IBMT Newsletter www.international-brigades.org.uk Issue 41 / 1-2016 INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE MEMORIAL TRUST Saturda y 12 March 2016 from 11am-5pm at the Manchester Conference Centre, 78 Sackville St, Manchester M1 3BB Professor Paul Preston Fees and booking WOMEN Pasionaria of steel: the life of G £15 including buffet lunch (payment Dolores Ibárruri by 28 February) & G £10 entrance only (payment on Professor Helen Graham the day) THE G Send cheques payable to IBMT SPANI SH Wars of development: to: Charles Jepson, Aysgaard, Margaret Michaelis’s images Beardwood Brow, Blackburn BB2 7AT of 1930s Barcelona (no receipts will be sent); or pay online via PayPal: [www.international- CIVIL WAR Dr Sylv ia Mart in brigades.org.uk/catalog/ Aileen Palmer and the British conferencestalks]; queries: [clarioncc International Brigade Medical Unit: ‘our secretary, @yahoo. co.uk] 01254 51302 Memorial Trust our interpreter, our dogsbody’ Further information 2016 Len Crome Dr Linda Palfreeman G Dolores Long: [doloreslong@ fastmail. fm] 0161 226 2013 Memorial Conference Fernanda Jacobsen: G Hilary Jones: [hilary.m.jones@ www.international-brigades.org.uk Samaritan or spy? btinternet.com] 01625 527 540 NEWS r e e t a M

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r e v o C Issue 41 / 1-2016 Cover story Stained glass window unveiled in Belfast City Hall: pages 11-12 3-6 & 8 News Including report from the IBMT’s Annual General Meeting in Aberdeen 7 Letter from Spain Justin Byrne writes from Madrid GLASGOW GATHERING: Anti-fascist campaigners from Hope not Hate held a commemoration for the International 9-10 Secretarial notes Brigades on 19 September at the Pasionaria memorial overlooking the Clyde in Glasgow. Speakers included IBMT Scotland 10 Obituaries Secretary Mike Arnott, and the event was followed by a get-together with music from Arthur Johnstone, Calum Baird and others. Such was the success of the day that the organisers are hoping to make it an annual event. 12-17 Features GDad’s Army and the Spanish Civil War Planning application stirs strong opinions for and against GFebruary is commemoration month GRemembering Bert Maskey IBMT makes GCatalan cemetery where two volunteers are buried GJimmy Shand and his father case for Oxford GAlbania’s volunteers for liberty GNew name on an Ebro plaque memorial 17-18 Letters Plans for a memorial in Oxford to the 31 volunteers 19-22 Books from Oxfordshire who fought fascism in the Including study of blood transfusion Spanish Civil War are making progress – techniques in Spain despite politically-charged objections by some 22 What’s on local residents. Premiere for Hemingway play Strong feelings for and against the memorial have emerged during the public consultation on The IBMT Newsletter is published three times the planning application submitted by the IBMT a year and is sent free to all members. Back to Labour-controlled Oxford City Council. numbers can be downloaded from the IBMT The application is expected to go before the website on [www.international- brigades.org. council’s planning committee in February. uk /newsletter.htm]. All content is the The memorial has already won support from copyright © of the IBMT and credited city councillors and officials and from local trade DESIGN: The proposed memorial (above) names the contributors and cannot be reproduced unions, political parties and community groups. without permission. Oxfordshire volunteers killed in Spain. The wording on An editorial in the Oxford Times has also the reverse of the stone will say: “International Editor backed the idea, saying it hoped that “the city Brigades: In memory of the 31 men and women of Jim Jump council will ensure that Oxfordshire’s rich and Oxfordshire who defended democracy and fought 37a Clerkenwell Green, London EC1R 0DU noble links with the Spanish Civil War will finally fascism in the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939. Six were 020 7253 8748 be properly celebrated in good time for its killed in action.” The inscription ends with the words [email protected] 80th anniversary”. of poet C Day Lewis: “We came because our open eyes The aim is to raise a granite memorial of could see no other way.” International Brigade Memorial Trust 1.8 metres in height in St Giles, a green space International Brigade cap badge with the same www.international-brigades.org.uk that includes the city’s memorial to the dead of anti-fascist motif of a clenched fist and scorpion Registered charity no. 1094928 the two world wars and abuts the St Giles that was displayed at the 2014 exhibition on churchyard. British art and the Spanish Civil War at the The names of the six Oxfordshire volunteers Pallant House Gallery in Chichester. who died in Spain would be inscribed on the However, the planning consultation process stone, along with the outline of a clenched fist has thrown up some local misgivings about the grasping a scorpion. location, design and even principle of a memorial The memorial has been designed by sculptor to the volunteers who went to Spain. Charlie Carter, who says he was inspired by an Continued overleaf

3 NEWS Oxford memorial From previous page Proposed International For example, Lib Dem councillor Elizabeth Brigade memorial Wade complains that the design of the memorial is “aggressive and triumphalist”. Quentin Campbell says the memorial is “an insult to the vast numbers of young Oxonians who died in the two world wars”. Others have objected on religious grounds, arguing that Catholic clergy were murdered in ST GILES: The world war memorial (right) some parts of Spain where the July 1936 coup and St Giles churchyard (left). against the Spanish Republic failed. Not everyone agrees. Dr Mavis Bayton has written to say: “I support this proposal. The Good site and fitting tribute brave men and women who went to fight in Spain against fascism are largely forgotten. We need a memorial to remind people of their for the Oxfordshire volunteers sacrifice for the democracy we now live in.” Sculptor Charlie Carter welcomed the debate By Colin Carritt our project with unanimous support. But they about what he called a “significant but largely wanted us to be more ambitious in our memo - overlooked” conflict. Oxford has been notably absent from the rial design and they had some reservations “The clenched-fist salute is an entirely appro - IBMT’s list of more than 100 memorials across regarding our chosen location in the city centre. priate image to use in honouring the sacrifice the British Isles to the International Brigaders On the suggestion of the council we sought made by the men and women of Oxfordshire who who defended democracy in Spain against the advice from the Design Council on drawing up a had the courage to stand up against the scourge fascist insurgency of General Franco. This is design brief and specification. We then commis - despite a significant number of volunteers sioned a competition and the successful sculp - “The brave men and women either living, working or studying in the city. tor was Charlie Carter (www.charliecarter.co.uk). So in 2013 a group of Oxford IBMT members His design features a clenched fist gripping a who went to fight in Spain got together to put forward a proposal to the scorpion, symbolising the struggle for freedom against fascism are largely IBMT Executive Committee to redress this omis - and democracy against the tyranny of fascism. sion. We also commissioned three local histori - forgotten. We need a ans to research the biographies of all those Locations memorial to remind people known to have connections with Oxfordshire at In parallel we researched other locations in the time they went to Spain. Thirty-one volun - the city centre and eventually agreed upon a of their sacrifice for the teers were identified, their lives researched and site that was satisfactory to all parties at the democracy we now live in.” the results published in “No Other Way: Oxford - northern end of St Giles between the world shire and the Spanish Civil War 1936-39”. [See war memorial and the attractive St Giles of fascism that is rearing its head once again in ordering details at foot of this page.] churchyard. This small park is owned and our own times,” he said. Several of the volunteers were from the city’s managed by Oxford City Council. Local IBMT members have already raised more world famous university. Others were from the As well as sourcing and procuring the stone, than £14,000, about two-thirds of the estimated burgeoning Morris motor works at Cowley on we have obtained professional advice for the cost of the sculpture and its installation, and the edge of the city. Others were agricultural foundation design and have obtained last year commissioned the publication of an workers from the rural hinterland. Some quotations from civil engineering contractors acclaimed history of Oxfordshire’s links with the were politically active as anti-fascists, others with the required skills for the installation work. Spanish Civil War, titled “No Other Way”. had pacifist leanings or were from religious At the same time we have consulted the backgrounds, and many of these volunteered Oxford Civic Society, the Oxford Preservation Fundraising continues in non-combat roles as medics. Trust, and the Oxfordshire Archaeological and A benefit concert organised by IBMT supporters Historical Society. in Oxford raised £1,581 towards the memorial to Common cause Throughout the planning stages we have the Oxfordshire volunteers. Held on 3 October at All came together in common cause. And been busy raising funds for the project through the West Oxford Community Centre, the concert many others, too numerous to mention here, social events and concerts, book sales and featured performances from salsa band Ran Kan gave time and effort and money. They raised donations from individuals and organisations. Kan, socialist choir the Sea Green Singers and funds for the families of dead or injured Our funding (as at 1 December 2015) now singers John Christie and Maeve Bayton. International Brigaders; they campaigned for stands at £14,500 against a total project cost Just two weeks later Colin Carritt – one of the a r eversal to the government’s iniquitous non- anticipated to be £22,500. Oxford activists leading the memorial project – intervention policy; and they sheltered some of Revised plans were submitted to the city raised £1,100 in a sponsored cycle ride from Edin - the 4,000 refugee children who had fled the council in December 2015 and we hope soon to burgh to Aberdeen. He was with a group of riders carpet bombing of Guernica and the Basque receive the green light to proceed so that the from the National Clarion Cycling Club 1895 on region in the spring of 1937. unveiling can take place for the 80th anniver - their way to the IBMT Annual General Meeting in As the book neared publication we continued sary of the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. Aberdeen on 17 October. to work on memorial designs and we took a preliminary planning application to Oxford Colin Carritt ([email protected]) is the chair of the “No Other Way: Oxfordshire and the Spanish Civil War 1936- City Council in October 2014. committee of IBMT members in Oxford who are steering the 39” can be ordered from John Haywood, 1 Queen Rd, Banbury The council’s planning committee greeted memorial project. OX16 0EB; [[email protected]] for £5 plus £3 p&p; all cheques made out to the IBMT.

4 International Brigade Memorial Trust Annual General Meeting elects new officers to IBMT Executive Committee Aberdeen International Brigaders honoured in weekend of activities The IBMT has a new Chair, Richard Baxell, and a new Treasurer, Manuel Moreno. Both were elected at the IBMT’s Annual General Meeting Cit y’s pride in held in Aberdeen on 17 October. Richard Baxell is a historian and in 2001 was a its 30 Brigaders founding Trustee of the IBMT, since when he has Nineteen Aberdonians joined the served continuously on the IBMT Executive International Brigades, five of whom Committee. died in Spain: Tom Davidson (Battle of He is the foremost expert on the British Jarama, February 1937), Archie Dewar volunteers who went to Spain and author of, (Calaceite, March 1938), Charles among other books, “Unlikely Warriors: The McLeod and Kenneth Morrice (Battle of Extraordinary Story Of The Britons Wh o Fought the Ebro, August 1938) and Ernest Sim In The Spanish Civil War” (2014). (Battle of the Ebro, September 1938). Manuel Moreno is a longstanding IBMT Their total rises to 30 if volunteers member and active supporter of the Trust. He from the surrounding area are included, hails from a strongly Spanish Republican back - along with those who were born in ground, both his parents having fled from Franco Aberdeen but had emigrated from the at the end of the Spanish Civil War. city before going to Spain. He was for many years the chief executive of Unite regional officer Tommy London-based wine importer and merchants Campbell, who led the organising of Moreno Wines. the events in Aberdeen on 16-18 NEWSPAPER CUTTING: Richard Baxell replaces Dolores Long, who A march along Union Street with October, said the weekend provided International Brigade and trade union banners makes a splash decided to step down as the IBMT Chair after five a valuable opportunity to remember in the Aberdeen Evening Express (above). years in the post. He was elected in a ballot at the the International Brigades. BLESSING: Order of service (left) for a church AGM in which he received 30 votes against “We should be proud of these men fellow candidate Charles Jepson, who received service for the International Brigades at the who stood up to fascism while the Kirk of Saint Nicholas. The sermon was given 22 votes. British government preferred to by Minister Stephen Taylor, who also blessed a Manuel Moreno was elected unopposed, as appease the fascist dictators. The replica blood-stained Spanish Republican flag was Jim Jump, who was re-elected for a sixth year International Brigaders were proved made by students at the Gray’s School of Art as IBMT Secretary. right, though they never got the in Aberdeen. Secular addresses were Moreno replaces Charles Jepson, who did not credit they deserved from the delivered by Unite regional officer Tommy seek re-election as IBMT Treasurer, having government,” he said. Campbell, Neil Cooney , n ephew of Brigader Bob Cooney, and IBMT served in that capacity for over three years. Ireland Secretary Manus O’Riordan. Along with Dolores Long, he was elected in Aberdeen as one of the Trust’s 11 E xecutive he has volunteered to continue to serve as the of whom gave their lives during the conflict, and com - Committee members. IBMT’s Education Officer. mends the IBMT and the trade unions from across the Another nine Executive Committee members The AGM was attended by 52 members and UK in their efforts to keep alive the memory and spirit were re-elected by ballot at the AGM: Mike representatives of affiliated organisations and of all of the men and women who volunteered and Arnott, Pauline Fraser, Mary Greening, Christo - was part of a weekend of activities commemorat - joined the International Brigades to defend democ - pher Hall, Hilary Jones, Duncan Longstaff, Manus ing the International Brigades in Aberdeen. racy and fight fascism in Spain from 1936 to 1939. O’Riordan, Danny Payne and Mick Whelan. To coincide with the AGM, Scottish Labour MSP They join IBMT President Marlene Sidaway on Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) tabled the Arrival the 15-strong committee. following motion in the Scottish Parliament: The weekend began with the arrival on Friday of Richard Thorpe failed to be re-elected, though That the Parliament congratulates the Aberdeen a group of cyclists from the National Clarion Cycling Trades Union Council (ATUC) on hosting the Interna - Club 1895. They had set off from Edinburgh three tional Brigade Memorial Trust’s (IBMT) annual event days earlier and called at Spanish Civil War to commemorate the role played by British volun - memorials in Edinburgh, Kirkcaldy, Dundee and teers during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s; notes Montrose along the way. that a series of events were held in the city from 16 to Members attending the AGM collected £297 for 18 October 2015, which included a civic reception the Jack Jones Trust, which is raising funds to make with the Lord Provost, a social evening of film, music a film about the former International Brigader and and poetry in the Town House and a march along union and pensioners’ leader who was the IBMT’s Union Street; recognises that the ATUC and the IBMT unveiled plaques to mark the contribution made by Life President when he died in 2009, aged 96. two Aberdonians in the International Brigades, John NEWLY ELECTED: Chair Richard Baxell (left) and Londragan and Bob Cooney; further recognises that See our inside back cover for a selection of photos from the Treasurer Manuel Moreno. 19 men from the north east joined the brigades, five IBMT’s AGM weekend in Aberdeen.

