at the Medical College of Virginia, Dr Edward L King ("Edard") commenting on manoeuvres, the deaths of soldiers in motor accidents, defending the Atlantic coast of North Carolina, as the only medical officer "for the entire battalion plus a battery of artillery", his training at the Medical Field Service School at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, the prospects of leave and promotion, the birth of his son, the censorship of letters, getting used to "the peculiarities of the English customs", language and money, the sacrifices made by the English people and his admiration for them, and the progress of the war; two Christmas Cards sent to his wife and son (4pp, undated, but probably 1943) and to his sister and brother-in-law (1p, November 1943); ten letters (22pp, July 1944 – November 1944) from associates, fellow officers and an English friend to his wife and father expressing shock at his loss, giving some details about his death and offering sympathy; two photographs of his wife and baby son in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA (2pp, November 1942 and 1943); his ts Certificate of Temporary Registration in the Medical Register (1p, April 1943) and two leaflets (4pp, June 1933 and Form No.24, 1p, undated), outlining forms of professional misconduct which would result in a registered medical practitioner being removed from the Medical Register, issued by the General Medical Council, London; a photocopy of his Honorary Membership of the British Legion, Tidworth (2pp, January 1943); a ms letter (2pp, January 1944) from Private P Cload in Hunsdon thanking him for his help; eight photographs of him in uniform 8pp, September 1943 – October 1943); a ts newspaper cutting (1p, undated) reporting that he was killed in action and giving details of his military service (July 1940 – June 1944); a colour photograph of his grave taken by the American Battle Monuments Commission (3pp, June 2002); and two ts leaflets relating to The National D-Day Memorial at Bedford, Virginia, USA (7pp and 7pp, undated).
History note
Captain Robert Barnes Ware, born 30 December 1914 in Amherst County, Virginia, volunteered for the Virginia National Guard in 1940 and was subsequently posted to the 104th Medical Battalion of the US Army. On 6 June 1944 (D-Day), Ware was serving as Battalion Surgeon to the 1st Battalion, 116th Regimental Combat Team of the 29th Infantry Division, which landed on the Dog Green sector of Omaha Beach in the first assault wave. The 1st Battalion in particular suffered extremely heavy casualties, with ‘A’ Company nearly destroyed. Ware was killed as he disembarked his landing craft, however his death in action was not confirmed until nearly two months later. He was 29 years old at the time of his death, and left behind a wife and son.
History note
Cataloguer SNR
