The Battle of Britain

Gilbert, David 'Tony (IWM interview)

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Catalogue number
  • 9157
Subject period
Alternative Names
  • object category: IWM interview
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Category
sound

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Object description

British civilian political activist in east London 1920s-1930s, served as runner with British Bn, 15th International Bde, in Spain, 3/1937-4/1938; POW, 4-12/1938

Content description

REEL 1 Background and political activities in London, 1920s-1930s: story of being attacked by fascist Blackshirts in Bethnal Green; areas of anti-Semitism in London; account of Cable Street disturbances, 10/1936. REEL 2 Continues: formation of National Unemployed Workers' Movement; confrontation with police during NUWM demonstration in West London; membership of Zionist youth group, The Blue and White Club. REEL 3 Continues: friendship with Blackshirt sympathiser; joining Communist Party in Bethnal Green in 1936; attitude of CP organiser to returning Interantional Brigade volunteers; influence of Isabel Brown in his decision to join IB. Aspects of recruitment to IB and journey to Spain, ca 1/1937: interview at Litchfield St, London; journey to France with Julie Jacobs; details of interview; reaction of family. REEL 4 Continues: reception in Paris including meeting Tito; story of arrest of adventurers going to Spain; accommodation in brothel in Nimes. Aspects of period with International Brigade in Spain, ca 3/1937-3/1938: situation in Figueras; air raids; reception at Albacete; uniform; living conditions; discipline; rations; other foreign volunteers; impressions of Tarazona de La Mancha including machine gun post in church; training with Soviet instructors and weapons. REEL 5 Continues: International Brigade rifle drill; manoeuvres; political education; opinion of Christopher Cordwell, James Cornford and Clive Branson; question of attitude of British intellectuals in IB; story illustrating Nationalist experiments with 'blitzkrieg' tactics at Belchite, ca 8/1937. REEL 6 Account of being ambushed with International Brigade British Battalion at Calaceite, 3/1938: forgetting route; evidence of earlier retreat; mistaking Nationalist unit for Lister Battalion; Nationalist attack; casualties including death of Wally Tapsell; capture by Italian infantry, 31/3/1938; question of problems identifying enemy. Aspects of retreat at Belchite, 8/1937. Recollections of period as prisoner-of-war in San Pedro de Cardena, Saragossa, Balearic and San Sebastian prisons, ca 3/1938-1/1939: escaping execution; status of British prisoners. REEL 7 Continues: interrogation; burying money; conditions during transfer to Saragossa prison; reactions of local population to arrival of International Brigade prisoners in Saragossa; songs; reactions to prison rules; rations; beatings; Gestapo methods used against German IBers; background to execution of James Rutherford. REEL 8 Continues: execution of James Rutherford; medical facilities; comparison of prison conditions at San Pedro de Cardena and Sarragossa; being released in prisoner exchange, ca 12/1938; conditions and treatment by Italians at holding prison in Balearic; recollections of Clive Branson; reaction of prison guards to Republican success on the Ebro; conditions at San Sebastien. REEL 9 Continues: description of exchange of prisoners at French border; reaction of journalists; question of treatment on return to GB, ca 1/1939; lice infestation at San Pedro de Cardena prison; story of eating rats in prison in Balearic. Review of experiences in Spain, 1937-1938: action at Teruel, 1938; question of desertion in IB; question of murder of Fascist infiltrator known as 'Poona' Brown. REEL 10 Continues: opinion of Jock McGregor, Harry Dobson and Sam Wild; question of VIP visitors to Spain; story illustrating Durruti's leadership of Anarchists; question of Russian presence; attitude towards period in Spain.

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