International Brigade Memorial Trust 5 NEWS z e u g í r d o R r a c s Ó

IN MADRID: The 79th anniversary of the International Brigades’ arrival Voices from the past in Madrid to defend the city from Franco’s advancing forces was Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias invoked marked on 7 November at the the memory and spirit of the Interna - International Brigade memorial in tional Brigades when he addressed the Spanish capital’s University City. supporters in Madrid following his Last year’s commemoration was party’s success in the Spanish general marked by a performance by the choir election on 20 December. (above right) of the AABI, the Madrid- The voices of “heroes and heroines” based Friends of the International from Spain’s recent history were being Brigades, which organised the event. Among the speakers was Luz heard at the rally, he insisted. Many of Alonso, who shared her memories as those he named were associated with a 10-year-old girl of the dramatic the Spanish Republican side in the civil intervention of the XI International war, as well as cotemporary fighters and Brigade in the battle to defend campaigners for social justice. Madrid. “We hear their voices tonight,” Igle - On the same day AABI President sias declared, “including those polyglot Almudena Cros (above left, on right) voices of the International Brigades who, and Mayor of Móstoles David Lucas having fought to defend our motherland, (left) unveiled a restored memorial in will for ever be counted as Spaniards.” the town’s International Brigades IN BARCELONA: The group Catorzedabril (above) led the singing of Spanish Civil War Park that had previously been Podemos, a left-wing anti-austerity songs at a homage to the International Brigades held in Barcelona on 24 October. vandalised. Originally inaugurated in party, won 69 seats in the new Spanish The annual commemoration is timed to coincide with the anniversary –last year the 1996, the memorial features a poem parliament, after being in existence for 77th –of the departure of the Brigades from the city. by Rafael Aberti to the International just two years, The gathering also heard a recital of the famous farewell speech by Spanish Brigades (above centre). The Iglesias speech (in Spanish) can be Republican leader Dolores Ibárruri (La Pasionaria) that was delivered in Barcelona on 28 Then just a few days later on October 1938. Organised by the Associació d’Amics de les Brigades Internacionals de seen at: [www.youtube.com/watch?v= 19 November the town council of Catalunya, along with support from Barcelona City Council and other civil war memorial G7UicgLlTsI&app=desktop]. The refer - Móstoles, a southern suburb of groups, the event took place in Horta-Guinardó, next to the city’s “David and Goliath” ence to the International Brigades Madrid, voted also to name a square memorial to the International Brigades by Roy Schifrin that was unveiled in 1988. comes at about 4mins 26secs. after the International Brigades. Less well known is the fact that his second In brief wife’s grandfather was the Spanish consul in Chile when the civil war broke out in 1936 and Greetings for IB supporter Corbyn he returned to fight for the Republic. The IBMT was among Jeremy Corbyn’s many In 2013, Jeremy Corbyn was the sponsor of a well-wishers after he was elected as Labour motion in the House of Commons deploring the leader on 12 September. Noting the Islington threat by the then right-wing Madrid city North MP’s strong links to the cause of the authorities to remove the memorial to the Inter - Spanish Republic and the International national Brigades in Madrid’s University City. IN PRAGUE: The Czech Freedom Fighters’ Brigades, IBMT Secretary Jim Jump wrote in a Associationhas set up an International Brigades section (www.zasvobodu.cz/interbrigady) and on letter of congratulation: “We wish you well in Happy birthday Delmer and Stan 23 October organised its first annual conference, your new role, and trust that those who The IBMT sent birthday cards and best wishes held in the Senate Hall of the Czech parliament in campaigned and fought for democracy and in December to the two last known members of Prague. Welcomed by Senate President Milan against fascism in the Spanish Civil War can the XV International Brigade: Delmer Berg, who Št ch, participants (pictured above looking at an serve as a continuing source of inspiration for was 100 on 20 December, and Stan Hilton, who exěhibition of Spanish Civil War posters) heard you and others in the party.” celebrated his 98th birthday on New Year’s Eve. historians, journalists and literary experts speak Corbyn’s parents met during the Spanish Civil Delmer, a veteran of the Abraham Lincoln Bat - about the causes of the Popular Front’s defeat in War on a march in support of the beleaguered talion, lives in Columbus, California. Born into a the civil war. Next year the conference will focus on Spanish Republic, something that he has often family of poor farm workers, he was working as the Czechoslovak volunteers who went to Spain. pointed out in interviews. Continued on page 8

6 International Brigade Memorial Trust LETTER FROM SPAIN s

s of the war in February 1937. The construction, e JUSTIN BYRNE writes r P however, dates from the following year, when it O S I was built by the Republican Army a mile behind D

/ Historical memory

o the frontline, the last point of defence in the z a event of a Francoist advance on Arganda del M

l on the political e Rey and the vital Madrid to Valencia highway. d

s

o Following archeological excavation and c r a restoration of the site, visitors can now walk agenda M along hundreds of metres of trenches linking orruption, the ongoing economic crisis, aus - the different elements of the fortifications. Cterity, rising inequality and moves towards These include a concrete-covered observa - independence in Catalonia were the big issues in tion post, 32 machine-gun and sniper the campaign running up to the general election positions and air-raid shelters for command - Demonstrators in in Spain on 20 December. However, the IBMT’s ers and troops, all “manned” by various Madrid on 22 November. sister organisation in Spain, the Asociación de life-size, two-dimensional steel profiles of Amigos de las Brigadas Internacionales (AABI), ruption and anti-austerity movement of the left, is Republican soldiers in action. Information was one of dozens of organisations from all over broadly sympathetic, and other parties have panels and, at the entrance to the site, a the country and beyond that put the issue of his - expressed their support for at least some of its sculpture representing the course of the torical memory onto the political agenda as well. demands. The PSOE socialists said they would Jarama River, with an extract from Pablo At a national meeting held in Madrid in set up a truth commission to investigate the Neruda’s famous civil war poem, “España en October, representatives of over 70 organisa - crimes of the civil war and Francoism, ensure el corazón”, complete the installations. tions approved a manifesto denouncing –40 public funding to exhume the mass graves An initiative of the local council of Arganda years after the death of Franco and eight years and identify the victims and more generally del Rey and co-funded by the European Union, after the previous socialist government’s Law of “revitalise” the 2007 Law of Historical Memory. the museum is one of the very few examples of Historical Memory –the fact that the Spanish More surprisingly, Ciudadanos, the anti- officially sponsored efforts to preserve and state had failed to put in place effective policies corruption challenger on the centre-right, has curate civil war battlefields in Spain. Motivated of truth and justice for the victims of Francoism. announced that it too supports, and would fund, both by the desire to maintain the town’s histor - They drew up a wide-ranging list of measures systematic exhumation of civil war mass graves. ical heritage and to attract tourists to the area, for implementation in the life of the next parlia - Among the major national parties, only the it sets an important precedent and example for ment. These include official condemnation of the conservative Partido Popular (PP) has ruled out other local and regional governments in Spain. Francoist regime and legal recognition of and any new legislation, insisting that “90 per cent of A must for any visitor to Madrid with an inter - reparation for all victims of Francoism. Also the issues [of historical memory] have already est in the civil war, Cerro Melero lies about 20 demanded was the identification and exhuma - been resolved”. miles south east of the city. It can be reached by tion of the remains of over 100,000 people, the bus from the city centre (the 331 from Plaza victims of summary executions committed Condé de Casal) and can be visited independ - during or after the civil war and still lying in Jarama trenches ently at any time or in guided tours (in Spanish) hundreds of mass graves around the country. organised by the local tourist office (tel: 91 871 In addition, the manifesto called for the now open to 13 44). Above all for those travelling by car, it opening up of all Francoist archives, the repeal of can easily be taken in on the way to the the 1977 Amnesty Law and the investigation and visitors monument to the International Brigades on prosecution of the crimes of the Franco regime, the Jarama battlefield and the Museum of the particularly the widespread abduction of babies ctober saw the opening of the Open Air Battle of Jarama in Morata de Tajuña. at birth to be given away for adoption. OMuseum of Cerro Melero (Melero Hill), fea - Other proposed measures are intended to turing a section of Spanish Civil War trenches and Justin Byrne is a historian and teacher in Madrid. He is help avert any possible repeat of the civil war fortifications overlooking the Jarama Valley, the active in the AABI Spanish Friends of the International and dictatorship. These include curricular dramatic natural scenario of the first major battle Brigades [www.brigadasinternacionales.org]. reforms to ensure children learn about Spain’s recent history from a democratic perspective and the introduction of an annual official day commemorating the victims of Francoism.

Anniversary On 22 November, two days after the 40th anniversary of Franco’s death, hundreds of people took to the streets of Madrid in support of these demands, marching behind a banner calling for “Truth, justice and reparation for the victims of Franco” and under a sea of Republican flags. The response of the political parties was pre - dictably varied. Support was strongest from the “old” left, and above all Izquierda Unida (United Left), whose leader, Cayo Largo, told the demon - strators that the leftist coalition would present their demands in Congress the very next day. Trenches at the new Cerro Melero While no other party has espoused the mani - museum overlooking the festo in its entirety, Podemos, the new anti-cor - Jarama Valley .

International Brigade Memorial Trust 7 NEWS In brief From page 6 a hotel dish-washer in Los Angeles when he volunteered to go to Spain. He has spent a life - time of political and union activism ever since. Stan Hilton, a merchant seaman from Newhaven, Sussex, jumped ship to join the British Battalion. He emigrated to Australia in the 1960s, and now lives in a nursing home near Melbourne. According to the AABI Spanish International Brigades friendship group, Berg and Hilton are two of only six foreign volunteers who are still alive. The other four include two Frenchmen y h

p and two Mexicans. They were among more a r g

o than 35,000 volunteers who went to Spain t o

h between 1936-39 to help the Spanish Republic. P

f o

r e t

n Call to end Blue Division pensions e C

l The KFSR German International Brigade ON THE TILES: a Not content with painting an International Brigade mural n

o memorial association is calling on its i on the side of his house (see photo top left and the report in our 1-2015 issue), t a

n government to end state pension payments to ctured), of Dartford, Kent, has now added a r IBMT member Sean McNeill (pi e t

n Spanish veterans of the Blue Division of 45,000 I ceramic tribute (above) to the volunteers in his living room. The black and © soldiers sent by Franco to help Nazi Germany white tiled image is a copy of the famous Robert Capa photo (right) taken a p during a farewell ceremony to the Brigades at Les Masies, near Barcelona, on a during the Second World War. Accusing the Blue C

t r Division of war crimes on the Eastern Front, in

25 October 1938. “Never underestimate the tiles at B&Q,” says Sean, whose e b only quibble about his framed handiwork is its weight. o particular during the siege of Leningrad in which R more than one and a half million people died, a

n the KFSR is demanding that the German EMBASSY PROTEST: Groups representing u m authorities revoke a 1962 treaty between the Franco’s victims handed in a letter of protest at the o C

a Adenauer government of West Germany and Italian embassy in Madrid on 17 November L / z Franco’s Spain. “The continuation of this treaty denouncing the Italian government’s support, via e p ó

ries L sends a political message which is wrong and its diplomatic representatives in Spain, to a se r o

of events commemorating the troops and airmen t damaging,” says the Berlin-based group. c í

