West, Cyril Frank (Oral history)

British civilian member of North Hammersmith Branch, Communist Party of Great Britain in London, GB, 1934-1937; served as rifleman with as rifleman with No 1 Coy, British Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 9/1937-10/1937; served as political commissar with British Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 11/1937-10/1938; prisoner of war in Zaragosa Prison, Zaragosa, San Pedro de Cardeña Prison, Burgos and Ondarreta Prison, San Sebastian in Spain, 11/1938-3/1939

REEL 1 Background in Hammersmith, London, GB, 1907-1937: father's business; education; employment; reaction to sight of strikers during General Strike, 1926; treatment of strike breaker during General Strike, 1926; witnessing strike violence at Hammersmith Broadway during General Strike, 1926; his political reading. Recollections of period as member of North Hammersmith Branch, Communist Party of Great Britain in London, GB, 1934-1937: background to joining branch; educational classes; opposing British Union of Fascists in Hammersmith and Kensington; story of attempted recruitment by British Union of Fascists; anti-Fascist activities at Hammersmith and Chelsea. REEL 2 Continues: areas of British Union of Fascist support in London; fighting fascist organiser 'Boo Boo' during fascist rally. Aspects of volunteering for International Bdes in London, GB, 1937: North Hammersmith Branch, Communist Party of Great Britain support for Republican Spain; question of popular support for Spanish Nationalists in GB; attempts to dissuade him from volunteering; volunteering, 9/1937. Aspects of journey from GB to Spain via France, 9/1937: questioning by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officer at Victoria Railway Station, London; organisation in Paris, France; crossing Pyrenees Mountains; composition of group. Recollections of period as rifleman with No 1 Coy, British Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 9/1937-10/1937: memories of Lewis Clive and David Guest. REEL 3 Continues: opinion of intellectuals in brigade; rifle training at Albacete; train journey to Ebro front; forward position at machine gun post; capture of Nationalists in church crypt at Fuento de Ebro; joining battalion; effects of heavy unit casualties and arrival of reinforcements; method of maintaining personal morale; story of making tea close to ammunition store; involvement in unsuccessful tank attack; sight of Spanish company commander going over the top; fraternisation between Spaniards in no-man's land. REEL 4 Continues: firing on fraternising Nationalists; reaction of Republican Spaniards to International Bde firing on fraternisation; role of political commissars; opinion of Ebro Offensive; accuracy of Nationalist artillery; armaments of International Bdes; opinion of use of anti-tank guns at Teruel. Recollections of period as political commissar with British Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 11/1937-10/1938: appointment as political commissar and their role; cases dealt with as political commissar; role of political commissar in action; decisions made at Teruel; casualties at Teruel; story of conflict with company commander. REEL 5 Continues: resolving of disputes between political commissars and company commanders; move to Teruel front, 12/1937; Christmas celebrations; difference of opinion between Fred Copeman and Sam Wild over officer privileges; memories of J B S Haldane; further details of difference of opinion between Fred Copeman and Sam Wild; loss of positions on mountain at Teruel; sustaining leg wound; rejoining unit; appointment as kitchen commissar at Huesca, 2/1938; rations; rejoining company; blowing up of bridge carrying Nationalist tanks across River Ebro; attempts to teach Spanish soldier literacy; move to Mondejar. REEL 6 Continues: story of company's adoption of name 'Attlee'; crossing River Ebro; situation on Hill 481; death of Lewis Clive at Hill 481, 1/8/1938; his wounding in hand from mortar fire; evacuation to casualty clearing station; visit by Paul Robeson to hospital; reaction to being under artillery and aerial bombardment and orders to withdraw from Ebro front; capture in trench; rolling to avoid machine gun fire; assault on Irish prisoner by Nationalist. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Zaragosa Prison, Zaragosa, San Pedro de Cardeña Prison, Burgos and Ondarreta Prison, San Sebastian in Spain, 11/1938-3/1939: recognising British Nationalist named 'Boo Boo'; conditions in Zaragoza Prison; medical treatment for Irish prisoner attacked by Nationalist. REEL 7 Continues: plan to swap identities with two volunteers; illness in Zaragoza Prison; violence between prisoners during transit to San Pedro de Cardeña Prison; story of dispute with volunteer in railway tunnel at Teruel; reorganisation of prisoners due to conditions; recreational activities; escape attempts of German prisoners; Christmas show, 12/1938; attitude of Spanish Nationalists to German Gestapo; processing of prisoners by Gestapo; propaganda aimed at prisoners; move to Ondarreta Prison, San Sebastian; reception from civilians in San Sebastian; story of priests being asked to report Nationalist atrocities. REEL 8 Continues: story of executions conducted by teenagers in San Sebastian Prison; release from captivity; execution of Spanish prisoners at Ondarreta Prison; lice infestation; reception on return to GB, 3/1939; reactions to political attitudes in Army Bureau of Current Affairs during service with British Army during Second World War; story of knowledge of weapons gained in Spain. Memories of International Bde volunteers including Sam Wild.