Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 14 April 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Wilfrid Spender

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Letter from sir Wilfrid Spender (1876 - 1960) to his wife, Lillian (1880-1968). 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."

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Letters from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Spender, D1633/1/1/222 https://letters1916.ie/item/4283 English Wilfrid Spender 1916-04-14 Lillian Spender Male 1960 World War I (1914-1918) Politics World War I (1914-1918)

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 14 April 16 I hope the wire I sent yesterday may have arrived in time to prevent my letters from being too confident in raising false hopes. I don't think any one but a pr knows how much the b w feels the blow. The other members of the Staff think I don't care, unless my rather crusty temper betrays me. Yesterday at mess they were talking about the vagaries of promotion etc, when it seemed to strike them suddenly that mine was the most astounding case. I smiled & said I had done things in the past with my eyes open & was quite prepared to suffer the consequences, & all of them thought here is a curious animal without ambition. Place when he heard a little about my past military career began to look most uncomfortable to find himself senior to one who was holding 6 years ago a position which he would have given anything for 2 years ago. I was at a big demonstration at one of the schools yesterday & saw General after General who had been my contemporaries. Some of them eyed me with a superior glance of "you're done for", others spoke to me as an equal, & 2 of them came & had a long back, one of them saying "for me to be a General & you a Captain "is the most topsy turvy world I have ever seen." This was meant very kindly & I know quite honestly, & what is more (in writing to you only) it is the real facts of the case. Sometimes I admit I am a little amazed at the world eg when I hear that M Calmont is looked upon as so good a CO that he is to be given an early Brigadier ship. Now old thing I don't want you to get the idea that I am living in the land of grievances — I am not & I am quite prepared to make any personal sacrifice for this country or for the Ulster cause, but it is as will that you & I should realise that our position after the war will be one which it will be of no use trying to explain to the outside world. To attempt to do so even would be to strain the credulity of one's best friend acquaintances & even of one's friends & relations. It is only those in the know — Carson Craig & one's nearest relations who will understand to a partial extent — Even Mab & Edward won't be more than puzzled To others the situation will be unbelievable, even one's old Military friends will find it hard to follow, & as I do not intend to go through the remainder of life trying to explain one will have to drop them. This will entail either going into comparative seclusion, or taking up a life which is entirely non-military. I am not trying to raise up ghosts, but as you will admit no one will be able to follow an attempt at a laboured explanation on my part that I with 20 years regular service as a Captain or possibly a Major?, whilst X with 2 years service is a Major or Lt Colonel. With other rebels made Lt Cols — like Crawford — — or General like M'Cjalmont younger than myself the matter is quite unintelligible. Why I write in this strain is that I want you to realise how much I value the thought of indepen — dence in the future, & consequently that our present prosperity is not to be treated as a test of our future standing when I lose £650 in army pay & rubber deflates to normal conditions. I don't want you to screw & skimp, nor to think you cannot help relations or others, but I do wish you to see clearly that this year is not a true test of the future, & that in anything you do this year you will make this clear. I was wondering if it might not be possible to help Carson — We could probably spare £500 this year later, but the difficulties would be great even if one did it anonymously, tho' it would feel like doing something for the Country. I think it is advisable that they should both feel the pinch fa bit as sacrifice of that kind will be good for the man, & she will delight in it. I enclose a letter from Craig. Don't make any comments on it outside. There is evidently something up which we do not know of as he is anything but a pessimist. Either the Naval situation is not satisfactory or we they are getting a true account of Germany's latent strength at last. He evidently has given up all idea of turning out the Government but hopes that a powerful opposition may give them stimulus. The worst/of it is that the opposition will consist largely of disgruntled people & cranks some of the most level heads still being led by BL or hypnotized by Grey's apparent statemanship. We are 3 days behindhand in papers. This & the recall from leave of all ranks may mean something serious. Hickman has put in for leave on very Urgent private affairs & is getting it (!). I fancy he expects to be home for an exciting time. It is wonderful how these Military Great big wigs still play up to the political side they affect to despise. He and the GOC have had a good set to in which the latter has come out top. I should not be surprised if H fails to return, & he may do something on his own whilst at home. I am glad to see that the Duchess & Lady C are both keeping up the CC work so well. I honestly expected they would have got bored with it before this. Later the latter may have to drop it. I expect they are both stimulated by the p r's example . She is doing good work. I'm so much pleased to hear about the eyes, but do get the glasses at once or you shall get a bad scolding. I don't like your heads. They are too frequent. I am interested in your experiment of a chummery. I don't know Mrs H so will not attempt to prophesy. It will largely depend on the firmness with which you maintain your independence of each other from the start, & how outspoken you are with one another. I was to have ridden with the General this morning but he thought the ground too wet so you have got the rather doubtful benefit of this lengthy letter. I don't think the p r will misunderstand the b w's long tirade. It is not a plaint against fate or Providence. It is merely an endeavour to get the p r to see clearly what he foresees in the future, which he knows that she will be willng to share with him — grey tho' it may be — perhaps with some pink tinges for the b w , but only too imbued with faded brown for a p r. Your b w Wilfrid B Spender Wilfrid Spender Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 2 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 7 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 11 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender. 13 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 2 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender, 18 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, circa June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 11 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 15 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, 27 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 27 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, 6 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 28 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 6 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 19 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 23 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 13 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 15 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 15 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 16 December 1915Letter from Captain Wilfrid Spender to Colonel James Craig, 4 July 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 4 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 5 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 8 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to his family, 8 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 9 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 10 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 10 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 11 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 12 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 14 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 14 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 15 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 16 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 17 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 17 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 19 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 20 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 21 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, circa November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 22 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 22 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 26 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender, circa November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender, circa November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 27 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 27 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 28 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 27 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 29 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 30 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, circa November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, circa November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, circa November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 1 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 2 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 3 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 3 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 4 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 5 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 7 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 8 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 10 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 13 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 12 December 1915Note from Wilfrid Spender, circa December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 1 April 1916Note from Wilfrid Spender, circa April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 2 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 3 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 4 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 5 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 6 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 7 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 8 April 1916Note from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, circa April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 9 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 9 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 10 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 11 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 12 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 13 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 13 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 14 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Edward Carson, 25 November 1915Letter Wilfrid Spender to Edward Carson, 3 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Alberta Percival, 25 March 1922Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Ernest Clark, 28 March 1922Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Henry Wilson, 28 March 1922Letter from Wilfrid Spender to the Ministry of Home Affairs, 20 June 1922Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Henry Wilson, 22 March 1922