Williams, Huw Alun Menai (Oral history)

British medical orderly served with Thaelmann Bn, XI International Bde in Spain, 3/1937-4/1937; NCO served as medical orderly with George Washington Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 4/1937-7/1937; served with Lincoln-Washington Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 8/1937-3/1938; served with British Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 4/1938-10/1938

REEL 1 Background in South Wales, GB, 1913-1931: family; education; employment; early political influences. Aspects of period as medical orderly with Royal Army Medical Corps in GB, 1931-1934: training at Aldershot and Edinburgh; lessons learnt from army experience; problems obtaining employment on leaving British Army. Aspects of period of civilian in London, GB, 1934-1936: introduction to active politics; memories of Cable Street demonstrations, 4/10/1936; reaction to unemployment and relief measures. Aspects of period as medical orderly with Royal Army Medical Corps in GB and Egypt, 1/1936-8/1936: recall to Army Reserve at time of Abyssinian Crisis; move to Egypt; sight of Spanish refugees at Majorca. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of volunteering for service with International Bdes and journey from GB to Spain via France, 1/1937-3/1937: reasons for going to Spain; volunteering at Headquarters, Communist Party of Great Britain, King Street in London, GB, 1/1937; journey from GB to Paris, France; abortive attempt to get into Spain and return to GB; voyage aboard SS Navarra from Marseille, France to Barcelona, Spain including sinking of ship by Italian Navy submarine Gaileo Ferraris, off Tarragona, 9/2/1937; rescue and treatment on arrival in Barcelona, Spain; journey to Albacete, Spain, 3/1937. Aspects of period as medical orderly with Thaelmann Bn, XI International Bde in Spain, 3/1937-4/1937: posting to battalion on Jarama front; equipment and duties; communication with German stretcher bearers. REEL 3 Continues: opinion of unit discipline compared to Royal Army Medical Corps; reaction to being only British volunteer in unit; attitude towards Moors. Aspects of period as NCO medical orderly with George Washington Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 4/1937-7/1937: background to transfer to battalion at Mondejar, 4/1937; reaction to serving with Americans; training and equipping of battalion, summer 1937; contact with Spanish civilians; start of Battle of Brunete, 7/1937; problems with morphine supply; comparisons of those wounded in battle; psychiatric casualties; problem with water supply at Brunete. REEL 4 Continues: treatment of Nationalist prisoners at Brunete; morale after Battle of Brunete; problem indentifying dead at dressing station on Mosquito Ridge; contact with home. Aspects of period as NCO medical orderly with Lincoln-Washington Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 8/1937-3/1938: amalgamation of American battalions; opinion of personalities in battalion; opinion of commissar system; cold conditions during Teruel offensive, 12/1937; escape from encirclement at Teruel. Aspects of period as NCO medical orderly with British Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 4/1938-10/1938: crossing River Ebro; nature of fighting during Ebro Offensive; opinion of Nationalist forces and awareness of defeat of Republic; attitude towards Nationalists; story of death of comrade going to fetch water. REEL 5 Continues: question of differences between Communist Party members and others; question of civilian attitudes towards revolution; nature of fighting in Sierra Pandols; bulldozing of Nationalist positions; capture of Belchite; story of mercy shooting of burnt Nationalist soldier; repatriation to GB; reception of International Brigaders in GB; Very Important Person (VIP) visits to International Bdes in Spain.