The collection consists primarily of Potter's lengthy correspondence with his mother and future wife while stationed abroad, often during significant British military operations, including censor-stamped envelopes. By means of detailed, very legible letters, the collection thoroughly documents a British officer's life during the historic range of Potter's years, from training at the Royal Military College in the 1890s through the hellish trench warfare of World War I. Potter saw active combat in France throughout World War I, and his unit participated in the Battle of the Somme. Besides several thousand letters, the collection contains Potter's diary for 1897, occasional photographs, and a few relevant newspaper clippings. Letters to Potter by his future wife often relate activities of the Bedford Soldiers' Home, where apparently she played an active role.