Francis Montague Wells papers
Scope and Contents
The Francis Montague Wells collection, consisting of seventy-one letters, offers the insight and perspective of an enlisted Private First Class with the 119th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division, in the European campaign during World War II. The collection also contains two photographs of Francis Wells and a letter from his daughter Peggy Wells Hughes.
Dates
- Created: 1944-1945
- Other: Majority of material found in 1945
- Other: Date acquired: 04/28/2009
Creator
- Wells, Francis Montague (Family)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open to all researchers.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Biographical or Historical Information
PFC Francis Montague Wells served in the 119th Infantry Regiment of the 30th Infantry Division in the European Theater from 1944 to 1946. Wells’ tour of duty included Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, and Austria. He participated in the Battle of the Bulge with the 30th Infantry Division and was present in Magdeburg, Germany during the link up of American and Russian forces on the Elbe River. After the war, Wells' unit spent two months in the occupation of Czechoslovakia before returning to the United States in August of 1945.
Wells wrote nearly every day to his wife primarily concerning topics such as weather, mail, future post-war plans, soldierly duties, and encounters with locals and domestic obligations that might require his counsel. While at no point focusing on any combat experience in detail, the vast majority of the collection contains outpourings of affection and concern for his family.
Extent
1.00 boxes
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement Note
Creator
Custodial History
Transferred from the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives in July 2022.
Source of Acquisition
Francis Montague Wells
Method of Acquisition
Donation.
- Aachen, Battle of, Aachen, Germany, 1944 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Belgium Subject Source: Lcnaf
- Caserta (Italy) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Florida State College for Women
- Frankfurt am Main (Germany) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Germany--History--1933-1945 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Magdeburg (Germany)--History Subject Source: Local sources
- RMS Queen Mary 2 (Ship) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States. Army
- United States. Army Ground Forces.
- United States. Army--History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States. Army--Military life Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States. Army. European Theater of Operations
- United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 119th Subject Source: Local sources
- World War, 1939-1945--Austria Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Elbe River Valley (Czech Republic and Germany) Subject Source: Lcnaf
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Italy Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Czechoslovakia Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Germany Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Francis Montague Wells papers
- Author
- Craig Whittington
- Date
- 01/16/2018
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- eng
Repository Details
Part of the FSU Special Collections & Archives Repository
116 Honors Way
PO Box 3062047
Tallahassee FL 32306-2047 US
850-644-3271
lib-specialcollections@fsu.edu