Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 23 July 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Wilfrid Bliss Spender

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Letter from Sir Wilfrid Bliss Spender (1876-1960) to his wife, Lady Lillian Spender, née Dean, (1880-1968). Spender gives an account of his departure from the Ulster Volunteers and his journey to Calais. He gives details of the 'excitement and sadness' he felt upon leaving, the unpleasantness of saying goodbye, the 'strained politeness' of British and French officials, and the denouement of his conflicted relationship with another of the staff. Spender relates a humorous anecdote from his journey, and asks Lillian to send a newspaper ('the MP') to his brother Rex, recently arrived in the trenches.Sir Wilfrid Spender was a member of the British Army until 1913 when controversy surrounding his signature of the Ulster Solemn League and Covenant resulted in his resignation. Spender was called up for military service in 1914 and from 1915 served in the 36th (Ulster) Division. Throughout the war, Spender wrote a collection of letters to his wife Lady Lillian Spender. The letters date mainly from 1915 to 1918, when Sir Wilfrid was serving in France. The letters concern politics, the Irish question, personal life, and Wilfrid's experience of the Great War. Lady Lillian served in the Ulster Volunteer Nursing Corps during the war, and was an organiser of the Ulster Division Comforts Fund.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Lady Spender's Correspondence, D1633/1/1/358 https://letters1916.ie/item/774 English Wilfrid Bliss Spender 1916-07-23 Calais, France Lillian Spender Male World War I (1914-1918) Personal Relations

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 (posted 23rd) 22 July My Pr I am writing this at Calais! I think the censor will pass this as I shall be miles away in a few hours. In fact I shall have made a tour of the front & have been almost in sight of old England. There is a certain kind of excitement about today which relieves it's sadness. The goodbyes were unpleasant as they always are more especially to Bruce Comyn & the men. The former was I think quite touched as were some of the clerks. P suddenly became rather effusive of the help I had given. It didn't sound quite real. He talked too much about my opportunities. Any qualms I had about my going — except those in respect of Rex — have gone after my interview with W. I went to see him on my return from seeing Rex, W said I hear you are going & am sorry it should have happened after what has occurred. We then talked over the affaire & he hoped it would be a lesson to me — It not being double promotion presumably - . It was obvious at any rate he was completely out of rapport, & I do not know how many months or years it would take to put things right, if ever. He also afterwards tried to inform the occasion of one's great possibilities — to help one's friends I think — this as an afterthought. I write now in some bitterness. Now as to the amusement At 2 where I took the train Comyn & I had lunch together. There was a Major in the staff — Ry stuff — elderly but nice just a trifle inclined to do the superior officer. Not wishing to turn up in false guise Douglas' suggestion of alteration of rank was carried out & the Div armour changed for the Army one. Who should be at the station but this same Major who proceeded to hunt the poor wretched Col all over the place with an interpreter for his luggage another officer for his ticket, etc. Neither Douglas nor I minding the carrying of our own trappings as you know—. He was puzzled & at last came to the conclusion that I was the same man , I think, which must have been rather a shock. Since then I have been in a constant state of strained politeness with elderly French officers, & British officers of all ranks who regard me as a strange kind of specimen, which doesn't quite please me, but I expect at the end of the war when I return to a mere Captain I shouldn't like the 2 step fall even tho' I don't appreciate the 2 step rise now very much. I found time to write to Mater after all, & hope she will be able to crow a little to you when you go to let her know. You won't mind & it pleases me to think that she will not feel a pr has entirely rubbed her nose out of joint just robbed her of her son. Would you send the MP on to Rex 12 R Ir Rif this next week in the evenings until he has time to order his own paper. I know what a luxury this will be to him in the trenches, & it is a Kindness which the pr will undertake tho' it does mean trouble. Next week his own paper will have bee. ordered by me I hope, if he does not get any Company mess papers. By the way Rex has a curious idea about Lil's horn . I am to enquire if you are sure as to Daisy's age soundness & sex ! This is written in the train. I do not arrive till 2 P.M. Your b w WB Spender added to page 1 The next few days are likely to be wildly busy so expect few or no letters. I am 'attached to the 15 Corps' to which please address letters Calais, France Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 23 July 1916 Wilfrid Bliss Spender Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 12 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 13 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 17 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 19 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 21 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 24 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 30 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 3 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 9 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 11 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 12 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 15 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 16 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 16 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender, 16 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 18 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 21 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 21 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 22 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 22 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 23 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 24 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 27 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 29 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 28 July 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 30 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 31 July 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 31 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 1 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 4 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 6 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 7 August 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 8 August 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 9 August 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 9 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 10 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 12 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 13 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 14 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 15 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 20 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 21 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 22 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 24 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 25 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 27 August 1916Note from Sir Wilfrid Spender, 28 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 18 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 19 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 20 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 21 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his family, 21 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 22 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 23 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife, Lady Lillian Spender, 2 January 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to his wife, Lillian Spender, 9 January 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, [January 1916]Letter from Wilfrid Spender to his family, 3 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 12 November 1915