The original manuscript of Battlefield Surgeon (initially titled A Doctor in the War) contained more than 200 black and white photographs. Dad took more than 2,000 pictures during his overseas duty, most of which survive as strips of negatives, carefully labelled. Considerations of page count and expense, however, dictated that the number of photos to appear in the final, published book had to be limited to around 75. There’s no denying that this abridgement, however necessary, diluted the impact of the book; accordingly, I decided to present a selection of the deleted photos, as well as others, on this website.
Finally, I have also included a small selection of photos of Dad after the war, including some from late in his life, when Parkinson’s disease stole his abilities and even, at the end, obliterated his very personality. For all its inspiring elements, his story doesn’t end happily. For all that he did, for all those he saved, his reward was to die witless and crippled—unaware, finally, even of the dedication and devotion of his beloved wife, Marion. Everything he cherished was taken away, not by some outside agency, but from within his own body—with which he had done such wonderful things, but which ultimately betrayed him.
Personnel. Photos mostly of the surgeons, anesthetists, nurses, and medical technicians from the 2nd Auxiliary Surgical Group, but also individuals from some of the field hospitals in which the 2nd Aux worked. Some are mentioned numerous times in the diaries and have become old friends; others pass in and out only once or twice. Either way, the sight of their faces—alive again—brings life to the text of the diaries.
Battlefield Surgeon