sent by Mussolini to help Franco’s rebellion. Held V from 1-4 November, these events included a mass Sussex talk draws 100 plus at Franco’s mausoleum at the Valle de los Caídos Former IBMT Treasurer Mike Anderson outside Madrid, a homage in Zaragoza to the reports that more than 100 attended his talk 75,000 Fascist Italian troops sent to Spain and an on “Sussex and the Spanish Civil War” on act of remembrance for General José Moscardó and his rebel forces who resisted the Republican siege 6 November at Uckfield Civic Centre. of the Alcázar in Toledo. Organised by the local University of the Third Age group, the talk centred on the 20 volunteers from Sussex who joined the International Brigades, as well as the arrival of refugee children from the Basque Country in the spring of 1937. Few in the audience, says Mike, knew about Britain’s role in smuggling Franco out of the Canaries at the start of the uprising against the Spanish Republic in July 1936. One member of the audience, however, said she had worked in the 1960s for the same aviation company as Cecil Bebb, the British spy and Sussex farmer who piloted the Dragon Rapide that took Franco from Las Palmas to Tetuán in Spanish Morocco. CAMP OF SHAME: French Prime Minister Manuel Valls opened a museum and memorial centre (above) on 16 October at a camp in southern France where Spanish Republican refugees were More than 1,000 Twitter followers interned in wretched conditions after Franco’s victory in 1939. During the Second World War the The IBMT now has more than 1,000 followers Rivesaltes camp housed Jews, Gypsies and other “undesirables” before their transfer to Nazi on Twitter. The milestone was passed in extermination camps. Many of the Spaniards too were sent from Rivesaltes to the Mauthausen November 2015, less than three years since we concentration camp and to their death. started tweeting. Anyone who isn’t a member Known at the time as Camp Joffre and located near Perpignan, the Rivesaltes camp comprised of Twitter can still see the IBMT’s regular Tweets 650 barracks (inset) covering more than 600 hectares, making it Western Europe’s largest on our website by going to the News & Blog, concentration camp. It was one of a network of camps created by the French authorities close to the Events or Education pages at [www.international- Spanish border to intern tens of thousands of Spanish refugees and International Brigaders. brigades.org.uk].

8 International Brigade Memorial Trust SECRETARIAL NOTES

SHOT IN THE BACK: 5 1 0 2 by Dave Brown Cartoon t n

fromThe Independent e d n

of 3 December 2015, e p e

showing sniper Hilary d n I

Benn felling Jeremy e h

Corbyn –with T / n

The International Brigade acknowledgements to w o r B

Robert Capa’s famous e Memorial Trust keeps alive photo of a Spanish v a Republican militiaman D the memory and spirit of © being killed in action. the men and women who volunteered to defend democracy and fight fascism in Spain from 1936 to 1939 International Brigades are called into International Brigade Memorial Trust 37a Clerkenwell Green acti on yet ag ain in arg uments over war London EC1R 0DU dishonest. We’ve had newspaper columnists 020 7253 8748 JIM JUMP writes saying young Britons joining anti-government www.international-brigades.org.uk he International Brigades and the fight jihadist groups in Syria are just like the Interna - against fascism in Spain were controversially tional Brigades. In 2011 the then Labour leader Secretary T invoked during the House of Commons debate Ed Miliband said failure to bomb Libya would be Jim Jump on 2 December that ended with a vote in favour like non-intervention in the Spanish Civil War. [email protected] of bombing Syria. Labour’s record in the Spanish Civil War, inci - President In their justification for supporting RAF attacks dentally, was not blameless. For the critical first Marlene Sidaway in Syria, two Labour MPs, including Shadow For - 15 months of the war, the party backed the Con - [email protected] eign Secretary Hilary Benn, linked military action servative-led government’s “non-intervention” against ISIS/Daesh with the efforts of those who policy –which blatantly favoured Franco by pre - Chair fought Franco and fascism in the 1930s. venting the Spanish Republic from buying arms. Richard Baxell Benn’s words were: “What we know about While the IBMT is carefully neutral on all con - [email protected] fascists is that they need to be defeated and it is temporary political matters that have nothing to Treasurer why, as we have heard tonight, socialists and Manuel Moreno trade unionists were just one part of the “The International Brigades and [email protected] International Brigade in the 1930s to fight against Franco.” the lessons of the Spanish Civil Membership Secretary Meanwhile Ruth Smeeth (Stoke-on-Trent War are still being used, Mary Greening North and Kidsgrove) referred to the plaque in [email protected] Stoke-on -Trent town hall commemorating the however inaccurately and Merchandise Officer International Brigades. “The men and women of irresponsibly, as moral and Chris Hall that movement risked their lives for their political benchmarks by which [email protected] commitment to internationalism and solidarity, standing against an ideology that posed an to judge our actions today.” Other Executive Committee members existential threat to our way of life. Daesh poses Mike Arnott (Scotland Secretary), Pauline no less a threat.” do with our stated aims and objectives, it’s Fraser, Charles Jepson, Hilary Jones, Though Benn’s speech was praised in most of instructive, if not flattering, that, nearly 80 years Dolores Long, Duncan Longstaff, Manus the mainstream media, his reference to the Inter - after the event, the example of the International O’Riordan (Ireland Secretary), Danny national Brigades provoked a storm of online Brigades and the lessons of the Spanish Civil Payne, Mick Whelan protest on Twitter, Facebook and elsewhere. War are still being used, however inaccurately “A cheap bit of rhetoric”, was how one person and irresponsibly, as moral and political bench - Founding Chair described it. The general gist was: While ISIS is a marks by which to judge our actions today. Professor Paul Preston deplorable and barbaric movement, how can Finally it’s worth noting that a third Labour MP, Patrons RAF Tornadoes dropping bombs from 30,000 Ivan Lewis (Bury South), also cited the Rodney Bickerstaffe, Professor Peter feet be likened to the courage and sacrifice International Brigades during the Commons Crome, Hywel Francis, Professor Helen of those volunteers who defied their own debate in December. His speech, however, was Graham, Ken Livingstone, Len McCluskey, governments to go to Spain and fight Franco, in opposition to British military intervention in Christy Moore, Jack O’Connor, Maxine Hitler and Mussolini? Syria –a position shared by Labour leader Peake, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon This is far from being the first time that the Jeremy Corbyn and most Labour MPs. Spanish Civil War has been used in arguments It would be “rewriting history”, said Lewis, to Registered charity no. 1094928 supporting one side or other in wars in the equate being on the left with always opposing Middle East and Maghreb. military action. “I feel this more than most, as my facebook.com/groups/7123291063 The parallels drawn are always at best grandfather fought in Spain for the International twitter.com/IBMT_SCW spurious and at times completely wrong or Brigade against Franco’s fascists.” youtube.com/user/IBMTnews Internatioflnicakl rB.croigma/dpeh Moteoms/oirbiaml tTrust 9 SECRETARIAL NOTES 2016 subs now due IBMT subscriptions for 2016 are now due. If you don’t pay by direct debit or standing order, please send your payment to the Membership Secretary at the address below. Subscription rates remain the same as last year. See application form on page 14 for details. When returning your cheque, clearly state your name and address so that these can be matched with our membership records. Also, do please consider paying your subs by direct debit. The direct debit form can be downloaded at: [www.international-brigades.org. uk/join.htm]. WET PAINT: Publicity given to the “forgotten” and neglected memorial bench dedicated to the Gibbons brothers on London’s Hampstead Heath (see page 24 of issue3-2015) seems to Thank you for your continuing support. We depend on it to carry on our have done the trick. When Marlene Sidaway, our President, visited the bench soon after its work of keeping alive the memory and spirit of the volunteers who went to sorry state was blogged by Andrew Whitehead (see www.andrewwhitehead.net/blog/the- Spain between 1936-39. gibbons-brothers-still-proudly-remembered). She found that it had been restored and re- Send cheques and completed direct debit forms to: IBMT Membership varnished –indeed the paint was still wet, as a warning sign (pictured) proclaimed. The Secretary, 2 Woodford Close, Radyr Way, Cardiff CF5 2PH. For any queries, inscription on the bench remembers Danny, Joe and Tommy Gibbons, who joined the tel: 029-2019 5412; email: [[email protected]]. International Brigades. Tommy was killed at Brunete in July 1937.

Not a good guide to the civil war Kindersley complaining of “unacceptable bias” with tanks and aircraft, to attack the Republic.” Here in the IBMT we in the book’s two-page spread on the Spanish The letter goes on to deplore the book’s vague are used to distorted Civil War (pages 58-59). statement that Picasso’s Guernica merely depictions of the Interna - We point out that the authors fail to mention “depicts the tragic effects of the Civil War” –and tional Brigades and the that the Spanish Republic was a constitutional says nothing more about the painting. Spanish Civil War. democracy – with elected governments of centre- In fact Picasso painted Guernica for the Span - Ironically they often left and right in power between its proclamation ish Republic’s pavilion at the 1937 international appear when writers are in 1931 and the start of the civil war in 1936. fair in Paris, Dorling Kindersley were reminded. being “balanced” and Nor do they mention the fact that Hitler and “He was outraged by the deliberate bombing of “impartial”, as if it’s right Mussolini supported Franco’s fascist-backed civilian centres of population by Franco and his to try to find the centre military revolt –support which most historians allies, and named his masterpiece after the ground in an argument conclude proved decisive in determining the Basque town that was destroyed by German and between supporters of a outcome of the war. Italian bombers at Franco’s behest.” democratic government and those who back a The IBMT letter adds: “What makes this omis - The IBMT letter, dated 21 October, concludes rebellion led by murderous fascists and assorted sion all the more inexplicable is that you find by expressing the hope that appropriate textual reactionaries. space to point out that the Soviet Union ‘sup - revisions can be made in any future edition of the Usually we wearily let things pass – but not plied’ (more correctly ‘sold’) arms to the Repub - guide. As this issue of the IBMT Newsletter goes always, as is the case with the guide book lic. Yet such sales were far outweighed by the to press (at the end of December), no reply has, “Eyewitness Seville & Andalusia Travel Guide”, scale of help given to Franco by Hitler, who sent so far, been received from the publisher. which an outraged IBMT supporter brought to his expeditionary Condor Legion to Spain and our attention. provided large amounts of materiel, and Mus - Jim Jump We’ve now written to publishers Dorling solini, who deployed some 70,000 troops, along [email protected]

OBITUARIES troops fighting with the Francoists to desert and Al O’Donnell also broadcasted direct to Fascist Italy. At the end Irish folk singer Al O’Donnell, who has died on 3 of the war she spent time in French concentration September 2015, aged 71, was a good friend of camps before marrying Spanish doctor Enrique International Brigaders, writes Manus O’Riordan . Guzmán. An obituary in Rome daily La Repubblica He sang at the launch of the second edition of described her as “the radio voice that denounced “Connolly Column” by my father Michael fascist crimes”. O’Riordan in March 2005 and for Brigadistas at the AGM of the IBMT in Dublin in October 2005. Illtyd Harrington Illtyd Harrington, who died on 1 October 2015 at Nicola Seyd Ada Grossi the age of 84, was the son of South Wales Nicola Seyd, who died on 26 November 2015, Italian anti-fascist and veteran of the Spanish Civil International Brigader Timothy Harrington and aged 79, was the mainstay of the London Socialist War Ada Grossi (above) died in her home town of the deputy leader of the Greater London Council Film Coop, as well as a longstanding IBMT Naples in August 2015, aged 98. Born into a in the early 1980s. This was the time when the member. She always made sure that films about family of socialists who later fled Mussolini’s Italy council, led by Ken Livingstone, was actively the Spanish Civil War and International Brigades for Argentina, Grossi worked in Spain as a supporting moves for a national memorial to the featured in the LSFC’s programme of monthly translator and broadcaster for the Spanish International Brigades in central London. The screenings (see 13 March listing: page 22). Nicola Republic. From Unión Radio Barcelona and Radio GLC indeed went on to provide the site in Jubilee was also an active trade unionist and secretary of Spagna Libera in Valencia she appealed to Italian Gardens, which was then run by the council. Camden Trades Council for many years.

