Description
Object description
British NCO served with No 2 (Machine Gun) Coy, British Bn and Machine Gun Coy, XV International Bde in Spain, 7/1937-3/1938; prisoner of war in San Pedro de Cardeña Prison, Burgos, and Ondarreta Prison, San Sebastian in Spain, 3/1938-2/1939
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Glasgow, GB, 1909-1937: family; education; employment; introduction to trade unionism by blacksmith employer; striking with other blacksmith apprentices during General Strike, 4/5/1926-12/5/1926; opinion of role of students during General Strike; reaction to end of General Strike; recruitment to Young Communist League of Communist Party of Great Britain, 1931; employment prospects for apprentices during 1930s; incident of being means tested; participation in hunger march to London; unemployment benefits; return to Glasgow. Aspects of background to volunteering for Spain, 1937: membership of mountaineering club; application to go to Spain, 1/1937; leaving job, 6/1937; reaction to rise of Fascism.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of journey to Spain, 7/1937: leaving home with Bill Donaldson; writing letter to mother; travel arrangements; knowledge of Philip Gillan's involvement in fighting in University City, Madrid, 11/1937; opinion of Communist Party of Great Britain's organisational role; hiding out in Perpignan, France; question of volunteers being caught attempting to cross into Spain; crossing Pyrenees Mountains; reaction to volunteer's imperial outlook and motives of other volunteers; reaction of civilians on route to Albacete; posting to International Brigades Officers' Training School, at Pozorubio and opinion of training, 7/1937. Recollections of period as NCO with No 2 (Machine Gun) Coy, British Bn and Machine Gun Coy, XV International Bde in Spain, 8/1937-3/1938: composition of unit; Spanish volunteers; Spanish nationality for international volunteers; move to Teruel front; reactions to being under fire.
REEL 3 Continues: conditions at Teruel, 12/1937-1/1938; hit on machine gun position; organisation and military command of International Bdes; anti-aircraft and anti-tank tactics; receiving news of progress of war; opinion of Republican advances; death of Barney Shields at Belchite, 10/3/1938; opinion of Battle of Belchite; firing machine guns on Nationalist tanks; capture at Calaceite, 3/1938; death of Wally Tapsell at Calaceite, 31/3/1938; unit morale; desertions; discipline; relations with other nationalities in International Bdes and nickname of British Bn as 'the mobile battalion'; supply shortages; opinion of British non-intervention policy; need to walk due to lack of transport.
REEL 4 Continues: opinion of influx of Spanish troops into International Brigades; opinion of political commissars; role of battalion commanders; comparison between Sam Wild and Bill Alexander; significance of saluting. Recollections of period as prisoner of war at San Pedro de Cardeña Prison, Burgos and Ondarreta Prison, San Sebastian in Spain, 3/1938-2/1939: treatment of German prisoners; initial releases from camp, 7/1938; conditions during winter, 1938-1939; repatriation, 2/1939; opinion of comparative treatment of British prisoners; making collection for prisoners left in captivity; question of attitude of Colonel Martin, the British Consular official; avoiding giving Fascist salute; memories of Merry del Val; character of interrogations; accommodation for International Bde prisoners; formation of prisoner committees.
REEL 5 Continues: night guard duty; beating of International Bde internal guard after prisoner escape; punishment of escapees; punishment of prisoners; nature of interrogations from German Gestapo personnel; release, 19/2/1939; marching through Burgos; civilian reaction to sight of prisoners in San Sebastian; two week period of incarceration in Ondarreta Prison including sight of prisoners; rations; crossing into France; reception on return to GB. Reflections on service with British Bn, XV International Bde in Spanish Civil War: question of not being accepted for military service during Second World War; opinion of high percentage of International Bde volunteers from Glasgow in Spain.
REEL 6 Continues: opinion of Communist Party of Great Britain's policies during Second World War.