Kerrigan, Peter (Oral history)

British civilian member of Communist Party of Great Britain in GB and Soviet Union, 1921-1936; officer served as base commissar with International Bdes at Albacete, Spain, 12/1936-1/1937; served as political commissar with British Bn, 15th International Bde in Spain, 1/1937-4/1937; civilian correspondent for Daily Worker in Spain, 5/1938-12/1938

REEL 1 Aspect of period as driver with Army Service Corps in Middle East, 1919-1920: call up to army, 1918; transfer from Royal Scots to Army Service Corps in Egypt, 1919; move to Syria; question of deployment of troops to Russia; demobilisation and return to civilian life, 1920. Aspects of period as member of Communist Party of Great Britain in GB and Soviet Union, 1921-1936: trade union activities; joining Communist Party of Great Britain, 1921; attending Lenin School in Soviet Union, 1929-1930 including meeting Stalin; visit to Soviet Union as shop steward and British representative for Comintern, 1935; changes witnessed in Soviet Union between visits; reactions to outbreak of Spanish Civil War, 7/1936; participation in National Unemployed Workers Movement hunger march from Glasgow to London, 10/1936-11/1936. Aspects of joining International Bdes in GB and journey to Spain, 12/1936: crossing to France; question of financial support for family; vetting of volunteers; journey to Spain via France, crossing Pyrenees Mountains; arrival in Barcelona. REEL 2 Continues: Anarchist presence in Barcelona. Recollections of period as base commissar with International Bdes at Albacete, Spain, 12/1936-1/1937: issue of uniform at Albacete; appointment as base commissar to English speaking battalions; memories of volunteers including Hans Karl; presence of underage volunteers; move to front at Lopera; opinion of Austrian rifles; execution of Major Gaston Lasalle; pre-British Bn units. Recollections of period as political commissar with British Bn, 15th International Bde in Spain, 1/1937-4/1937: formation of battalion, 1/1937; arrival of Russian rifles and machine guns, 1/1937; battalion command structure; opinion of George Nathan; story of his shooting of Wilfred Macartney, 6/2/1937; attitudes towards Wilfred Macartney. REEL 3 Continues: story of request of Irish volunteers to Washington-Lincoln Bn on eve of move to Cordoba front, 24/1/1937; opinion of casualties during Battle of Jarama, 2/1937; visits to wounded in hospitals; sending recruits to join battalion; battalion command structure; visit by Harry Pollitt, 3/1937; importance of cigarette supplies to morale; attending Spanish Communist Party Congress in Valencia, 3/1937; meeting with Steven Spender; leaving Spain, 4/1937. Recollections of period as civilian correspondent for Daily Worker in Spain, 5/1938-12/1938: return to Spain, 5/1938; incident of being under Nationalist air attack crossing River Ebro, 14/7/1938; arrival at 15th International Bde headquarters at Hill 481; changes in British Bn; final visit by Harry Pollitt. REEL 4 Continues: attending International Bde parade in Barcelona, 10/1938; opinion of International Brigade Association and trades union support for Republican Spain, 1939-1976; rations available in Barcelona, 9/1938-12/1938; opinion of role of journalists and writers in Spain; opinion of Republican propaganda techniques; opinion of importance of reported news of war; opinion of changes in Communist Party policy in GB, France and Spain, 1926-1936. REEL 5 Continues: discussion on attitude towards Communist Party of Great Britain policy and policies of Soviet Union, 1926-1976. Aspects of period as political commissar with British Bn, 15th International Bde in Spain, 1/1937-4/1937: question of return to Spain, 1976; question of duties and origin of political commissar in Spain. REEL 6 Continues: meetings with International Bde officers and Battalion commissars; political commissars in British Bn; relations with and opinion of Andre Marty; opinion of defeat of Republican Spain; opinion of political situation in Spain, 1976.