Description
Object description
British political commissar served with British Bn, XV International Brigade in Spain, 1/1937-2/1937; served as brigade political commissar with XV International Bde in Spain, 2/1937-8/1937
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as political commissar with British Bn, XV International Bde and as brigade political commissar with XV International Bde in Spain, 1/1937-8/1937: background to recruitment to International Bdes; appointment as political commissar; move from Chinchon to Jarama Front, 1/1937-2/1937; course of Battle of Jarama; collecting rations; provision of covering fire; finding wounded Tom Wintringham in sunken road at Jarama, 13/2/1937; casualties amongst officers; question of retreat; attempts to halt retreat; patrols; arrival of Joseph 'Jock' Cunningham; opinion of Joseph 'Jock' Cunningham; his illness during first days of Battle of Jarama; retrieving stragglers; re-establishment of line; question of role of Fred Copeman; significance of Battle of Jarama; role of American battalions; period out of line at Morata de Tajuña, 2/1937.
REEL 2 Continues: background to death of Christopher Caudwell during Battle of Jarama, 13/2/1937; opinion of John Cornford and Margot Heinemann; story of Stephen Spender and his boyfriend; question of treatment of deserters and executions; motivation of volunteers; attitude towards volunteers returning home; attitude to shooting deserters; death of Bert Overton at Mosquito Ridge during Battle of Brunete, 8/7/1937; memories of George Nathan and his death during Battle of Brunete, 16/7/1937; reaction to order for British Bn to return to action during Battle of Brunete, 7/1937; story of protesting to corps commander and cancellation of order, 7/1937.
REEL 3 Continues: receiving news of George Nathan's death; burial of George Nathan; wounding of Joseph 'Jock' Cunningham, 14/3/1937; memories of Fred Copeman; attitude towards service in Spain; reception for returning British Bn volunteers at Victoria Railway Station in London, 1938; story of volunteer recruited to work for Soviet 'Lucy' spy network in Switzerland during Second World War.