10 International Brigade Memorial Trust COVER STORY Belfast’s new memorial window illuminates shared radical heritage of cit y’s working class r

By Lynda Waker e e t a M

l he placing of a stained glass window in l a h s

Belfast City Hall to the International r a M Brigaders who fought fascism in Spain : s

T o marks a milestone in Belfast politics. It took t o h place on 24 November, with the unveiling of the P window being done by Belfast Lord Mayor Arder Carson and Liz Shaw, the daughter of a Belfast Brigader. Many memorials to the International Brigades have been erected throughout the world, but this is probably one of the few, if not the only one, that is a stained glass window. The window was initiated by the International Brigade Commemoration Committee (IBCC), who first asked the council to place a permanent memorial in the city hall. UNVEILING: Belfast Lord Mayor Arder Carson Then in 2014 Councillors Pat McCarthy and (above) with Liz Shaw, daughter of Andrew Webb moved the following motion: International Brigader Joe Boyd, one of 51 “This council agrees to the installation of a Belfast men who joined the International stained glass window in the city hall to Brigades. Belfast City Council put aside £24,000 for the stained glass window project. commemorate the sons of our city who fought in support of the democratically elected govern - NO PASARÁN: Belfast City Hall’s stained ment of Spain against the forces of fascism.” glass window (left) was produced and The motion added that this would be in line with collaboratively designed by workers at the the council’s policy to “make the environment family-run firm Alpha Stained Glass in Derry. within the city hall balanced and inclusive and Using the colours of the Spanish Republican to reflect the cultural backgrounds of all of the flag, the window names major battles of the citizens of the city of Belfast”. Spanish Civil War and depicts the coming- together of the city’s nationalist and unionist communities in the fight against fascism in he window is dedicated to those Belfast Spain. The 12 shadows represent the Belfast men and women who supported men who were killed in Spain. They were Tdemocracy in Spain and to those men William Beattie, Danny Boyle, John Campbell, from Belfast who went to fight Franco and James Domegan, Bill Henry, Thomas Kerr, subsequently Hitler and Mussolini. William Laughlin, Harry McGrath, Dick O’Neill, In Belfast these men came from Communist, Jackie Patterson, Jim Stranney and Liam Labour and trade union backgrounds. They Tumilson. All served with the British Battalion were from the Protestant and Catholic sections except Henry (Abraham Lincoln Battalion) and of the working class and they understood the Patterson (Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion). nature of fascism and the threat it posed to the International Brigade Dependants and booklet. A large number of Belfast men and humanity. Wounded Aid Committee. indeed Irishmen emigrated to Canada, Scotland, Though there is no evidence of Belfast The Irishmen who went to Spain were immor - England and Australia, a common feature in the women going to Spain, they were to feel the talised in Christy Moore’s song “Viva la Quinta 1930s at the time of the Depression. brunt of the situation at home. As mothers, Brigada”, with the details regarding the names wives and daughters they would be left to pick and their deaths coming from Brigader Michael t the unveiling there was probably the up the pieces when their loved ones were O’Riordan’s book, “Connolly Column”. largest gathering ever of local relatives of killed or returned home wounded. O’Riordon, originally from Cork but living in ABrigaders in Belfast, with over 30 in atten - Women, moreover, did play a very active role Dublin, was present 10 years ago when the IBCC dance. The Lord Mayor spoke, as did Ciaran in public meetings, collections and so on, and was formed by local activists and the Belfast & Crossey, Chairperson of the IBCC, who said the were active in several support groups, such as District Trades Union Council. window marked a landmark in efforts to preserve Over the past 10 years the IBCC has held many the memory of those who mobilised against fas - “At the unveiling of the window meetings and commemorative events, putting cism. “Their struggle must be linked to the contin - there was probably the largest plaques in the John Hewitt Bar in 2006 and the ued struggles for equality and justice,” he added. Shankill Library in 2014, and a memorial in Marlene Sidaway, President of IBMT, spoke gathering of local relatives Writers Square in 2007. and read Aileen Palmer’s poem “The Dead of Brigaders that there has A booklet has been produced for the unveiling Have No Regrets”. Freddie McGrath, nephew of the window, containing details of IBCC of Brigader Henry McGrath, said a few words, ever been in Belfast, with over activities and also facts about the Brigaders. noting that an end to wars is long overdue. 30 in attendance.” There are some 50 short biographies in the Continued overleaf

International Brigade Memorial Trust 11 COVER STORY FEATURES

ne of 2016’s biggest movies will be “Dad’s Unveiling of Belfast’s Army”. Directed by Oliver Parker, it will star OCatherine Zeta-Jones, Toby Jones, Bill Dad’s Army: stained glass window Nighy, Tom Courtenay, Bill Paterson and Michael From previous page Gambon. Filming began in Yorkshire in October International Brigade songs were sung by Andy 2014 and it is due to be released early this year. Irvine and Mel Corry. Today we treat the Home Guard as a bit of a the Spanish The council committee that oversaw the work laugh. Dad’s Army, as it is usually known, has comprised councillors from the Ulster Unionist been the butt of many jokes and the subject Party, Social Democratic and Labour Party, of the hilarious TV programmes and now the Progressive Unionist Party, Democratic new film. connection Unionist Party, Alliance Party and Sinn Féin. In fact the Home Guard was a serious attempt IBCC Secretary Ernest Walker said this all- at building an organised resistance that would National treasure Dad’s party group was a tribute to the values and fight a guerilla war if Hitler’s plan to invade Britain principles that the Brigaders stood for. He also came to pass. It would be the final defence to stop Army has been turned into a welcomed working with the city council, noting our country falling under the Nazi jackboot. No film, but the men of the that Arder Carson was the third Lord Mayor joke really. (after Jim Rogers and Niall Ó Donnghaile) who Civilians trained in guerilla warfare and classic Home Guard were far from a had worked on the project with the IBCC. resistance techniques like street fighting, joke, finds sabotage and civil disobedience would be the PETER FROST hat of the window? Standing proudly last bastion against the Nazi invaders and the establish a British section of the Third Interna - alongside the stained glass window British traitors, some of them members of the tional. This grouping would be one part of what Wthat commemorates James Larkin and aristocracy, press barons and even the royal would eventually become the Communist Party. the 1907 dockers’ strike, it contains the colours family who would have undoubtedly thrown their Wintringham graduated from Oxford and of the Spanish Republican flag: red, yellow and lot in with the Nazis. moved to London, ostensibly to study for the bar purple, and the three-pointed star of the The man who dreamed up this fighting group, at the Temple, but in fact to work full-time in left- International Brigades. It also contains the officially known as the Local Defence Volunteers, wing politics. By 1923 he had joined the newly names of battles such as the Ebro, Córdoba was Tom Wintringham, long-time communist and formed Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) and Brunete. In addition there is an image Marxist, military theoretician and historian who and in 1925 he was one of the 12 CPGB leaders representing women – La Pasionaria – and the had fought in the trenches in the First World War. jailed for seditious libel and incitement to mutiny. slogan “No pasarán”. Wintringham learnt about guerilla warfare In 1930 he helped to found the Daily Worker , A poem written especially for the occasion by commanding the British Battalion in the Spanish the predecessor of the Morning Star , where his Sam Burnside is etched on the glass: Civil War. When he wasn’t fighting he was a noted name became well-known. At the same time in The Call, 1936 journalist and writer, particularly on politics, pamphlets and articles in other communist Solid man, calf to ankle riveted, military affairs and military history. publications he established his reputation as Booted foot to floor bolted, then the call: Wintringham was born in 1898 in Grimsby. In the party’s military expert. No fife, no drum 1915 he won a scholarship to study history at A common man’s conscience roused With others one by one from streets, far flung. Balliol College, Oxford, but left university to join ven before Nazi planes bombed the Bestriding all barriers, they come. the Royal Flying Corps. Poor eyesight stopped Basque town of Guernica — a rehearsal for Modest men, men of backbone. him flying, so he worked as a mechanic and Elater Blitz bombing — he called for air raid Brothers all. motorcycle despatch rider. precautions. The CPGB took up this campaign The following inscription is on the plaque next At the end of the war he was involved in a and even shaped government policy. to the window: mutiny before going back to Oxford. Already sym - At the start of the Spanish Civil War, Wintring - With the agreement of all the political parties, this pathetic to communist ideas, he spent his first ham went to Barcelona, initially as a journalist window was commissioned to reflect the contribution long summer holiday in Moscow. Back in England for the Daily Worker . He soon swapped his pen of citizens from Belfast to the fight against fascism in he assembled a group of students aiming to for a rifle, joining and eventually commanding the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939. About 320 Irish volunteers fought against Franco’s forces as members of the XV International Brigade. Of d these, forty-eight were born in Belfast. Twelve died in r a Flowers and banners CHARLES JEPSON urges IBMT i W Spain. at the memorial on supporters and groups to organise w

The Spanish Civil War became for many an e

r London’s South Bank.

d commemorations, however modest,

opportunity to stand against the growth of fascism. n Men and women from all over the world answered A at their local International Brigade the call to defend democracy and their working class memorial in February… counterparts. Northern Ireland, already impacted by political and n the preface of the International religious divisions, was deeply affected by these events Brigade Association’s book and many local people took part in the Spanish Aid “Memorials of the Spanish Civil Campaign, including Belfast activists Alderman Harry I Midgley, Betty Sinclair, Sam Haslett and Sadie Menzies. War’, published in 1996, Bill They played a significant role at home, raising aware - Alexander wrote: “There are fifty-five ness to support the democratic cause abroad. memorials dedicated to the men Having given all they had to give, and women who left their homes in To save from blood and fire and dust 1936-39 to help the Spanish people At least a hope that we can trust. defend their liberty against fascism.” We must remember them – and live. –Aileen Palmer, 1939 Today, as we approach the 8oth anniversary of the outbreak of that Lynda Walker is the Treasurer of the International Brigade tragic war, it is pleasing to report Commemoration Committee in Belfast. that there are over 130 such memori -

12 International Brigade Memorial Trust i k

Clockwise from left: Tom i w

Wintringham and Kitty y k r Bowler; Michael Gambon as a P Private Charles Godfrey on the set of “Dad’s Army” in October 2014; Tom Courteney on set as Lance-Corporal Jack Jones; Osterley Park in west London. i k i w y k r a P

the British Battalion of the International Brigade. also started to campaign for an armed civilian the slogan “a people’s war for a people’s peace”. While in Spain he met and started a romance guard to repel any fascist invasion. As early as The Colonel Blimps of the army did not trust with left-wing US journalist Kitty Bowler, who was 1938 he was calling for what would become the Wintringham because of his communist past. reporting on the Republican cause. Later Kitty Home Guard. In Picture Post , the Daily Mirror , After September 1940 the army began to take would become his second wife. Tribune and the New Statesman he wrote articles charge of the Home Guard training in Osterley and In February 1937 he was wounded in the Battle calling for all-out war against the Nazis. Wintringham and his comrades were gradually of Jarama. While injured in Spain he became The Communist Party was deeply divided. sidelined. Wintringham resigned in April 1941. friends with Ernest Hemingway, who based one of Wintringham strongly condemned the comrades Despite his role in founding it, he was never his characters on Tom. who wanted to stay out of the war. He was even allowed to join the Home Guard because of a rule Following a second injury in action, this time on stronger in his criticisms of Prime Minister Neville barring membership to communists and fascists. the Aragon front, a seriously infected wound saw Chamberlain. He regarded the Tories as Nazi He helped to found the briefly popular socialist him near death. Kitty visited him in military sympathisers and campaigned for them to be Common Wealth Party. Later he and Kitty joined hospital and discovered he was suffering from removed from office. the Labour Party. In his later years he worked typhoid and septicaemia. Patience Darton, a mainly in radio and film. He continued to write nurse with the International Brigades, saved his n May 1940, after Dunkirk, Wintringham began about military history, opposing atomic weapons life: “I poked around with a pair of scissors and to campaign for the founding of squads of Local and championing Mao’s China and Tito’s found he had a lot of pus in his wounds, which IDefence Volunteers, the forerunner of the Yugoslavia. Tom Wintringham died on 16 August had been sewn up too tightly. And that was it; Home Guard. He started his own military training 1949, aged 51. he got better very quickly.” school at Osterley Park, London. See the new film, have a good laugh, but never He was repatriated, and wrote a book, “English There he taught volunteers the guerilla warfare forget what Dad’s Army really stood for: a Captain”, based on his time in Spain. techniques he had learnt in Spain. Along with civilian guerilla resistance movement that could Kitty came to England with him but in 1938 the other ex-International Brigade comrades he have stood between us and the horrors of a CPGB accused her of being a Trotskyist and a spy. taught street fighting, anti-tank warfare, sabo - Nazi occupation. Tom refused to leave her and was expelled from tage and demolition, all the skills in fact that the party. would be essential to resist a Nazi invasion. He A version of this article first appeared in the Morning Star on He found a job on Picture Post magazine. He wrote many articles putting forward his views under 14 October 2015. Let’s make February International Brigade memorial month als, with others in the pipeline. Spain, the Trust would like to encour - keep alive the memory of those who for posting on our website and possi - The IBMT holds an annual com - age every village, town and city which gave so much. bly for use in the IBMT Newsletter . If memoration at the national memorial has a memorial to the volunteers of Where communities already hold only one or two groups or individuals on the South Bank in London on the the International Brigade to hold an annual ceremony we would not make a start, we believe these com - first Saturday in July. A number of some form of ceremony, and more ask them to change the date. Where memorations will grow quite rapidly. towns and cities also hold annual cer - importantly make a pledge to no commemoration takes place we Memorials must be seen as crucial emonies at their memorials on other continue it each and every year. would ask our members and our sup - weapons in the on-going struggle days of the year. Such ceremonies of porters in the labour and trade union against the ever present dangers of remembrance and rededication are Ceremony movement to organise some form of fascism. To hold any ceremony no extremely important to furthering the The size and format of the cere - commemoration during the month of matter how small will help to raise work of the Trust, as they help to raise mony is not particularly important; February. This would coincide with awareness of what was a glorious awareness of this too easily ignored the main thing is to ensure that these the bloody Battle of Jarama, where so chapter in the history of the labour war, generate the sale of merchan - memorials are used and used on a many of the volunteers fell repulsing and trade union movement. dise and increase membership. regular basis. Just one person placing the fascist attack on Madrid in 1937. Commencing this year, the 80th a bunch of flowers will be a most Members should forward a photo - Charles Jepson [[email protected]] is anniversary of the start of the war in valuable contribution to helping to graphs of any such events to the Trust an IBMT Trustee.

