Cohen, Max (Oral history)

British civilian member of Young Communist League, Communist Party of Great Britain in London, GB, 1934-1936; served as mechanic and ambulance driver with Spanish Medical Aid Committee and XV International Bdes in Spain, 12/1936-9/1937; served as mechanic with XV International Bde in Spain, 3/1938-10/1938

REEL 1 Background in Stepney, London, GB, 1912-1936: family; political activities, 1934-1936; father's work servicing Oswald Mosley's cars; incident with Metropolitan Police at British Union of Fascists rally at Olympia, 1934; recruitment to Young Communist League, 1934. Aspects of volunteering for Spanish Medical Aid Committee in London, GB, 1936: background to volunteering to go to Spain; reaction to interview in Communist Party of Great Britain's Headquarters in King Street, London; recruitment as ambulance driver to Spanish Medical Aid Committee, 23/12/1936. Recollections of period as driver and mechanic with Spanish Medical Aid Committee in Spain, 12/1936-3/1937: driving ambulance from GB to Spain with Gordon Davidson, 28/12/1936-1/1/1937; reception and duties at Albacete; memories of other Spanish Medical Aid Committee members; background to joining XV International Bde. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of period as mechanic and ambulance driver with XV International Bde in Madrid and Albacete, Spain, 3/1937-9/1937: buildings; uniforms worn; washing; rations; meeting Ernest Hemingway and Sefton Delmer; lack of training; problems organising motor transport for Spain; story of playing football with Stephen Spender; Nationalist Air Force strafing attack at Club Alpino, Madrid; question of camouflage during air raids; background to Battle of Brunete. REEL 3 Continues: International Bdes Hospital near El Escorial; wounding in air attack on ambulance at Bruete, 7/1937; rescue by Sir Richard Rees; mural in evacuation hospital at Huete; convalescence at International Bdes Hospital at Valdeganga return to GB for further medical treatment, 9/1937. Aspects of convalescence in GB, 9/1937-1/1938: attending Aid Spain Committee meeting with Clement Attlee at People's Palace, Mile End, London, 1937; return journey to Spain, 1/1938. Aspects of period as mechanic with XV International Bde Auto Park in Barcelona and Madrid, Spain, 3/1938-7/1938: opinion of vehicles sent to Spain from GB; sleeping in Rolls-Royce ambulance donated by Gavin Henderson, Lord Faringdon; setting up vehicle workshop with Harry Evans, 5/1938. REEL 4 Continues: story of obtaining blood for transfusion to Nationalist prisoner; recognising ex-patient in Canada in 1980; reaction to order to have hair shorn. Recollections of period as mechanic with XV International Bde during Ebro Offensive, Spain, 8/1938-10/1938: memories of American driver 'Dix'; visit of Jawaharlal Nehru to workshop; opinion of political commissars; memories of Leonard Crome, Harry Evans and other volunteers. REEL 5 Continues: question of contact with British Bn of brigade; question of contact with Nationalist soldiers including story of soldiers burnt in house; attitudes of Spanish people towards International Bde presence; death of Irish nurse Ruth Ormsby in Barcelona, 4/5/1938; memories of Winifred Sandford; opinion of quality of British news coverage of events in Spain, 1937; question of desertions. Aspects of repatriation and return to GB, 12/1938: reaction to withdrawal of International Bdes, 10/1938; journey home via Paris, France; reception in GB. REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of period as civilian in GB, 1939-1942: employment at Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield; being released from Reserved Occupation to join Royal Engineers and later Royal Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, 1942; trades union relations with management in Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield; attitude towards Communist Party of Great Britain policy, 1939-1945; opinion of Judaism and Communism; comparison of experiences with International Bdes and British Army; camouflage techniques learnt in British Army.