1 Mater
Mab
Edmund
Rex Please return finally to Lil Nov. 8. My Dear folks I wish I could have joined the other 2 at the family
reunion at No 24, but I hope this may not be impossible in 1916,
though certainly the present situation shows no sign of that being
possible yet. I wonder how Rex found his Bagley wood nest,
& expect he found it as hard as any school boy to turn back after
his holiday. I am awaiting further news of him rather
anxiously, as I have heard rumours of a change in the command
of his battalion which if true I should regret. In fact I hope he
will then start the uphill work of training men in the new
19th battalion. I have been preety busy these last 3 days as Col Russell
has been ill, tho' I hope it is merely a bad cold, which however
he has succeeded in making me share - very annoying as I don't
feel as if I had caught one on my own. Yesterday I went in his place with the general to the
conference of the Generals of our corps, which tho' like most confer-
ences in being rather round talking was of course very interesting to
me, & brought me into touch with various senior officers whom I
had not previously met. One of them who was in command of
troops at Belfast 2 years ago a certain Count. He was less affable
than 2 of the others ?, who strange to say were formerly both mentioned as
possible Commanders for this Division! 2 We had a long drive back, but luckily got in just before Col
Hudson an old gunner friend arrived , whom I got appointed at the War
office, & who is now Col Gen' Staff of the present army. We had a long talk, & he has just been presented with the
Legion of honeur, for having acted as guide to the French
President during the Kings recent visit. I told him that
with his rosette in his button hole he will never have to
take a railway ticket again when travelling in France. I have either got a sting or chiblains on my hands, I
think the latter which itch violently so I can sympathize
with 2 of the family who favour these unnecessary winter
luxuries. I wish I had known about Jessie's nephew in the 8th
Worcester's as this was the battalion I was with a fortnight
ago, but I hope to see them again & will take the chance
of asking after him. I am glad he is in this part of
the country rather than in the lower wetter portion
elsewhere I get long & rather sad letters from my old gen' & Col
Craig. The latter strongly hopes that our recruiting will not be
successful without National Service, as it may very possibly lead the
politicians to end the war by a compromise with Germany, in which
case our politicians would be very bad as national service would be impossible 3 after the war whilst Germany would be busy training. Craig
things such a compromise quite likely won soon The rumours about Kitchener are rather disconcerting.
Unless he has gone to give a decision about Serbian operations
it will look like his having left whilst the reorganisation of the
General Staff at home is being arranged, in which case he will
almost certainly not care to return as War Minister. I see very little of the French people here. The village
we are in is exceptionally quiet & nearly all the people are
in mourning. They don't seem particularly friendly, but
on the other hand they take very little interest in th our
affairs tho' Douglas my servant takes a different view as to this,
since he always locks my door to keep out my ancient Madame who
likes to follow him & talk, rather to his embarrassment,
& as he can't talk French & she no English I should have
thought conversation would soon have dried up, I should like further news of Edmund as he only
told me that his company was in a very uncertain position &
that they expected to move, since when nothing further has
turned up. Best love Wilfrid B Spender