International Brigade Memorial Trust 13 Not an IBMT member? FEATURES Join now and help keep alive the memory and Remembering spirit of the volunteers Bert Maskey

Complete the form below and send subscriptions and any donations to : By David Mason IBMT, 37a Clerkenwell Green, London EC1R 0DU For a Direct Debit form or for any other membership or subscription queries ert Maskey (left) tel: 029 2019 5412; email: [email protected] Bwas born Barnett Masansky in 1893 in Wilna, then in Russia, the youngest Membership application form of four brothers. The Masansky family Full name were reasonably Up to three additional names (for family membership)* well-off Jewish silk merchants, with contacts in London, Germany and Baltimore. Bert had a good education and was fluent in Russian, German, French and English. One of Bert’s brothers was active in the social - Address ist movement. In 1907 Bert was arrested, con - victed and imprisoned for distributing pamphlets belonging to this older brother. Family influence Postcode managed to get his sentence reduced and Bert Email** Telephone* was smuggled into exile in Germany and from there to north London, arriving in 1911 or 1912. Membership category and annual subscription rate (please tick as appropriate): Then along came the First World War. Bert was K Free – International Brigade veterans and partners and widow/ers conscripted in September 1916 into the Royal K £25 – Family (single household) Field Artillery and trained as a driver. By 1917 he was battery barber and billeted on Blackheath in K £20 – Individual south east London. Because he spoke fluent Ger - K £12.50 – Unwaged man, he was also used to question German pris - K Institutions – contact Membership Secretary (see above) for rates oners-of-war. However, his attendance at social - Donation of £______enclosed* ist meetings of prisoners and his encouragement of the POWs he interviewed to join these groups Signature Date led to his hasty demobilisation in 1919. * Optional / If ap plicable Barber and Bolshevik ** Members who provide an email address will receive our news service emails. During the 1920s Bert ran his own barber’s shop Make cheques payable to International Brigade Memorial Trust. in Manchester and, after he joined the NB: Please note that different annual subscription rates apply to overseas (non-UK) Communist Party in 1922, the shop became the members. These reflect the higher postage costs of mailing the IBMT Newsletter . They are: unofficial headquarters of Cheetham CP and GFamily (single household): £30 / $48 / 37 Young Communist League. All his comrades have GIndividual: £25 / $40 / 30 € fond memories of gathering there to discuss with Bert the latest political developments and GUnwaged: £17 / $27 / €22 € campaign arrangements. Bert was also involved in speaking at public meetings in Manchester’s Free Trade Hall. His Gift Aid declaration barber’s shop became an unofficial library and Please complete if you are a UK taxpayer: bookshop for foreign socialist literature. He was also responsible for helping to collect money for I wish this and all subsequent payments to the International Brigade Memorial Trust to the first Workers’ Loan to Soviet Russia, selling be treated as Gift Aid donations. stamps for a shilling a time. Name This level of activity soon brought him to the notice of the authorities, especially Inspector Signature Date King of Manchester Special Branch. In 1924 Bert was arrested and imprisoned in Brixton prison, awaiting deportation as an Keeping alive the memory and spirit of the men and women undesirable alien. Fortunately for him, all the potential recipient countries refused to accept who volunteered to defend democracy and fight fascism in him. The Soviet Union labelled him a Trotskyite; Spain from 1936 to 1939 Poland refused him as an alien; Lithuania, the geographical country of his birth, also rejected him. So Bert was released from prison and put International Brigade Memorial Trust under an alien order. The surveillance and house www.international-brigades.org.uk Registered charity no. 1094928 International Brigade Memorial Trust FEATURES

searches increased. Inspector King became a more frequent visitor to his barber’s shop – and not merely to get a free shave and haircut. When he lost his barber’s shop in a game of cards, Bert got a job in the barber’s section at Lewis’s, and joined and was active in the shopworkers’ union. When the Depression left him unemployed, he became involved in the National Unemployed Workers’ Movement, The farm building that housed playing a leading role in the 7 October 1931 Clinic No.3 during the Battle of demonstration in central Manchester. the Ebro (above); the site of the mass grave at El Perelló Going to Spain cemetery (right), and witness Late in 1936 two close friends, Bert Maskey and Rosa Safont (left). Sam Wild, left Manchester to defend the elected government of the Spanish Republic. They went to London to be met by Robbie Robson, the A cemetery in Catalonia: resting Communist Party official in charge of recruiting volunteers for Spain, and were given travel documents to Paris, where they were helped place for two British Brigaders onto the next destination – Barcelona. Sam has written: “We were in the same group By Ivan York until we arrived at the International Brigade train - JOHN FERGUSON , of 840 London Road, ing base in Spain. We separated when Bert was n 2006 I began a regular series of visits to Bridgeton, Glasgow, was a veteran of the First transferred to headquarters as an interpreter with Catalonia, culminating with the purchase of World War. He emigrated to Alaska and then his knowledge of Russian, French and German. a small house in El Perelló, Tarragona Canada, working as a miner. He arrived in Spain I on 17 March 1937. He was with the Abraham Lin - Bert was killed on 12 February [1937], on the first province, in 2011. My wife and I spend four to day of the Battle of Jarama. I was wounded on the six months there every year and have made coln Battalion at Brunete, then joined the British same day. I had a great liking for Bert and nobody many friends. Since the beginning of our time Battalion’s machine-gun company in June 1938. knew him better than me.” there I have been hiking across much of the JAMES SCOTT , of 51 Wern Road, Swansea, was Bert Maskey’s death was announced in the Sierra Pandols and Sierra Cabals, including a merchant seaman, single and aged 30. He Daily Worker on 10 May 1937, although a few Hills 666, 402 and 481, and last year w as jumped ship, the Greatend , at Valencia and joined days earlier the Manchester Dependants and so pleased to see the latest IBMT plaque the British Battalion on 13 November 1937. Wounded Aid Committee had organised a remembering the British Battalion’s sacrifice memorial meeting in the Coliseum, Ardwick in and around Corbera d’Ebre. regarding these two men, which leads me to Green, in honour of Bert and eight other It was in 2012 that I began researching mass conclude that they are amongst those buried in Manchester men who had fallen at Jarama. burials in Catalonia, specifically relating to the the mass grave in El Perelló. The speakers included Sybil Thorndike. Battle of the Ebro. According to a map produced During and following the Battle of the Ebro, Sam Wild described Bert as “short, stocky and for the Spanish Justice Department by the field hospitals were set up in the Burga valley, fair-haired; an avid reader, a great talker, a good ARMH Association for the Recovery of Historical which at that time came under the administra - mixer and a bit of a gambler on the side”. Memory, the El Perelló town cemetery was a site tive responsibility of El Perelló. My next stop was Joe Norman, another Brigader, knew him as a of a mass burial. I visited the cemetery and the El Perelló adjuntament (town hall), where hard man, hard in the sense of tough in the discovered an area in the middle of it (see the town clerk, Francesca Batlle i Bosch, and the struggle, a real socialist. “Bert was a legend photo) that had no markers or grave stones mayor, Genoveva Margalef i Valiente, were very before I came into the movement.” and appeared to have a concave surface – helpful. The 1938 registry included death certifi - consistent with excavations. My curiosity was cates for John Ferguson, dated 26 July 1938, and Families united pricked – who were the people buried here? James Scott (spelled Escot), dated 31 July 1938. Bert had two families. The first was with Sally I discovered that two British volunteers from Both had died at “Hospital Clinic No.3”. Boon, with whom he had two sons, Boris and the 15th International Brigade, Cyril James Scott After several more visits and meetings with Leon. For their surname they took the alias of of Swansea and John Ferguson of Glasgow, were locals I found the site of the clinic, now a farm Mason on Bert’s alien card. The second family listed in the IBMT Roll of Honour as having died building housing tractors and implements. was with Hilda Wild (Sam’s sister), with whom he of wounds in a hospital in El Perelló. I began While photographing it I met an elderly man had one son, Albert. asking the older people whether they recalled who told me that as a boy he knew one of the On 25 May last year, at the Sacred Heart a hospital in the village –but none could. volunteer nurses who had worked there during Community Centre, Manchester, over 50 people It was only in the summer of 2015 that I was 1938 and as far as he knew she was still alive. of all ages met to celebrate Albert Wild’s 90th able to make several more connections I traced Rosa Safont to a nearby village and birthday. Everybody was a relative of the two despite her 96 years she was able to explain in men, Sam Wild and Bert Maskey, who left France great detail not only her work but also the Manchester in 1936 to fight for justice, freedom impact of the civil war on herself, her friends and and democracy in Spain. Albert, son of Bert and Spain family. She could not recall any specific Hilda, sang the Patsy Cline classic “Crazy” as a individuals, but did remember soldiers coming duet with Fiona Cox, great-granddaughter of Catalonia from the 11th (Lister) Division and some from the Bert and Sally. 15th International Brigade. She also described I think Barnett Masansky would have been how the dead were wrapped in sheets and very happy with that as a memorial. G Corbera d’Ebre transported by truck to El Perelló for burial in G El Perelló the cemetery’s fossa comuna (mass grave): the 50 miles David Mason: [[email protected]]. last resting place for Ferguson and Scott.

International Brigade Memorial Trust 15 FEATURES

By Lee Richardson He arrived in Spain in January 1938 to join the Brigades and saw action in an anti-aircraft hilst engaged in an unrelated piece of The story of battery, serving in Teruel, Aragon and Levante. research I came across the name of After the farewell to the Brigades in October of WJames Shand, and once I had that year, Jimmy stayed on in Spain, broadcast - completed my initial task I devoted some time to Jimmy Shand, ing on Radio Madrid and providing valuable finding out more information about this interest - propaganda for the Republicans. ing person and his son, who fought in Spain as a During this time his father was active with member of the International Brigades. father and son the Merseyside branch of Aid to Spain and part- James Shand was born in 1887. At some point financed a ship taking refugees to Mexico. in the early 20th century he qualified as a James’s son, Jimmy, attended the Summerhill As the situation in Spain worsened in early pharmacist and was working in the Bristol area. School and joined the Young Communist 1939, Harry Pollitt, General Secretary of the His brother, William Garrow Shand, was a doctor League in Liverpool whilst working as a clerk at Communist Party, wrote to the Spanish in Salford, whose obituary in 1916 stated that he one of his father’s dog tracks. Communist Party asking that Jimmy be was a prominent member of the Socialist Party released from his duties as a broadcaster. and had served on the local council in that His father chartered an aeroplane to rescue capacity from 1908 for four years. him and others. Not wishing to leave any of his James eventually moved to Salford himself son’s comrades behind, Shand Senior even and also became politically active, joining the hired a taxi to take three of them from Marseilles Communist Party as an early member. A 1921 to Boulogne. election report from Caerphilly describes James Upon return to the UK Jimmy became a regu - as “that most enthusiastic of Bolsheviks”, after lar contributor to the Daily Worker , reviewing he supplied election campaign supporters with books, assisting with research –and providing two cars and a motorcycle and sidecar. eyewitness accounts of the Casado putsch in Madrid that ended the war in Spain. Career During his latter years Jimmy enjoyed a He seemed to have forsaken his career as a James Shand, in light more sedate life as a farmer in Pettistree, dispensing pharmacist as he set up several coloured long tweed coat Suffolk, occasionally racing sports cars in greyhound tracks in Liverpool during the 1930s with rosette, with wife amateur events. – my grandfather’s family training several of his Minnie Shand (on his left) at a greyhound meeting. coursing greyhounds. With thanks to Danny Payne, Alan Warren and Kevin Buy ers. Albania still remembers its volunteers for liberty

By Brian Ferris Rumours persist that he was murdered on the works were banned but, following his death in orders of Hoxha, who feared Shehu might sup - 1991, he was recognised as a cultural hero and n a recent trip to Albania I visited the National plant him as Party of Labour general secretary. has a square named after him in his home town of OHistorical Museum in Tirana. This used to be Skender Luarasi , a writer, lecturer and poet, Dhermi, on the Ionian coast. a paean to the glorious past of Albania in general had been imprisoned under the regime of King and the Party of Labour of Albania in particular, Ahmet Zogu. He travelled to Spain in December led by Enver Hoxha. It was then cynically referred 1936 and was unable to return to Albania until to by visitors as the National Hysterical Museum. 1945. He had a difficult relationship with the post - However, in a new section of the museum war Albanian government and, although never devoted to casting some light on the true history actually arrested (because of his cultural status), of Albania during the 20th century, I came across frequently had his publications censored or a small memorial to those Albanians who joined banned. He died in 1982. the International Brigades in Spain. Petro Marku was another writer who was Of 37 Albanians known to have taken part, 17 imprisoned under the Zogu regime. He was one were killed in the Spanish Civil War. Three subse - of the first Albanians to travel to Spain, in August quently became famous in Albania, and one of 1936, and fought with the Garibaldi Battalion. He the display panels in the museum is dedicated to was the author of the only two issues of Vullnëtari these “Vullnëtari i Lirisë” (volunteers for liberty). i Lirisë that were published in Albanian in Madrid. Mehmet Shehu , like most Albanians, joined Marku was deported from France to Albania in the Italian Garibaldi Battalion and ended the war 1940, but was immediately arrested by the in a French concentration camp. He returned to occupying Italian army and remained in prison Albania in 1942, where he quickly became com - until October 1944. Upon his release he took part mander of the 1st Partisan Assault Brigade and in the partisan struggle against the German took a leading role in the liberation of Albania. occupying forces. After the war he was prime minister of Albania After the war he fell foul of the Ministry of the 1 from 1954 to 1981. A close friend of Enver Hoxha, Interior, and spent 3 ⁄2 years in prison, having he committed suicide in mysterious circum - been tortured into confessing that he had passed stances in 1981, after which he was denounced as information to the British and Americans. He a multiple traitor, spying for the Russians, continued to write after his release and his most From left: Photos of International Brigaders Mehmet Yugoslavs, Americans and British. His entire famous work, “Hasta la Vista”, about his time in Shehu, Skender Luarasi and Petro Marku at Albania’s extended family was arrested and imprisoned. Spain, was published in 1958. Some of his later National Historical Museum.

