Educated at the Slade School of Art, Spencer served in the [[First World War]] in the [[Royal Army Medical Corps]]'s 68th Field Ambulance unit - a harrowing experience, that inspired his work at Sandham Memorial Chapel - and the emotional impact of the loss of so many of his comrades is clear in his work from this time, and also arguably led to his divorce from his first wife. During the [[Second World War]], he continued to paint, depicting the quiet, stoic pride of the workers on the Glasgow shipyards<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/wars_conflict/art/art_frontline_gal_03.shtml BBC history article on WW1 war art]</ref>. | Educated at the Slade School of Art, Spencer served in the [[First World War]] in the [[Royal Army Medical Corps]]'s 68th Field Ambulance unit - a harrowing experience, that inspired his work at Sandham Memorial Chapel - and the emotional impact of the loss of so many of his comrades is clear in his work from this time, and also arguably led to his divorce from his first wife. During the [[Second World War]], he continued to paint, depicting the quiet, stoic pride of the workers on the Glasgow shipyards<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/wars_conflict/art/art_frontline_gal_03.shtml BBC history article on WW1 war art]</ref>. |