Letters from Mary to Parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Switzer, 1944

Scope and content:

This sub-series comprises letters sent by Mary to her parents during her training as a nurse in England and her wartime service in France, Belgium, and Germany. Mary requests items to be sent to her, especially food, and describes her travels, her difficult work shifts in field hospitals, the social life and entertainment provided in army camps, and rest periods. Most letters are several pages long, but the correspondence also includes V-Mail (Victory Mail, messages transferred on film and then printed at destination), telegrams, and cards. They were previously glued to scrapbook pages but were extracted, when possible, for better preservation.

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Parent restrictions:
Collection is open to all researchers Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Parent terms of access:
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Contents