16 International Brigade Memorial Trust LETTERS

Right: Colleen and Sam Darby at the Battle of the Ebro memorial at Camposines, I’m pleased I told near La Fatarella. Below: part of the memorial ceremony. my d ad a white lie ’ve read with pleasure the Letters section of Ithree recent issues of the IBMT Newsletter (2-2014, 1-2015 and 2-2015). All were of special interest as I am Jimmy Moon’s son and am thrilled that memories of my dad are being kept alive in your pages. I still have a number of his papers and can add further information on aspects published in your pages. GIssue 2-14: My copy of the poem “Cloudless Day in Spain” is virtually identical to that given to Martin Cantor in 1990 and has a note in my dad’s handwriting after the last verse showing it was amended on 23 June 1986. GIssue 1-15: A letter from the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham dated 11 August 1997 was sent to my dad inviting him to attend the unveiling ceremony in Name on a plaque means so much Bishop’s Park, which he accepted but was disap - COLLEEN DARBY recently attended a Saturday 17 October at the Camposines pointed (without show - ceremony to commemorate those who memorial near La Fatarella. The memorial is ing it) that his name was died in Catalonia during the Spanish for the Battle of the Ebro fought from July to not carved on the stone. November 1938, but it includes people like It took several phone Civil War. She was delighted that her my uncle who fought and died in the retreats calls from me over many uncle’s name has now been added to a in April 1938 in the same region. months for dad’s name memorial there. This is her report. It is on the side of a small hill overlooking Jimmy Moon’s 1963 to be added. I received a the valley where much of the Battle of the passport photo. confirmation letter dated y uncle, Maurice Friedman, was from Ebro was fought. The memorial is very simple 10 August 1998 from the mayor’s office just short MSan Francisco, California, as I am. At the and tasteful. You look out from it to see the of a full year since the unveiling had taken place. age of 20 in 1937 he was a merchant seaman valley and you can climb a narrow staircase I must also admit to telling a little white lie when when he volunteered to fight against the that evokes life in the trenches. my dad’s health had deteriorated and he was too fascist uprising in Spain. A few short months The ceremony was also simple and tasteful. ill to leave the house. I told him that his name had later, in April 1938, he was killed near The main speaker said a few sentences in now been carved on the memorial and the smile Gandesa. English, in which he acknowledged the role of and look of satisfaction on his face convinced me Alan Warren (www.pdlhistoria.wordpress. the International Brigades and thanked us for to feel I had done the right thing. My dad died on com) helped a great deal in doing research attending the ceremony. 19 May 1998 in Dartford, Kent. about my uncle. Then early in 2015 I received Then Dani Morén sang some beautiful GIssue 2-15: I hadn’t seen the photo before of my an email from him telling me that the Catalan songs. Dani runs the music collective dad with three other people in a boat, which Ken regional government was planning to put Brigada Intergeneracional (www. Thomas included in his recollections of Jimmy some more names on a plaque at the brigadaintergeneracional.wordpress.com). Moon. I do have several of my dad’s passports, Camposines war memorial, asking me if They are looking for foreign contributors and including the one he used for that trip to the I wanted my uncle’s name engraved on it. the idea is to engage young people in under - German Democratic Republic in 1963. The visa Needless to say I was both overwhelmed standing the Spanish Civil War. stamp pages show that he travelled via the Hook and overjoyed. I gave my uncle’s details to the After the ceremony was over everyone of Holland and then overland to the GDR. He left Catalan office, they verified these details and gathered at the plaques where the names of the GDR exactly three weeks later. replied that they were happy to include his relatives are listed to place red carnations Donald Thomas Moon name on the plaque. and take photos. Altogether, the plaque with By email A few weeks later I received a letter inviting my uncle’s name on it, the memorial and the me to the annual ceremony to be held on ceremony were extremely moving. How the IBMT has grown! At one point I was overcome by the hat a splendid issue 3-2015 is: a particularly “Finally my uncle was unbelievably amazing and wonderful know- Wstriking front cover with the picture of the ledge that finally my uncle was going to be base camp at Albacete — in some ways much going to be remembered remembered for sacrificing his life fighting more effective than a photograph would have fascism and defending democracy in a for - been; the fascinating postscript about the “lost” for sacrificing his life eign land. My mother and grandmother, who memorial on Hampstead Heath; Owen Jones’s fighting fascism and wept whenever he was spoken of, would terrific speech at the annual gathering in Jubilee have been so grateful to know this. Gardens; and so much more –24 pages packed defending democracy in I only hope that all the others who died with interesting news. in the Spanish Civil War can also be The photograph on page 9 shows, in addition a foreign land.” remembered in this way. to the late Joe Monks, Betty Birch in the fore - Continued overleaf

International Brigade Memorial Trust 17 LETTERS John Cornford was one of a generation of left luminaries hank you for printing (“Poems of Freeman, George Matthews, Mal - could be more than superficial.” Tlove and loss”, issue 3-2015) colm McEwen, Freddie Vicars, David Margot kept three pictures on dis - “Ringstead Mill”, the poem that my Guest and Eric Hobsbawm as among play in the nursing home where she mother Margot Heinemann wrote so the “charismatic” leaders. “Indeed died: one of John Cornford; one of many years after the death of her you could say that Ram Nahum, my father, JD Bernal; and Clive Bran - first great love, John Cornford [pic - killed by a stray bomb in Cambridge son’s picture of a man selling the tured]. It is right to say that she in 1941, was quite as charismatic for Daily Worker , the one that appears remembered John all her life. his generation.” inside the front cover of IBMT She did not, however, always She also wrote: “I don’t think in Newsletter issue 2-2015. It hung on agree with what later writers made those years John Cornford was pri - our wall at home when I was a child. of him. She enjoyed Victor Kiernan’s marily interested in being a revolu - Noreen Branson was Margot’s clos - piece in “John Cornford: A Memoir”, tionary poet, though he was est friend. Both of them tried to see saying: “It resists the kind of hero- intensely interested in poetry and their personal losses (Clive fought worship and idealisation sometimes which a great many people, includ - that indeed is largely how we got to with the International Brigade but attached since to John, but that is ing young ones, were drawn to the know one another. But he was greatly was killed in the Second World War partly what makes it telling.” Left and to Communism, and the concerned – as we all were – with in Burma in 1944) in a wider political She wanted to remember him as leadership which developed was immediate action to create a wide context. This could mean that what he was, not as a saint, a visionary or very much a collective affair: its movement against Fascism, against they said in public sounded a little a poster-boy. For example she wrote: weaknesses and blindnesses were poverty, against war and that both impersonal. They got on with their “I don’t myself see him as the charis - collective too.” took up most of his time and pro - lives, they formed other relation - matic lost leader of the left and think She added: “The leadership of the vided the practical experience which ships, but in some ways they grieved this characterisation comes from Cambridge students was not a one- he was very conscious of lacking and and mourned all their lives. reading a few biographies in isola - man band.” She names James Klug - without which he felt that neither his Jane Bernal tion from the history. It was a time at mann, Brian and Roger Simon, Dick poetry nor his historical writing By email

From previous page fraternité of International Brigade memorial O’Reilly, and Oliver Law, who commanded the ground and, we think, Ann Mildwater, the daugh - associations. The tone of speeches from our Lincoln Battalion until his death in battle, the first ter of Jeff Mildwater, wounded at Fuentes de Ebro. younger supporters underlined the never-ending example in American history of a black man to They were among the members (including need to promote and defend those universal command an integrated group of soldiers. myself) of the International Brigade Memorial values that inspired “Los Internacionales”. Also included are interviews with academics Appeal committee, which raised the money for My regards to all members of the IBMT who and political figures, such as the late General the memorial. managed to make this event possible. Secretary of the Spanish Communist Party, How the IBMT has grown! It is several years Roberto Lample Santiago Carrillo. since Betty and I have been able to attend the ACER – Les Amis des Combattants en Espagne I urge anyone interested to go to the ALBA annual Jubilee Gardens event as we are now not Républicaine website (www.alba-valb.org) to obtain a copy of mobile enough to do so. But we are so proud to Paris a unique example of people’s history. have been associated with the International David Horsley Brigade Association and now the IBMT for the Recommended DVD By email past 64 years. he IBMT does excellent Congratulations, best wishes and many thanks Twork to keep alive the Who remembers A rthur Poxon? to you and the rest of your team. contribution of the British n the early 70s, whilst working on the Daily Chris Birch volunteers in the Interna - IExpress , Manchester, I became acquainted with By email tional Brigades. Recently Arthur Poxon, a porter at the then Smithfield mar - I corresponded with the ket. We journalists took our breaks in the Burton Appreciation from France American equivalent Arms, Swan Street, close to the market. hank you for the beautiful time we spent with organisation, ALBA, and He told me about his experiences in the Interna - Tyou on 4 July at Jubilee Gardens. Not only did was made aware of a tional Brigade, and he had particularly grim mem - you arrange “Spanish weather” for your guests DVD “Invisible Heroes: African Americans in ories of Belchite, where, I think, he had a finger and participants, but you also gave us a very mov - the Spanish Civil War”. shot off. I recall he was from the Nottinghamshire ing ceremony to celebrate what we all share in la Having received and viewed it, I must recom - area, and he had a strong East Midlands accent. I mend this film very highly. It is based around the assume, therefore, that Arthur and Lionel Poxon memoirs of James Yates, a black American (referred to in the “Mystery sketch” article in IBMT EBRO UNVEILING FOOTAGE: IBMT member volunteer in Spain who wrote an exceptional Newsletter 1-2013) were one and the same person. Mark Hulbert, from Bath, wants to know if there is book, “Mississippi to Madrid”, which deals with I believe Arthur died circa 1975. I would love to any video footage of the visit to the Ebro battlefield his life and especially his time in Spain. know more about him, having just read Richard in May 2005. This was when a plaque listing the The DVD also outlines the contributions of Baxell’s “Unlikely Warriors”. British Battalion dead was unveiled in the Sierra some of the over 80 African-American volunteers Robert Hargreaves Pandols. Present were four International who served. Outstanding are the parts showing By email Brigaders: Bob Doyle, Jack Jones, Sam Lesser and the contributions of individuals such as Walter Alun Menai Williams. If you know of any such Garland, who commanded a machine-gun com - video, get in touch with the IBMT (see page 9) and If anyone can help Robert, send the information to the IBMT pany, Salaria Kea, a nurse who looked after the we will pass on the information to Mark. Secretary (contact details on page 9) and it will be forwarded wounded and later married an Irish volunteer, Pat to him.

