1 18 Aug My dear folks I ought not to be writing as I have a lot of work in
hand but as Gen. Sir L. Kiggell told me yesterday that
I had 'done a lot' I am rather
presuming on the fact! It does
not seem like a month since
Rex came out, yet it is very
nearly that since I saw him and left the Ulstermen! I
am going up to the front 2 this afternoon the first time for a
fortnight so that I feel very much
less a soldier than old Rex. I am not surprised that Edmund's
visit out here has been delayed till
the winter though in many ways
I am sorry. It is a very severe
strain on every one to go on with
this battle which has already lasted
7 weeks, and various people-such
as Sir S.Hughes ! - seem to think
it is a Commander in Chief's business
to entertain them & as many
friends as they care to bring-and
their private photographers & cinema- 3 -tograph performers! - Although Edmund
and probably the majority of those who
came with him would realise this and
not expect much, yet when every room
within 6 miles of the front is crowded
with fresh troops or wounded every
additional personage means an extra
strain, & I am afraid no one else but
Edmund would show much consideration
as to be content with a blanket
under a tree & such food as he can
carry. Besides I do not think the
battle field is any place for visitors
who will get too sudden and therefore
too graphic and false an impression of modern war, and even the guiding
of spectators round means a lot of
arranging and fuss for the already 4 overworked staffs. If Edmund could
have come out as a single visitor &
stopped in my room & kicked his heels
about 10 miles behind the lines for 3
days out of 4 & then have been content
with an occasional hasty glimpse
at war conditions it would be al
l right, but even Rex I expect would
hesitate to wish invite him to
his dug out tho' he would doubtless
welcome him and give him that
hospitality which the men in the
front seem able to provide, though
every ounce of food and every bottle
of water has to be carried by hand
through slippery winding trenches 5 by men who are already loaded
very often with their ordinary
kit which weigh I think over
70
60 lbs. I do feel that I, living in
the lap of luxury, have no right
here, but I expect that I shall
go to a division again before
very long and am therefore
putting on fat like a horse! One of my tasks of sending
German wireless telegrams out
so as to try and give them some
idea of the lies in their own
press is very interesting and gives 6 me a reason to read the papers
which I could not otherwise find an excuse for otherwise. A less
congenial task is to let the
chief of the Imperial Guard Staff
have a cipher account of all the events
which one cannot well put in the
papers. If Edmund knew
of the difficulties-how the French
cry if we bombard one of their
villages, or if we bombard the
enemy's line and he replies on
one of their villages behind our lines,
& how conflicting all the reports 7 are, & especially how careful one has to be in not giving the Simonites
an excuse for exaggerating our
set-backs he would I think forgive
the rather baldness of the
official communiques. Every day
a new pitfall crops up, & all
one can do is to see that the British public is told the truth
about the situation even tho' one
has to paint certain portions of
the picture in brighter colours
than others. However, all that the picture painting is
the work of the correspondents. A lot of my work is very secret 8 so you will know nothing about it
till the war is over but one is very
much at the hub of the wheel seeing
everything that is going to be tried
as well as all that has been done
by our wonderful troops. I send all letters on to Rex
promptly, but the man in the trenches certainly deserves much
more than me. I do wish I could
share his discomforts & let him
have a few of my superfluous
comforts. Best of love. I hope that
the youngsters won't have to work
all their holidays tho' I know they
find it a joy to be so useful. Wilfred B Spender