The collection documents the involvement of McGill faculty, students, alumni, and staff during the Second World War. It contains information on 5568 men and women on active service, including 295 women. It also provides information on the 298 dead, 52 prisoners of war, and 629 recipients of medals.

The greater portion consists of folders, index cards, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and photographs of individual soldiers and civilians. Index cards, documents and photographs were created and accumulated by Fetherstonhaugh and placed in alphabetical order within specific categories. The collection contains four distinct series: index cards; textual documents, including newspaper clippings; correspondence and articles arranged by subject; and photographs. The first series contains subseries reflecting Fetherstonhaugh’s original subdivision categories.

The index cards are arranged in the following groupings:

-Subversive activities
-Killed
-Prisoners of war
-University staff
-Macdonald College
-Army course
-COTC
-US
-General list A-H
-General list I-Mc
-General list M-Z
-Returned from active service
-Photos in extension file
-Photos on loan
-Women
-Civil

Other files in the collection include correspondence and newspaper clippings arranged by particular subjects; correspondence and newspaper clippings concerning the McGill War Memorial Campaign, 1947-1949; Fetherstonhaugh's account book of income and expenditures, and some vouchers, 1942-1946; McGill News articles, 1942-1946; correspondence, memoranda, invoices, reviews, and newspaper clippings, 1947-1948, concerning the book McGill University at War, 1914-1918; 1939-1945.

The William Feindel fonds documents the research, writing, teaching, and various professional activities of William Feindel. Materials related to Feindel’s research make up the bulk of the fonds and cover his many research interests in the field of neurology as well as his interest in the history of medicine and the legacies of Wilder Penfield, William Osler, and 17th-century physician and neuroanatomist Thomas Willis. An entire series is dedicated to records related to Feindel’s role as the curator for the Wilder Penfield archives. The William Feindel fonds also documents his work for the Montreal Neurological Institute, his role as Acadia University’s Chancellor, and several professional appointments. A series of notebooks consists of Feindel’s notes on various research topics but also contains notes regarding personal matters. Along with the notebooks, a series that documents Feindel’s personal life includes materials related to his family, his years as a student, and a variety of souvenirs and books that he kept as part of his personal library.

The Alice Johannsen fonds reflects her lifelong involvement in nature, museums, community and her fealty towards her father, Herman-Smith (Jackrabbit) Johannsen. It consists of three series; personal and family series, 1994 to 1991, the Redpath series, 1919-1971 and a professional activities series, 1919-1971.

Percy Corbett’s fonds reflects his expertise in Roman and international law. The fonds mostly consists of lecture notes written by him for his courses on Roman and international law. Also part of the collection are two bound notebooks on constitutional history, political theory and international law from his student days in Oxford (1919-1924), a few manuscript and typescript essays on Roman law, notes on Canadian-American relations (1942), and notes on international law (1949). Included is a diary (1916), correspondence (including correspondence to the Wilder Penfield and his wife Helen Katherine Kermott Penfield (1944-1959 ), reference letters (1922-1983), articles and newspaper clippings (1920-1989). Cuurriculum vitae and hand-written record about Corbett’s life, wills, addresses, draft of biography of Percy Corbett written by his son David, reviews of P. E. Corbett’s work, and book reviews of Percy Corbett are part of the fonds. Included is also material for 1946 Conference - Moscow Report, common place book (1930’s-1940’s), tributes to Percy Corbett, typed and hand-written Statement and Memorandum on the American-Canadian relations (1958), typescript Impressions-Mostly Oxonian by Percy Corbett and article Oxford-Impressions. Non textual records include photographs.

The papers of "Jackrabbit" Johannsen reflect his personal, professional and recreational activities, mainly between 1934 and 1985. The largest part of the papers consists of correspondence with friends and organizations, particularly relating to skiing and outdoor life. Family relations are also covered. A series of brief journals provides a record of some of his daily activities, from 1948 to 1984. The remainder of the fonds include publications about Johannsen, photographs, maps and personal documents such as passports.

