Greenhalgh, Walter (Oral history)

British member of Miles Platting Branch of Communist Party of Great Britain and Young Communist League in Manchester, GB, 1934-1936; served as machine gunner with No 1 Company, 14th International Brigade in Spain, 12/1936-2/1937; served as deputy commander at International Brigades depot at Morata de Tajuna, Spain, 2/1937-3/1937; served as runner with British Battalion, 15th International Brigade in Spain, 3/1937-8/1937; officer served as political commissar with Transport Unit, International Brigades at Albacete, Spain, 9/1937-5/1938; NCO served with Royal Corps of Signals in GB, 1939-1944; served with Army Personnel Department in GB and Brussels, Belgium, 1944-1945; served with Control Commission Germany in Munster, Germany, 1945

REEL 1 Background in Manchester, GB, 1914-1934: father’s occupation; education; involvement in Kinder Scout trespass, 1932. Recollections of period as member of Miles Platting Branch of Communist Party of Great Britain and Young Communist League in Manchester, GB, 1934-1936: recruitment to Communist Party, 1934; formation of Young Communist League youth club; activities with youth club; anti-Fascist activity, 1935-1936; Young Communist League sporting activities. REEL 2 Continues: employment experiences during 1930s including story of death of shop assistant; reasons for joining Communist Party instead of Labour Party; reactions to outbreak of Spanish Civil War, 7/1936. Aspects of recruitment to International Brigade in GB and journey to Spain via France, 11/1936: background to recruitment to International Brigades, 11/1936; memories of Frank Ryan; handling of volunteers in Paris; crossing into Spain. Recollections of period as machine gunner with No 1 Company, 14th International Brigade in Spain, 12/1936-2/1937: arrival in Figueras; move to Albacete; organisation of volunteers by Andre Marty in bullring in Albacete, 12/1936. REEL 3 Continues: drill training at Madrigueras; reactions of Irish volunteers to election of George Nathan as commander; opinion of wounding of Wilfred Macartney; distribution of uniforms at Albacete, 12/1936; move to Cordoba front, 12/1936; state of arms and ammunition issued at Andujar; duties as No 2 on Lewis Gun; strafing of vehicles by Nationalist Air Force; nature of first action during advance to Lopera; encounter with Jock Cunningham and John Cornford at Lopera; abandoning of advance under Nationalist artillery barrage at Lopera, 12/1936; spotting Nationalist cavalry whilst participating in reconnaissance patrol. REEL 4 Continues: returning to unit after patrol; opinion of execution of Major Lasalle after action at Lopera; sight of death of John Cornford by machine gun fire at Lopera; nature of action at Lopera, 12/1936; desertion of Mike Brown; impressions of move to Las Rozas, 1/1937; terrain and rations; sustaining wound and hospital treatment in Madrid; atmosphere in Madrid, 1/1937; convalescence at Castellon de la Plana and Benicasim; responding to call to reinforce British Battalion on Jarama front, 2/1937; arrival at Jarama, 15/2/1937. REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as deputy commander at International Brigades depot at Morata de Tajuna, Spain, 2/1937-3/1937: appointment at deputy commander; his handling of Ernest Hemingway; story of reaction of JBS Haldane to pile of dud shells. Recollections of period as runner with British Battalion, 15th International Brigade in Spain, 3/1937-8/1937: Harry Pollitt’s address to British Battalion, 3/1937; activities with advanced party prior to arrival of battalion at Alcala de Henares, story of original version of song ‘Jarama’; attachment to work on International Brigade newspaper ‘Our Fight’; memories of George Aitken; production problems on ‘Our Fight’ at Jarama; reaction to introduction of rank system and separate eating arrangements for officers and men; journey to Brunete front in propaganda truck. REEL 6 Continues: shelling of propaganda truck; role as runner during Battle of Brunete, summer 1937; story of reaction to Wally Tapsell’s speech inciting disaffection; effects on battalion of death of George Nathan; attachment to commissariat of American Battalion; attitude towards American personnel; return to battalion; attitude towards Wally Tapsell’s attitude to role of British battalion; contrast between British Battalion and continental battalions; move to Ebro front, 9/1937; reaction to Wally Tapsell’s appointment as battalion commander. Aspects of period as political commissar with Transport Unit, International Brigades at Albacete, Spain, 9/1937-5/1938: background to appointment as political commissar and promotion to captain; duties as political commissar including lecturing; cold weather condition at Teruel, 12/1937. REEL 7 Continues: victory parade with civilians after Battle of Teruel; duties as political commissar; reaction to news of repatriation, 5/1938. Aspects of period as civilian in GB, 1938-1939: return to GB; addressing Labour Party meetings in Manchester on his experiences in Spain, 1938; attitude towards Communist Party’s treatment to returning volunteers. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Corps of Signals in GB, 1939-1944: story illustrating discrimination against former members of International Brigade members; posting as wireless operator to commandos; duties as direction finding wireless operator; re-grading after chest infection and posting to Trowbridge. REEL 8 Continues: Aspects of period with Army Personnel Department in GB and Brussels, Belgium, 1944-1945: duties on personal testing using Raven matrix tests at War Office, London; reactions to personnel testing methods; story of working on personnel testing with 21st Army Group in 1944; effect of court martial error on his army record; transfer to personnel selection unit in Brussels, Belgium, 1944-1945. Aspects of period as NCO with Control Commission Germany in Germany, 1945: posting as warrant officer to Munster, 1945; activities of staff; problems enforcing De-Nazification; story of British soldier accused of theft. REEL 9 Continues: his arrest for insubordination; how he disputed error on discharge papers.