18 International Brigade Memorial Trust BOOKS ETC Pioneers of blood transfusion techniques “Spain Bleeds: The And for anyone with an interest in haematol - malice and the professional envy of colleagues Development of Blood ogy, there is plenty of detail on the actual have prevented his ground-breaking work from Transfusion during the Civil processes of transfusion: overcoming the receiving the fame it should have. War” by Linda Palfreeman limitations of direct arm-to-arm transfusion, In fact, the author chooses to conclude the (Eastbourne: Sussex mixing donations to minimise rejection and the book with Duran’s exile to Britain in 1939 after Academic Press/Cañada use of sodium citrate to prevent coagulation. the Republic’s defeat. Unwilling or unable to Blanch, 2015) £50 The book focuses on the contribution of a follow up the lessons learned during the Spanish (hardback) number of key players involved in the war, the British government initially refused Reviewed by Richard Baxell developments of transfusion in Spain, including Duran permission to practice as a doctor and he a brief chapter on the Nationalist efforts, led by could only find work as a laboratory technician. It t has become a tired cliché that necessity is the Carlos Elósegui Sarasola. Interestingly, many was only in 1941 that he was at last able to take Imother of invention, but it is nevertheless true Nationalists appear to have been singularly up a job as a pathologist. As the relatives of that the demands of warfare have spurred the unenthusiastic about the use of stored blood, Brigaders will know, it is an all too familiar tale. advance of technologies; some of them preferring traditional direct transfusions. fortunately designed to preserve lives rather Amongst those working on the Republican Richard Baxell is the Chair of the IBMT and the author of than cut them short. side, the ground-breaking work of the Canadian “Unlikely Warriors: The Extraordinary Story Of The Britons The war in Spain was no exception, with the doctor, Norman Bethune, obviously features Who Fought In The Spanish Civil War” (2014). pioneering work in the treatment of fractures strongly. Described as an “explosive and and front-line surgery by the Catalan surgeons unpredictable virtuoso”, Bethune does not Josep Trueta and Moisès Broggi offering one seem to have been the easiest person to Well balanced citizens pointed example. Developments in blood work with. “Radiant Illusion?: transfusion, the subject of Linda Palfreeman’s However, as he has already been the subject of Middle-class recruits to latest study, is another. As the author points out: a previous volume in the Sussex/Cañada Blanch Communism in the 1930s” “The Spanish Civil War marked a new era in series, this study spends less time on the edited by Nicholas Deakin battlefield blood transfusion.” personal politics that underpinned his downfall, (Edenbridge: Eve Eden Though written in an academic style, the book instead concentrating on his undeniable Valley Editions, 2015) £10 is accessible to a non-specialised reader. It contribution to the Republican blood service (paperback) and the mechanics of transfusions. “Readers will be pleased to find a British readers will be pleased to find a chapter Reviewed by Richard Baxell on Reginald Saxton, whose transfusions helped chapter on Reginald Saxton, save the lives of numerous British and Irish his edited volume is based upon a series of whose transfusions helped save casualties at Jarama and Brunete in 1937. Tpublic lectures and seminars at Gresham the lives of numerous British and Intriguingly, Saxton experimented with the use College, London, delivered during 2013 and 2014. of cadaverous blood during the battle of Teruel in It features an introduction and two central essays Irish casualties at Jarama and the winter of 1937-8. However, his work was by professional historians (Roderick Floud, Kevin Brunete in 1937” apparently brought to a halt by a Spanish law Morgan and Nicholas Deakin) and a number of which prohibited any experimentation on biographies, most by family members –the begins with a useful overview of developments corpses within 24 hours of death. so-called “red nappy babies” –with brief from ancient times to the present, covering the The author is clearly an admirer of Frederic additions by Denis Healey, Peter Hennessy and use of direct arm-to arm transfusions estab - Duran Jordà, for two chapters are devoted to the Juliet Gardiner. lished in the 19th century, Karl Landsteiner’s influential Catalan surgeon. However, a little The book’s central premise is to critically re- vital (and Nobel prize-winning) discovery of explicit bias does not do the book any harm. examine the reasons that lay behind middle- blood-groups in 1900, and subsequent Certainly Duran and his work were admirable class men and women joining the Communist improvements in storage. and, as the author convincingly argues, political Continued overleaf

that year. He became the British Battalion’s After the war Cooney was blacklisted by Memoir finally in print Political Commissar, and his account of the employers in Aberdeen, and he moved south war in Spain is interlaced with political analy - to Birmingham to find work in the construc - he Spanish Civil War sis strongly influenced by his membership of tion industry. During this period he became Tmemoir of Aberdeen the Communist Party. a folk singer-songwriter and a regular International Brigader Also recounted is Cooney’s anti-Blackshirt performer in folk clubs. Bob Cooney (1907-1984) battles in Aberdeen before he travelled to A new plaque was unveiled to him in has finally been pub - Spain in October 1937. Aberdeen before the IBMT’s Annual General lished – nearly 70 years During the Second World War Cooney Meeting in the city on 17 October. And all after it was written. served in the British Army, during which time 52 members who attended the AGM were “Proud Journey” is a he wrote “Proud Journey”. The manuscript given a complimentary copy of this book . fast-paced description of was eventually deposited in the International Cooney’s time in Spain, where he saw action Brigade archive at London’s Marx Memorial “Proud Journey” is priced at £5. To order a copy send a at Teruel and Segura de los Baños, across Library, which has now published the memoir cheque for £8 (includes £3 p&p) made out to the MML, Aragon in the great retreat of spring 1938 and in association with Manifesto Press and with with a name and address, to: Marx Memorial Library, then in the Ebro offensive in the summer of the help of the IBMT and Unite the Union. 37a Clerkenwell Green, London EC1R 0DU.

International Brigade Memorial Trust 19 BOOKS ETC

NURSE: A still taken from 1 a new 6 ⁄2-minute video Well balanced citizens about International From previous page Brigade hospitals in Party of Great Britain during the 1930s. One Cuenca province during obvious answer, of course, might be that, the Spanish Civil War. The following the party’s abandonment of its film was produced by the Cuenca Association for th e disastrous class-against-class policy, they Recovery of Historical were no longer discouraged from doing so. Memory. See [www. Kevin Morgan’s essay, however, provides a youtube. com/watch? rather more detailed analysis of what Juliet v=sYsdf7xe0fw]. Gardiner refers to as “a perfect political storm”. Clearly, the rise of fascism was crucial, but Deakin argues that there were as many different reasons for joining the party as there were members: some practical, some Dan follows in their footsteps philosophical. And, of course, Spain played a London-based journalist and IBMT member Dan vital part, becoming “the ‘good cause’ of the Carrier has posted on YouTube a rough cut of a decade and one on which communists could video diary of his trek across the Pyrenees, follow - campaign – and recruit – without inhibition, ing in the footsteps of the International Brigade alongside other progressives”. volunteers – including his great uncle Nat Cohen. While many of the essays are critical in the The film runs for 1hr 5mins. See [www.youtube. strict, academic sense, there is the sense that, com/ watch?v=3NxBNEi63VA]. 25 years after the end of the Cold War and freed from its intellectual baggage, studies of Interviewed: Last US vet Delmer Berg the CPGB in the 1930s are free to adopt a more VIDEOS: The website of the Spanish daily El País has a Dan Carrier (above) and Delmer Berg (below). nuanced view. short video interview with Delmer Berg, the last Yes, there is recognition that many recruits US veteran of the International Brigades (see In had to suspend their critical faculties in order brief story on page 6). The film is in Eng lish with to swallow the party’s unquestioning support Spanish subtitles: [http://politica.elpais.com/ for the USSR, their philosophical about-turns politica/ 2015/05/01/act ual idad/1430441493_ and ideas of “revolutionary expediency” and 842907.html]. “democratic centralism”. However, at the same time there is an acknowledgement that On the theme of exile most people became communists because Oxford-based artists Sonia Boué and Jonathan they wanted to make the world a better place, Moss have produced a film, “Without You I Would and believed that the party was the best Not Exist”, on the theme of exile and the Spanish French study of the British means of achieving this. Civil War. Running for over 14 minutes, the film Our sister association in France, ACER (Les Amis As Elizabeth Dolan puts it, writing about her sees Boué use objects to explore the experience des Combattants en Espagne Républicaine), parents, Mary Macintosh and Richard Clark: of her Spanish Republican father. He settled in has sent us a dissertation by Bertrand Largeaud, “It is my contention that this youthful enthusi - Britain thanks in large part to Alec Wainman, a a postgraduate student at the Sorbonne Univer - asm for Communism, with its at that time Quaker who served with the Spanish Medical Aid sity, Paris, about the British volunteers in the inevitable support for the Soviet Union, far Committee in Spain, where he also worked for the International Brigades and the changing public from being an illusion, or misguided or naïve, Spanish government’s Ministry of Propaganda. perception of them over the past 80 years. ACER Wainman hosted Republican refugees in his home last year gave an award to the study, which is in “Youthful enthusiasm for at Shipton-under-Wychwood in Oxfordshire, French and can be downloaded from the IBMT Communism… far from including Sonia’s exiled father. See [www. website: [www.international-brigades.org. soniaboue.co.uk/section792894.html]. uk/content/french-study-british-volunteers]. being an illusion, or misguided or naïve…” AGAINST FRANCO: Now online is the documentary “A War In Hollywood” (“Hollywood Contra Franco”), which describes the in fact helped to produce well-balanced, influence of the Spanish Civil War on Hollywood’s actors, writers thoughtful citizens whose subsequent and producers. It explores the ups and downs in the attitude of lifestyle, attitudes and values were a direct studio bosses, according to the political climate in the US, with development, not a contradiction.” clips from several films, including “For Whom The Bell Tolls”, What is missing is a discussion of the “Behold a Pale Horse”, “Blockade” and “The Way We Were”. Cambridge Spies. It’s true that plenty has The 92-minute Spanish film by Oriol Porta was released in been written about them already, but it does 2008. It is narrated by Alvah Bessie, a veteran of the Abraham rather lead to an unfortunate feeling that Lincoln Battalion, later a successful screenwriter who was everyone is carefully avoiding something blacklisted as one of the Hollywood Ten. In the film he returns to important. Apart from Denis Healey, that is, Spain 30 years after the war ended. Historian Román Gubern who cannot resist drawing a comparison traces the changes in Hollywood through decades; Dan Bessie between the Oxford communists (of whom he and Lincoln veteran Moe Fishman also add commentary. The film can be viewed with an internet search for “A War In was one) who “never wanted to do anything Hollywood”. From the list that appears, select Culture Unplugged. particularly for the Russians”, with those from Following a registration process the film will appear on screen. Click Cambridge who “all spied for the Russians”. the forward arrow to play it; select English, Catalan or Spanish. Clearly sectarianism can be just as rife in academia as it is in politics.

