1 12 July My p r I'm afraid letters are rather ragged just
now, but when one is on the move things
are always a little more difficult & I am
away from the ordinary post till tomorrow. I thought you were at Sir Edwards
last week-end but find it is to be this one
so will chance sending a letter there. I hope he is well & feeling well but
wish he could have seen his way to
have taken a more active part in
(or agin) the Government of the country. I am getting a little restive at the
way my letters get into the papers! My
one to you was all right tho' only
intended for Mr G's private perusal, but I
wrote a personal one to Col Crawford &
an a letter of condolence ( with some
religious remarks) to Mr Davidson &
it never occurred to me that these 2 would be published. I suppose one ought not
to mind but it seems lacking in delicacy
& I should certainly have written very
differently had I known. I hope Craig
will not publish anything more — I have
sent him 2 letters — as one might get
into trouble & I hate to feel that I am
advertising the division. Luckily in some ways Sir G also
published the General's letter & his orders.
He is rather livid about it. I also wrote
to Gen Powell & Sir G I do hope the
latter won't take mine to the Press! It is
private on the face of it. I enclose a letter from Sir Ralph
Really it is nice of him to have written &
I appreciate it but I shall take him at
his word for the present & not answer We are now in country like Norfolk
which is very much nicer than I
had expected but we move another 15
miles tomorrow when I expect the 3 country will be still flatter & more
full of dykes & perhaps less healthy We expect to be left alone for some
weeks getting out drafts and training the men
-rather sad work in some ways as you
can understand especially as they will
not be our men. The Lady of our chateau has 6
little daughters all stepping up 1 year
apart from 2 to 9. Rather like a p r
family tho' I don't quite fix yet
which is to be the p r of the bunch!! The mother is teaching them music
and plays accompaniments to their scales
on the fiddle & simple exercises — vey
much like one's early school days. P & I have got along much better lately
yesterday but I am afraid he overheard
yesterday a rather unguarded remark
I made to S which he probably resents
& will pay back. Everyone here talks so well of the
division that one feels that one's
pride in belonging to it is not all
swank. 4 A sorry 12th July but our men
are wearing their lilies tho whether
bought or stolen or presented I don't
know. Most of them have had
long marches so I don't expect they
will do much drumming. Saunderson aged 55(?) is to succeed
Farnham as ADC! He is said to have a
very rude manner & a bad temper but
this may pay with the G O C & Farnham
who has done splendid work has I
hope taught Harry his job. I must write to Mater for her
most kind cheque some of which will
go to the Ulster Fund. Please tell her so
so that she may not feel bound to do
anything more for it. She really is a
wonder with her reduced income but
I don't think she ought or will be able
to continue these munificent presents. My room is at the top of the Chateau
so nice & airy. I wish I could take 5
it or my hut with me Please convey to Lady C how very
greatly I appreciate their kindness to you
& how much easier it makes things for
me to know that you have such kind
friends to look after you & to prevent
your work from becoming over burdensome. Yes I am indeed glad you took up this
work & not the other now & I think you
are probably doing more for the future of
Ulster than either of us quite could of.
any neglect now would certainly spread &
make a gulf between the classes which the
UVF days have closed for a time. Quite a good letter considering
which deserves a good mark but I see no
chance of getting i for a long time yet. Your b w
W B Spender