UPDATE – ARMIDALE MEMORIAL SERVICE POSTPONED

Unfortunately due to the COVID19 crisis, we have had to postpone the planned memorial service for Major General Spence scheduled for the 28^th of March. We do not have a date as yet for the rescheduled service and will let you know when we do as soon as possible.

Many thanks for your interest in the service. If you could please pass this news onto your networks that would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Major Andrew May

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Former UNE staff member, Major General Iain Spence, CSC RFD recently passed away following a long bout with cancer at his home in Canberra. Major General Spence was a long-standing member of the Army Reserve. He spent most of his working life as a member of the academic staff at UNE as a lecturer in Ancient History in the late 1980s. He rose to be a Professor at the university before his retirement in the mid-2000s.

Professor Greg Horsley provided this tribute to Major General Spence.

It is with very personal sorrow, a sorrow that will undoubtedly be shared by a number of you who knew him, that I let you know that Dr Iain Spence (b. 1953 in Scotland) died in Canberra after a long illness.

Iain had a 50-year association with Armidale, and nearly as many years also with UNE. He was the first student to be awarded a University Medal in Ancient History in conjunction with his BA Hons Class 1. The Keith and Dorothy Mackay Travelling Scholarship allowed him to undertake his Doctorate at University College London; and the book of that thesis was published in 1993 (and subsequently reprinted) by OUP. His election to membership of the Royal Historical Society in England was due in no small part to the recognition of the quality of that book on The Cavalry of Ancient Greece. Other books followed on military history, either by him alone or in tandem with others. Several of his journal articles and significant reviews of others’ work were published in the top-flight journals for Classics (Jnl of Hellenic Studies, Mnemosyne, Gnomon, Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, etc.). He developed Defence Studies as a sub-discipline within UNE’s Arts Faculty, and initiated the Chauvel Seminar in order to bring visiting speakers. He undertook supervision of Honours theses and PhDs in areas both ancient and modern. Military history (not just in antiquity) gained a notable profile at UNE due to the presence of Dr Minor Markle, Dr Alan Treloar, and Iain (all in Classics), as well as colleagues in Modern History. The Rev. Dr John Moses was one colleague active in working with Iain to build the profile of the Chauvel Seminar.

Iain was employed first as a tutor in Classics and Ancient History, and in time was promoted to Associate Professor. He served as Head of the School of Classics, History and Religion for approximately 18 months from early 2006. We were beneficiaries of his equanimity, efficiency, sense of humour and fairness.

He had another longstanding career simultaneously, with the Army Reserve. Before he left UNE and Armidale in 2010 he was already a Brigadier, and for many years was closely associated with the Hunter River Lancers, including as that Company’s C.O. The move to Canberra did not turn out as expected for him; but the Army became aware of his move to the Capital, and made good use of him, sending him to Europe for NATO conferences and to USA for ANZUS meetings. He retired a couple of years ago with the rank of Major General. No small achievement for an Armidale High School boy!

Iain and Christine met in an undergraduate course on Philosophy of History run by Sr Purcell the medievalist. Their marriage of well over 40 years was blessed with three children and several grandchildren.

Yeats’ poem ‘In memory of Major Robert Gregory’ catches Iain well:

Soldier, scholar, horseman, he,
And all he did done perfectly
As though he had but that one trade alone.

Funeral Service 

Please be advised that the details of the funeral for Major General Iain Geoffrey Spence, CSC, RFD are as follows:

• Date / time:  Wednesday, 11 March 20, 1230 hours for 1300 hours start
• Location:  All Saints Anglican Church, 9 – 15 Cowper Street, AINSLIE, ACT
• Internment:  Gungahlin Cemetery, Sandford Street, MITCHELL, ACT
• Wake:  Duntroon House, Duntroon ACT
• Dress:  Uniform 1B for Service Members or Jacket / Suit, Medals & Beret  

Memorial Service 

A warm invitation is extended to current serving members of 12th/16th Hunter River Lancers, member of the 12th/16th and 24th LH Regimental Association, Members and former members of NEU Company SUR, 2 TRG GP and OCTU, plus the staff of UNE and other friends.

• Date / time:  Saturday, 28 March 20, 1430 for 1500 start
• Location:  GAZA Training Deport, cnr Mann and Allingham Streets, ARMIDALE
• Dress:  Serving Members: 2C (Ceremonial Dress); Retired Members – jacket and tie with medals.
• After: Refreshments in GAZA Training Depot Composite Mess.