INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE MEMORIAL TRUST Patrons Ken Livingstone www.international-brigades.org.uk Prof. Paul Preston Charity no.1094928 Issue 14 / June 2006 INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE MEMORIAL TRUST Three grandsons of 37 Reginald Road, London E7 9HS International Tel/fax: 020-8555 6674 Brigader Benny Email: [[email protected]] Goldman, with President: Jack Jones t-shirts featuring a Secretary: Marlene Sidaway picture of their Treasurer: Nick Moreno grandfather,on the Committee Members: Jack Edwards, Sam anniversary crossing Lesser, Gerry Abrahams, Richard Baxell, Tish of the Pyrenees. Full Collins, Pauline Fraser, Katie Green, Jim Jump, report on page 5. Dolores Long/Hilary Jones, Manus O’Riordan, Alan Warren elcome once again to a Newsletter packed with news for this special 70th Anniversary Wyear. The Pyrenees walk was a great success and we returned home elated by the experience. All credit to Pauline Fraser,who organised it all so well, and managed to raise a tidy sum for the Trust! The Len Crome Memorial lecture was given this Marking the year by Enrique Moradiellos, a very popular speaker. Our thanks to him, and also to Peter and the Crome family for providing the tea. A report is on page 4. You’ll also read about the plans for the unveiling of a memorial at Wortley Hall, in Sheffield on 1 July,at 70th anniversary Blaenavon on 16 July,the Annual General Meeting in Manchester on 14 October and much more. The crossing of the Pyrenees by IBMT supporters unveiling at Wortley Hall, Sheffield, on 1 July of a On the back page there are details of the memorial at Easter was the first in a series of events this year memorial to the volunteers from South Yorkshire. day in Jubilee Gardens, London, on 15 July and I which will mark the 70th anniversary of the start of The Pyrenees walk was organised by IBMT hope as many of you as possible will come to that. the Spanish Civil War and the creation of the Membership Secretary Pauline Fraser and We are delighted that for the first time a International Brigades. involved 70 IBMT members and friends, includ- representative of the Spanish government, His Many of those who took part will return to Spain ing three veterans, crossing from France to Spain. Excellency the Spanish Ambassador Carlos Miranda, in October for a commemoration of the They took a route that would have been used by will be with us, and we also welcome an old friend, International Brigades in Madrid and Barcelona some of the volunteers. On the following day a Rodney Bickerstaffe, former General Secretary of which is being organised by the Madrid-based memorial plaque was unveiled at the Castell de Unison. Amigos de las Brigadas Internacionales (Friends Sant Ferran in Figueras, where volunteers mus- We will launch our anthology of Brigaders’ poetry of the International Brigades). tered after the crossing. on that day,and our beautiful commemorative china All eyes are now on the IBMT’s national com- The walk was supported by members of a local will also be on sale. After our usual buffet lunch in the memoration in London’s Jubilee Gardens on 15 French walking club, Randonnée Céretane, who Travel Inn, you can stroll along the riverside to July, this year in the presence, for the first time, of acted as guides and interpreters. Mario Kloostra, Blackfriars Road to the Paper Moon for a social with the Spanish Ambassador. Later that day we will be originally from the Netherlands, whose father and films, an exhibition of photos of the Pyrenees walk hosting an evening of films and music. uncles were International Brigaders, was especial- and good music till late. On the following day a plaque will be unveiled ly helpful – and made a welcome donation of wine Media interest in the 70th anniversary is building at the National Coal Museum, Blaenavon, to the to the group. Local IBMT members Maggie and up so watch out for items on TV,radio and in the South Wales miners who fought in Spain. John Comley identified the route, and supplied newspapers. If you are arranging an event, make At Jubilee Gardens, the IBMT-sponsored flowers to lay at memorials along the way. sure it is covered by your local media. anthology of poems written by British and Irish GPlease send sponsorship money for the Pyrenees We recently learned about four more Brigaders International Brigaders, “Poems from Spain”, will walk to Pauline Fraser (90 Roding Lane North, who are still alive: Keith Andrews in Taunton,Edwin be on sale for the first time. Published as part of the Woodford Green, Essex IG8 8NG) as soon as pos- Soar in Nottingham,Terry Malony in West Nighton Trust’s 70th