Doyle, Robert Andrew (Oral history)

Irish machine gunner served with No 2 (Machine Gun) Coy, British Bn, 15th International Bde in Spain, 8/1937-3/1938; POW in San Pedro de Cardenas Prison, Burgos and San Sebastian Prison, San Sebastian, Spain, 4/1938-2/1939

REEL 1 Background in Dublin, Ireland, 1916-1939: unemployment in Ireland; attempt to obtain work in Liverpool, 1932; recruitment to 1st Battalion, Irish Republican Army, 1932; loss of job as butler, 1932; opinion of aims of Irish Republican Army; recruitment to Communist Party, 1934; recruitment to and activities with Republican Congress, 1934; burning of Connolly House; relations between Irish Republican Army and Communist Party; nature of Fascist movement in Ireland, 1932-1936. Aspects of attempt to volunteer for International Bdes in Ireland and journey to Spain, 1936-1937: opinion of Irish newspaper coverage of Nationalist Uprising in Spain, 7/1936; question of support for Spanish Republic; decision to volunteer for International Bdes; initial rejection for service in Dublin; decision to make own way to Spain; work in London and Channel Islands to earn fare; stay in Marseilles, France; arrest as stowaway and interrogation by British consul in Valencia, Spain; employment aboard merchant ship serving Nationalist ports in Spain, 1/1937-8/1937. REEL 2 Continues: delivering mail to British Bn in Spain. Aspects of volunteering for International Bdes in London, GB and journey to Spain, 8/1937: background to recruitment to Communist Party; recruitment to International Brigades at King Street, London; story of getting past officials in France; reception from Communist Party in Paris; journey to Spain. Recollections of period as machine gunner with No 2 (Machine Gun) Coy, British Bn, 15th International Bde in Spain, 8/1937-3/1938: degree of prior military training with Irish Republican Army; allocation to officers school at Tarazona de La Mancha; disobeying orders to join unit on Aragon front; first action at Belchite; retreat from first position and casualties at Belchite; behaviour of Moorish troops; opinion of Republican weapons; reactions to air attacks; withdrawal from Belchite, 2/1938; entering Hijar on T 26 tank; refusing order from Workers' Party of Marxist Unification (POUM) officer. REEL 3 Continues: circumstances of his capture by Italian Corpo Truppe Volontaire at Calaceite, 31/5/1938; living conditions in battalion including rations, uniform, lice and alcohol consumption; role of political commissar; degree of contact with civilians; question of behaviour on capture of Nationalist POWs; importance of cigarettes. Recollections of period as POW in San Pedro de Cardenas Prison, Burgos and San Sebastian Prison, San Sebastian, Spain, 4/1938-2/1939: treatment by Italian captors; expectation of execution; treatment of Frank Ryan; incarceration in church in Alcantz; view of prisoners at Zaragoza; interrogation and question of giving Fascist salute; visit by international press and death of Jimmy Rutherford; impressions of San Pedro de Cardenas Prison; treatment by guards; interrogation by Germans; treatment of German volunteers; death among prisoners due to illness. REEL 4 Continues: opinion of British Government’s policy of non-intervention; prisoner exchange rate; view of execution wall at San Sebastian Prison; contact with prisoners awaiting execution at San Sebastian; opinion of treatment of Basque civilians.