Monks, Patrick Joseph (Oral history)

Irish rifleman served with No 1 Coy, La Marseillaise Bn, XIV International Bde and with 20th International Bn, 86th Mixed Bde in Spain, 3/1937-7/1937

REEL 1 Background in Dublin, Ireland and London, GB, 1914-1936: family; education; family's Republicanism; activities with The Workers' Party of Ireland; employment in Dublin and London; membership of Communist Party of Great Britain in London; story of burning of Connolly House in London, 1934; attitude towards relgion; watching Aid Spain Movement demonstrations in London; opinion of Irish Republican Congress. Aspects of enlistment in International Bdes in Spain, 12/1936: decision to join International Bdes; meeting other volunteers at Place du Combat, Paris; train journey to Spain; reaction to singing of 'The Internationale'; attitude to leaving for Spain. Recollections of period as rifleman with No 1 Coy, International Brigade, XIV, La Marseillaise Bn, XIV International Bde in Spain, 12/1936-7/1937: formation of units in brigade; opinion of George Nathan's previous military service. REEL 2 Continues: training received from George Nathan at Headquaters, International Bdes at Albecete; terrain; arms issued; organisation and deployment of units near Lopera, 24/12/1936-27/12/1936; advance and firing at machine gun positions at Lopera, 27/12/1936; sustaining wound, 12/1936; hospitalisation for wounds, 12/1936-2/1937. Recollections of period as rifleman with 20th International Bn, 86th Mixed Bde in Spain, 3/1937-7/1937: formation of English speaking company, 3/1937; background to being sent home, 7/1937; in action at Chimorra, 4/1937; Nationalist deserters; positioning of machine guns; ex-Irish Republican Army (IRA) members in International Bdes; rations; use of foxholes; uniforms; daily routine. REEL 3 Continues: problems with command structure; sabotage; political commissars; relations with Anarchists; opinion of Juan Negrin; opinion of name British Bn; question of air attacks; sight of Spanish Republican Air Force fighter aircraft near Chimorra; strength of Spanish Republican and Nationalist Air Forces; issue of Russian/Soviet rifles; ammunition supplies; hand grenades; story of armistice fraternisation, 6/1937; Nationalist newspapers; occasion of being reprimanded for nude sunbathing before advance at Guadalajara; nature of discussions; home mail; comradeship; pay; unit's whip round for cigarettes for Catalan cabelloros; question of learning Spanish; return to Ireland, 7/1937; opinion of state of war, 7/1937. REEL 4 Continues: opinion of course of the Spanish Civil War, 1937-1939; question of evidence of anti-clericalism in Spain; opinion of defeat of Spanish Republic.