Jump, James Robert (Oral history)

British machine gunner served as interpreter with No 2 (Machine Gun) Coy, British Bn, XV International Bde at Tarazona de La Mancha, Spain, 11/1937-12/1937; served as clerk/paymaster with Headquarters, XV International Bde in Albacete, Spain, 12/1937-5/1938; served as interpreter with No 4 Coy, British Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 6/1938-9/1938; hospitalised in International Brigade Santa Coloma de Farnes Hospital in Spain, 9/1938-11/1938

REEL 1 Background in Wallasey, GB, 1916-1935: family; education; employment. Aspects of period as journalist with 'Worthing Herald' in Worthing, GB 1936-1937: background to interest in politics; joining Labour Party League of Youth; activities with Labour Party League of Youth and All Party Anti-Fascist Committee; attitude towards Communism; membership of Labour Party League of Youth; literary influences; clashes with members of British Union of Fascists; reaction to Nationalist uprising in Spain, 7/1937. Recollections of recruitment to International Bdes and journey to Spain, via France, 1937: decision to join International Bdes; influence of Christopher Thorneycroft's mother; application for passport; interview at Communist Party of Great Britain headquarters, King Street in London; being placed in change of group of volunteers, 6/11/1937; reception and briefing in Paris, France; story illustrating volunteer's knowledge of political situation in Spain; visiting International Exhibition in Paris, France; train journey to Béziers, France; accommodation and meeting Spanish contact in Béziers, France. REEL 2 Continues: story of crossing Pyrenees Mountains. Recollections of period as interpreter with No 2 (Machine Gun) Coy, British Bn and as clerk/paymaster with Headquarters, XV International Bde, Albacete in Spain, 11/1937-6/1938: arrival at barracks in Figueras; start of training; pay; recreational activities at Figueras; train journey from Figueras to Albacete via Valencia including singing songs; issue of uniforms at Albacete; language problems; role of political commissar; discipline of American Major Allan Johnson at Tarazona de La Mancha, 11/1937; motivations of volunteers; Political Commissar Tom Murray's tactic to discourage drunkenness amongst volunteers; appointment as interpreter to No 2 (Machine Gun) Coy, British Bn, 20/11/1937-12/12/1937; memories of Alvah Bessie, 12/1937; opinion of David Guest; story of American volunteer's literary interests; duties as interpreter/clerk at Headquarters, 15th International Bde, Albacete, 12/12/1937-13/2/1938; appointment and duties as paymaster, 13/2/1938. REEL 3 Continues: use of International Bde currency; stories relating to paymaster duties; transfer to work as clerk with records office at Headquarters, XV International Bde at Albecete, 3/1938; processing Spanish recruits to British Bn at Vilaseca, 4/1938. Recollections of period as interpreter with No 4 Coy, British Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 6/1938-9/1938: initial posting to all-Spanish company of British Bn, 5/1938; transfer to No 4 Coy; opinion of Spanish troops serving with British Bn; question of attitude of British battalion members to revolution in Spain; question of evidence of revolution; attitude of Irish volunteers towards British Bn; training at Marsa including education classes; visits from Paul Robeson and Jawaharial Nehru. REEL 4 Continues: visit from Harry Pollitt, leader of Communist Party of Great Britain; training for river crossing; crossing River Ebro, 25/7/1938; sight of casualties amongst Moorish troops of Army of Africa after attack on hill position near Gandesa; reaction of battalion member to death of brother; reaction to being under fire; view of Nationalist positions at Gandesa; supplies; opinion of tactics in attacking Hill 481; interpreting for Spanish regiment and story of being mentioned in despatches, 8/1938; relations between officers and men; stories illustrating unit discipline; reaction to executions of volunteers; question of relations between volunteers of differing political attitudes; attitude towards venereal diseases and homosexuality; attitude of Spanish medical staff towards venereal disease; swapping soap for food during rest period; problems with lice; role on return to front line at Sierra Pandols, 18/8/1938; reasons for loss of air support from Republican Air Force, 8/1938; Nationalist Air Force attacks; receiving mouldy birthday cake from family in GB, 23/8/1938. REEL 5 Continues: contracting jaundice and evacuation. Aspects of hospitalisation in International Brigades Hospital at Santa Coloma de Farnes in Spain, 9/1938-11/1938: arrival at hospital, 2/9/1938; reaction to news of withdrawal of International Bdes; visit from League of Nations officers; removal to transit camp at Ripoll, 25/11/1938. Aspects of repatriation from Spain to GB, 12/1938: story of Spanish officer's reaction to informal style of volunteers; reception at Victoria Station, London, 8/12/1938; reaction to anti-Republican attitudes on return to Wallasey. Reflections on service with British Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 11/1937-11/1938: opinion of Nationalist forces; degree of awareness of killing Nationalists; nature of contact with Nationalists; opinion of Maxim Machine Gun; recites extracts of songs 'Come Workers Hear a Rebel Song' and 'No Pasaran'; sings parts of 'We Come to Sunny Spain' and 'Song of the XV International Brigade'; attitude of civilians towards International Bde volunteers; opinion of role of poetry and writing of war newspapers amongst volunteers; memories of George Jackson, Bill Harrington and Miles Tomalin. REEL 6 Continues: story of Irish volunteer Johnny Parr receiving mail via Nationalist camps; story of Jack Howard's unexpected return from Nationalist captivity, 1939; effects of experience of Spanish Civil War on his political attitudes; attitude towards Nationalists; volunteering for International Bdes at Communist Party of Great Britain headquarters in King Street, London, 11/1937; question of being politically vetted throughout his career as lecturer; story illustrating reactions towards him as International Brigade veteran.