The Aileen Ross fonds consists mainly of correspondence (1935-1990), research files, a brief autobiography (1940-1980), biographical material (1920-1990), and specific talks (1942-1973). Included are personal diaries (1918-1962), appointment books (1946-1992), and Matthew Ibbotson's correspondence to Ross (1921-1927). Books, original and printed articles, newspaper clippings, and reviews of books and articles are also part of the collection. Non textual records consist of several photographs.

These papers concern two aspects of Sprenger's career: his school and college record, and his death and subsequent memorials. Sprenger's school records comprise reports from his school in England, 1918, and from Rothesay Collegiate School, Saint John, 1921-1926, together with a copy of the R.C.S. magazine recording his graduation, 1927, and a letter to his father, 1926. Two photographs of the Rothesay Football team, 1924, 1926, show Sprenger as captain. His McGill years are documented by matriculation, 1927, and graduation, 1931, certificates, convocation programmes, 1931 and 1934 and an official transcript of marks, 1933. His sports prowess is reflected by the programme of a Quebec Swimming Association competition organized by Sprenger in 1936 and by seven photographs of athletic and swimming teams in which Sprenger participated while at McGill. Various sports certificates, and Sprenger's amateur pilot's licence, 1939, also survive. His death in action is recorded by about eight letters of condolence to his parents from Air Force officers and chaplain, as well as his flying mates. They enclose Sprenger's 'Wings' and photographs of him and of his grave. Printed tributes to Sprenger from newspapers, and the house magazines of Canadian Industries, Ltd and of the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association are supplemented by other periodical articles on the R.C.A.F. and the Battle of Britain.

Eric Aloys Sprenger's papers comprise course materials, and items reflecting sports and social activities at McGill in the 1930s. Apart from an annotated high-school geometry text, Sprenger's course materials are from his years at McGill. They comprise class and tutorial notes from each of the four years of the Engineering course. Also included in this series are exercises in freehand and mechanical drawing, 1930, and the outlines, drafts, and typed copies of summer essays for 1934, 1937, and 1939, on paper-making machines. Other reflections of student life are provided by copies of the McGill Daily for 21 November 1938 and November 29 1940 (the latter reporting the death of William Sprenger) and a song-sheet for an Engineering 'Smoker', 1935. A large scrapbook of newspaper clippings and programmes for swimming meets at McGill and the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association gives particular attention to William Sprenger's participation, 1926-1935.

A series has been dedicated to William Paterson Sprenger, Eric’s brother and the textual and photographic records concern his school and college record, and his death and subsequent memorials.

Gould's papers fall into two series. Family correspondence covers the years 1856 to 1860, when Joseph and his brother Charles were travelling in Europe, and consists of letters home from both young men, and their parents' replies. Manuscript music comprises two volumes of church anthems, with some organ music; some are original compositions by Gould and Samuel Warren. Related to this is Gould's brief manuscript account of the origin of the Mendelssohn Choir. Some family photographs are also included.

These papers contain Forbes' personal files of correspondence and clippings, some design materials and films of McGill football games. The personal files contain biographical materials such as his birth certificate, military commission and service records, and letters concerning his employment at McGill. Other files concern Forbes' designs for decorations for the 1951 Royal Visit, the McGill C.O.T.C., the Forbes Trophy for athletics, Forbes' involvement with McGill athletics and museums, and the career of his brother Kenneth Forbes, a painter. A number of diplomas and certificates awarded Forbes, as well as a photograph album, complete this series. Materials for designs include files on heraldry, a collection of illustrations from 19th century periodicals, designs for the Royal Visit decorations (a few, by Percy Nobbs, were used for the 1939 visit), maps, linocuts, bookplates, and programmes designed by Forbes for McGill events, ca 1925-1950. Thirty-four reels of motion picture film record McGill extramural football games (1947-1951). Films with sound track show the construction of the Currie gymnasium (1939-1940), and demonstrate the swimming techniques of Matt Mann. Additional biographical material is provided by obituary notices and letters of condolence to Mrs. Forbes, and by clippings of articles about Forbes.