This letter is part of a series of correspondence from Sir Wilfrid Bliss Spender 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. In this letter Spender is writing to his wife, Lady Lillian Spender, née Dean, (1880-1968). Sir Wilfrid Spender (1876 - 1960) 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 remained in contact with the Ulster Unionist leadership, and consistently opposed Home Rule and the six-county solution. In this letter, Spender descrbes Lillian's letters as 'the greatest help possible'. He expresses satisfaction that she is settling into the new house, and dismay that because there are only two maids, they will not be able to take afternoons off together. He suggests that Lillian employ another girl once a week to give the maids a chance to take an afternoon off together. Spender then criticises the turn of The Times towards support of Home Rule, and also criticises Carson's position as 'anomalous'. He instructs Lillian to send their joint best wishes t the parents of the captured C Craig, and discourages Lillian from writing 'such long letters'. Spender writes that he is finally free from his 'gas shell head', and worries that the men of the Ulster Division will get little credit for their valour, because few people wish to be associated with a 'glorious failure'.