anniversary activities, the anthology is sible; cheques payable to the IBMT. The grand and Stanley Hilton in Australia. This knowledge is the first ever collection of poems by British and total raised will be published in our next largely due to the higher profile we now have, Irish volunteers. Newsletter. generated by such publicity. Salud, Commemorative IBMT mugs and trinket boxes GSee back page for details of forthcoming events. Marlene Sidaway will also be on sale at Jubilee Gardens and at the Jim Jump Brief notes Ciaran Crossey from Belfast has changed the address for his website on Ireland and the Spanish Civil War. It can now be found at: Presenting our commemorative china [www.geocities.com/irelandscw]. You should also find a link to it on our own excellent website. I’m constantly getting compliments for it – well done Richard Baxell! See for yourself and go to [www.international-brigades.org.uk]. David Leach is our roving representative in Australia – and Spain, where he was instrumental in getting the Ebro memorial put up on Hill 705 last May. David also produced the film “Voices from a Mountain”. In Australia he has made con- tact with relatives of Kevin Rebechi, who went to Spain with Jack Jones and George Wheeler. Kevin was killed and, remarkably, has a known grave in the northern Catalonian town of Vic. David and Kevin’s relatives plan to put up a plaque in his The IBMT’s commemorative china carries the wording “Spain 1936-1939 / 70th anniversary / International memory. Kevin’s niece, Nina Craven, spoke for Brigades” (not what is on the demonstration examples pictured above), along with a quotation from the them all when she said: “To me he is representa- famous speech by La Pasionaria. tive of a large number of young men who went to The mugs will sell at £7 each or two for £12.50. The trinket boxes will sell for £10 each or two for £15. Spain and made the ultimate sacrifice. At least we Both items will be for sale at Wortley Hall, Sheffield, on 1 July and on 15 July at the IBMT’s annual know where he is buried. So many other families commemoration in Jubilee Gardens, London. For pre-orders contact Christopher Hall at don’t have that.” In the local archives, David was [[email protected]] or by writing to 286 Brantingham Road, Chorlton, Manchester M21 0QU. Smaller shown a letter written in Spanish by a Spanish boxes and a tankard will also be available later and details about postage will be put in the next Newsletter friend of Kevin Rebechi’s father, asking for news and on our website. of his son. We mentioned in the last Newsletter that Brian approved and there are now ongoing considera- letter from Giny Klatser-Oedekerk, enclosing an Walsh was seeking information about his Uncle tions about where it will eventually stand – article about some Dutch Brigaders. Over 600 Eddy (Samuel Edward Walsh, of Newcastle upon Trafalgar Square or Parliament Square. Joyce Dutchmen and women joined the International Tyne). Brian has already given reports of his visit Akresi is filming a documentary about social Brigades, but there are now only three known to to the Brunete battlefield where his uncle died in sculpture, which will feature Ian’s work, and she’ll be alive. The article*, by Andre Dryansky in July 1937, and he’s keen to try and get a memorial also be filming our ceremony on 15 July. “Amsterdam Weekly”, tells of their struggles erected at the site to honour Eddy and his com- when they finally reached home, some after many rades. If you have a relative who was at Brunete, At the recent launch of Tom Wintringham’s poetry years in prison or forced labour camps. Because and want to get involved, contact Brian at [brian- anthology, “We’re Moving On”, at the Marx the Netherlands kept to the non-intervention pact, [email protected]] or me at [marlenesid- Memorial Library, editor – and author of they were declared stateless. Some came to Britain [email protected]]. Wintringham’s biography – Hugh Purcell men- and continued the fight against fascism in the tioned that he couldn’t find a memorial at Prinses Irene Brigade, a Dutch unit formed by the The plans for the new design of Jubilee Gardens, Jarama. In fact there are at least two in towns British Army during the Second World War. The London, have been approved, and there is re- adjacent to the battlefield: annual celebration near the monument of remem- assurance that our International Brigade memori- – Morata de Tajuña, in the town cemetery; it was brance to the Spanish Civil War in Amsterdam al will not be moved more than a few yards from unveiled in 1994 and a photo was on page 2 of our took place on 10 May. Although the Dutch group where it now stands.