20 International Brigade Memorial Trust New guide to civil war sites in Barcelona Barcelona-based local historian Tasselled cap reveals great uncle’s story and tour guide Nick Lloyd has written and published a guide to self-published family history, book why he emphasises his his adopted home city, drawing centred on Mark’s great uncle great uncle’s Irish roots: “Of all on the extensive knowledge he and set against the backdrop the non Axis countries who has acquired in over 20 years as of the Spanish Civil War and saw their citizens fight in the a resident of the Catalan capital. the Gorbals district of Glasgow Spanish Civil War, Ireland saw “Forgotten Places: Barcelona and the Spanish during the 1920s and 30s. an abnormally high percent - Civil War” (Barcelona: Nick Lloyd , 2015) pres - Born in Derry in December age fight on the side of the fas - ents a topographical history of the Spanish 1917, John Lynch’s family cists. This was two to three By Jim Jump Republic and the Spanish Civil War from a moved to Glasgow in 1920. times the number who fought Barcelona perspective. This takes in the build-up he title of the book says it John was the eldest boy in a on the Republican side. Over to the declaration of the Republic in 1931 and Tall: “When the Gorbals family of seven children. He six hundred men enlisted with ends with the misery and repression in the Fought Franco: The story of became radicalised in the O’Duffy’s Fascist Bandera, and aftermath of Franco’s victory in 1939. There are John Lynch, international vol - harsh economic conditions of while their involvement was links throughout to related memorials, unteer in the Spanish Civil War, the Gorbals, joining the Scot - minimal and largely ineffec - buildings, streets and sites in the city, along Irishman, Glaswegian”. tish Socialist Party. tive, the fact that they sided with biographies of key protagonists. Author Mark J Gillespie found With the British Battalion in with Hitler’s Nazis remains an Lloyd notes in his introduction that more than out about his relative John Spain, Lynch saw action at embarrassment to many. 60 nationalities have been on the civil war tours Joseph Lynch ( pictured above) Jarama and Brunete, but was “While many notable Irish - he has been running since 2009. “People are on a visit to his grandparents’ repatriated following pleas to men fought under the Republi - drawn from numerous angles,” he writes, “art home in Glasgow. Aged eight the Communist Party by his can flag, such as Frank Ryan, it and photography, women, anarchism, fascism, at the time, he came across a mother. She said that, as a 19- is worth identifying the many military history, Orwell, the International strange-looking cap with year-old, John was too young Republican volunteers who Brigades, literature, cinema, a prelude to World golden tassels while rooting to be in the Brigades. She was had their origins in Ireland. War Two and other conflicts.” around in a cupboard. It had right and John came home in John Lynch was born in Ireland The guide is available for £6.49 from Nick Lloyd belonged, explained his grand- September 1937. and shaped in the Gorbals.” (nick. [email protected]) as an eBook –or mother, to her brother, who He went on to serve in the in print for £14.25 from Amazon (www.amazon. had brought it back from Spain. Royal Navy during the Second The 70-page paperback version of co.uk/Forgotten-Places-Barcelona-Spanish- More probing of his grand - World War and afterwards in “When the Gorbals Fought Franco” Civil/dp/1519531117). parents followed, supple - the merchant navy. He died of costs £ 5 including p&p within the mented in recent years by lung cancer in 1949, four days UK. It can be ordered by emailing Remembering the Battle of Cable Street some detailed research. The after his 32nd birthday. [[email protected]]. Michael Rosen’s latest anthol - result is this fine example of Gillespie explains early in his A Kindle editi on costs £3. ogy of poems, “Don’t Mention the Children”*, contains a tribute to his East End parents Spanish Civil War and the Camino de Santiago and their part in the anti- Blackshirt and Aid Spain move - By David Ebsworth Pius XI declared 1938 an Exceptional Holy Year ments. “They shall not pass” to help cement the bond between Saint James was first read in 2011 at an s readers will know, the Spanish Civil War and the Francoist “cause”. attempted EDL (English Defence League)march Alasted from 1936 until 1939, although the In 1938, 9,000 worshippers took part in through Whitechapel. Part of the poem says: fighting along the north coast of the country pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela, You both saw Hitler on the Pathe News largely came to an end in October 1937 with some coming by bus or train from local towns You both saw Hitler blaming the Jews the surrender of the loyalist Republican and cities, but others walking the traditional You both collected for Spain, Army of the North to rebel General Franco’s routes, despite the Republican guerrilleros collecting for Spain when Franco came. insurgent Nationalists – supported by still active in the region. Indeed, Franco’s When round the tenements, Mussolini’s troops and Hitler’s bombers. Tourist Department specifically encouraged the whisper came In “The Assassin’s Mark”, set towards the young Catholics from all over Europe to take Mosley wants to march end of 1938, I included a description of a pil - part in these pilgrimages – another twist to here, through the East End. grims’ mass, held at Santiago de Compostela the strange story of Franco’s use of tourism to So what should it be? To Trafalgar Square to support Spain: – an actual event mentioned in the Nationalist help his propaganda exercise. No pasaran? newspaper ABC de Sevilla and which made So, two big questions… First, what on earth Or to Gardiner’s Corner to support Whitechapel me wonder what happened on the now famous would Reynolds News correspondent Jack They shall not pass. Camino de Santiago during the civil war itself. Telford be doing on the Camino de Santiago at Rosen is famous as a broadcaster and for having This is another difficult area to research, but the beginning of October 1938? (Of course, been the Children’s Laureate. “Don’t Mention the I finally came across a remarkable book by you’ll have to wait for the sequel to “The Children” contains nearly 80 poems for grown-ups Fernando Lalanda: “The Camino de Santiago, Assassin’s Mark” to find that answer!) And, and is his first collection since “Selected Poems” from left to right (1930-39)”, which records the second, has anybody come across other inter - (Penguin) in 2007. Subjects include fascism and way that pilgrimages had fallen off steadily esting Camino stories from the civil war? war, anti-Semitism, UKIP, Israel/Palestine, the during the late 1800s and early 1900s. But General Strike and Auschwitz –alongside Franco’s insistence that his early victories in David Ebsworth is the pen-name of novelist Dave McCall humorous commentaries on everyday life. 1937 had been brought about by the direct [[email protected]], a former regional secretary intervention of Saint James led to a of the Transport & General Workers’ Union. “The Assas - *Published by Smokestack Books (http://smokestack- resurgence of their popularity, and Pope sin’s Mark” was published in March 2013. books.co.uk), Ripon; 2015; £8.95.

International Brigade Memorial Trust 21 BOOKS ETC WHAT’S ON

From previous page Prize-winning book on nursing A nursing book with a chapter by Angela Jackson about International Brigade nurse s Brigaders centre stage in Hemingway play in the Spanish Civil War has won a prize in the US. “One Hundred Years of Wartime early 80 years on war correspondent liv - There are echoes of Heming - Nursing Practices, 1854-1953” (Manchester Nfrom the start of ing in the hotel. way’s masterpiece of the University Press, 2015) was given the the Spanish Civil War, Around them, the Spanish Civil War, “For Whom Mary M Robert Award from the American a play by one of the people of Madrid are The Bell Tolls”, in “The Fifth Association for the History of Nursing for an 20th century’s great - trying, often comically, Column”. outstanding edited book. Jackson is the est writers appears in to survive; and the “The Fifth Column” runs at author of several books on the Spanish Civil London for the first idealism of the young Southwark Playhouse (77-85 War, particularly on women. time. Ernest Heming - men under him, who Newington Causeway, London way was in Madrid in came to fight with the SE1 6BD) from 24 March to 16 New na-mara album 1937 during Franco’s siege, International Brigades, is con - April 2016. Folk duo na-mara and wrote “The Fifth Column” trasted with the ruthlessness Professor Paul Preston, the are longstanding there, under that bombard - of civil war. foremost British historian of friends of the IBMT ment. The leading characters owe the civil war and the IBMT’s International Brigade and trade and regularly Philip Rawlings, a spy-catcher much not only to Hemingway Founding Chair, will be leading union banners are paraded along perform at Trust and covert member of the and his lover Martha Gellhorn, a discussion after the perform - Union Street to Castlegate. The events. Here’s a International Brigade, is one of the first female war cor - ance on 5April. march was led by Grampian District review of their latest engaged in a life-and-death respondents, but also to Tom Pipes and Drums and ended with a album, “Navajos & Pirates” (Rightback struggle to unmask Fifth Wintringham, commander of Book online (tickets are £12-£20) at rally to close the weekend of Records) , first published in the Morning Star Columnists inside the city. He is the British Battalion, and his [www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk] or activities in Aberdeen from 16-18 on 21 October 2015. also passionately in love with a lover Kitty Bowler. by phone: 020 7407 0234. October 2015, including the IBMT’s If shanty storytelling is your thing, Paul McNa - Annual General Meeting. mara and Rob Garcia are your men. The melo - LONDON 28 January: Public seminar “War War” display at Newhaven Fort, Fort Rd, BN9 9DS; dious intimacy of this repertoire commands within the Spanish Church at the End of Franco’s see [www.newhavenfort. org.uk] for admission attention from the first notes and words. Regime?”; speaker: Eladi Mainar; chaired by Prof information. Navajos & Pirates were the noms-de-guerre Paul Preston; 6pm at Cañada Blanch Centre, BRADFORD until 3 March: Exhibition “Los niños adopted by young Germans who resisted fas - Cowdray House, LSE, Portugal St, WC2A 2AE vascos: Basque children in Yorkshire 1937” pro - cism in the late 1930s and during the Second [www.lse. ac.uk/europeanInstitute/research/ duced by the Basque Children of ’37 Association World War in the industrial Ruhr. Their symbol canadaBlanch/events.aspx]. UK; Peace Museum, 10 Piece Hall Yard, BD1 1PJ; was the elderflower. WORTHING 13 February :Commemoration at open Thurs 10am-4pm; [www.peacemuseum.org. Na-mara’s moving paean honours that strug - International Brigade plaque in Worthing Labour uk/2015/12/09/new-temporary-exhibition- gle: “The harder they pushed, the harder you Hall, Lyndhurst Rd, BN11 2DE; 2pm-4pm; speak - basque- children-in-yorkshire-1937]. fought.” The “Silver Duro” similarly retells the ers: IBMT’s Secretary Jim Jump and Treasurer MANCHESTER 12 March: IBMT Len Crome rescue of the Spanish Republican Basque chil - Manuel Moreno; music from Worthing Socialist Memorial Conference: “Women and the Spanish dren and their fate in Britain, while “Garden of Singers; contact Pauline Fraser [pbf262 Civil War”; details on inside front cover. England” warns against modern-day slavery: @googlemail.com] tel: 01903 824 270. LONDON 13 March: Screening of rarely seen “When you put a chain around another man’s MANCHESTER 14 February: Commemoration at documentary “The Will of the People” (Louis neck, the other side is around yours.” International Brigade memorial in Manchester Frank, 1939) plus “War is Beautiful” about US Masterly performed instrumentals, drawn Town Hall, Albert Square, M2 5DB; 11.30am-1pm; ambulance driver James Neugass (Aelwen Granddaughter Nina Cunnington with a from the Galician muiñeiras and Asturian and speakers and Bolton Wood Street Clarion Choir; Wetherby, 2014); followed by Q&A with Dr Miriam newplaque dedicated to John Londragan Breton song traditions, add further spice to more information from Charles Jepson Frank; organised by London Socialist Film Coop; at the offices of the Aberdeen Trades what is a highly impressive collection of songs. [[email protected]] tel: 01254 51302. 11am, Bolivar Hall, 54-56 Grafton Way, W1T 5DL; Union Council. MADRID 19-21 February: Battle of Jarama com - [http://socialistfilm.blogspot.co.uk]. Hans was an ‘extraordinary witness’ memoration organised by the AABI Spanish Inter - CÓRDOBA 8/9 April: Guided tour of Córdoba References to International Brigaders pop up national Brigades friendship group; see [www. battlefields, including commemoration at memo - in all sorts of unexpected places, and another international-brigades.org.uk/content/19-21- rial to John Cornford and Ralph Fox at Lopera; for example came in a BBC Radio 4 serialisation february-madrid] for more details or contact more details see [www.international-brigades. of Edmund de Waal’s “The White Road”, a Danny Payne [[email protected]]. org. uk/ content/homage-volunteers-who- history of porcelain manufacture. Episode 4 ALICANTE 22-24 February: IBMT tour of Spanish fought-andalusia-april-2016] ; contact Pauline (broadcast on 25 September) told how Civil War sites organised by the Alicante historical Fraser [[email protected]] tel: 01903 824 Hitler’s SS had their own porcelain factory at memory association; see [www.international- 270 if interested in attending. the Dachau concentration camp during the brigades.org.uk/content/22-24-february-alicante]; LONDON 14 April: Informal ceremony at 12pm Second World War. Among the slave workers contact Mary Greening [memsec@international- (time to be confirmed) at the International was Austrian International Brigader Hans Lan - brigades.org.uk] tel: 07772 620 279. Brigade memorial, Jubilee Gardens, South Bank, dauer (1921-2014). His drawing talents, spot - LONDON 24 February: “Fact versus Fiction? The SE1, to mark the anniversary of the declaration ted by two Austrian and Spanish communists Spanish Civil War in the Literary Imagination”: of the Spanish Republic in 1931; check [www. already working at the factory, were used to London School of Economics literary festival international-brigades.org.uk/events]. design the Nazi-inspired figurines and bowls. panel discussion with Helen Graham, Eduardo LONDON 24 April: Premiere of Daniel Burkholz’s De Waal describes Landauer as an “extraordi - Mendoza and Paul Preston; 6.30pm-8pm at the 2014 film “No Pasaran”(https://filmfreeway. nary witness”, and draws on the Austrian’s Wolfson Theatre, New Academic Building, com/ project/416480) plus panel discussion; memoir to depict the wretched conditions of Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2A 2AE; booking jointly organised by IBMT and ANPI Londra, Lon - those producing so-called Allach porcelain, information: [http://bit.ly/1QFukMv]. don branch of Italian anti-fascist partisan memo - Aileen and Maureen Saunders, great granddaughter and named after a Munich suburb where the Nazi NEWHAVEN 1 March-31 October: IBMT’s “Anti- rial association; 2pm-4.30pm at Marx Memorial granddaughter of Archie Dewar, carry a replica of the Spanish workshop was first located. fascistas” and “Sussex and the Spanish Civil Library, 37a Clerkenwell Green, EC1R 0DU. Republican flag in which his body was wrapped before burial in Spain. The original flag hangs in the International Brigade 22 International Brigade Memorial Trust Memorial Library at the Aberdeen Trades Union Council offices. Photos by Marshall Mateer and Jim Jump; SCENES FROM OUR ABERDEEN WEEKEND more photos at: www.flickr.com/photos/ibmt Labour Aberdeen City Councillor Neil Cooney beneath the newly unveiled plaque to his uncle Bob Cooney.

International Brigade and trade union banners are paraded along Union Street to Castlegate. The march was led by Grampian District Pipes and Drums and ended with a rally to close the weekend of activities in Aberdeen from 16-18 October 2015, including the IBMT’s Annual General Meeting.

Granddaughter Nina Cunnington with a newplaque dedicated to John Londragan at the offices of the Aberdeen Trades The plaque commemorating Bob Cooney is unveiled at Bob Cooney Court by Union Council. Neil Cooney, with Unite regional officer Tommy Campbell (left) looking on.

Aileen and Maureen Saunders, great granddaughter and granddaughter of Archie Dewar, carry a replica of the Spanish The splendour of the Aberdeen Republican flag in which his body was wrapped before burial in Town House was the setting for Spain. The original flag hangs in the International Brigade an evening of music and poetry, Memorial Library at the Aberdeen Trades Union Council offices. as well as for the AGM itself. y r a r b i L l a i r o m

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Keeping alive the memory and spirit of the INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE VOLUNTEERS who fought fascism and defended democracy in the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39

International Brigade Memorial Trust www.international-brigades.org.uk