Description
Object description
British civilian member of Young Communist League in Rutherglen, GB, 1931-1937; gunner and NCO served with Anti-Tank Bty, 15th International Bde in Spain, 6/1937-4/1938; served with No 3 Section, Machine Gun Coy, British Bn, XV International Bde in Spain, 4/1938-9/1938; served as adjutant with Spanish Anti-Tank Bty, 35th Div, Spanish Republican Army in Spain, 9/1938-10/1938
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Coatbridge and Rutherglen, GB, 1915-1931: family; political influences; opinion of education received at Catholic school; religious allegiances in Rutherglen; family's financial situation; father's political outlook; leaving school and obtaining employment; influence of works by author Upton Sinclair. Recollections of period as member of Young Communist League in Rutherglen, GB, 1931-1937: background to joining Young Communist League, 1931; employment as warehouse despatch clerk; attempt to form trade union; story of clash with anti-Catholic employer; activities with Young Communist League.
REEL 2 Continues: attending hiking trips and involvement in Kinder Scout style trespasses; composition of his branch of Young Communist League; personal interest in local housing conditions; local relations between religion and politics; questions of relations between different religions and Communism; Spanish Relief activities, 1936; incidents illustrating Young Communist League's internal discipline including reprimanding of Hugh Sloan; size of his branch; question of Scottish nationalism. Recollections of recruitment to International Bdes and journey to Spain via France, 4/1937-5/1937: background to decision to go Spain.
REEL 3 Continues: question of adventurism and pacifism; verse written for him and Hugh Sloan by Young Communist League member on departure for Spain; attitude to leaving home; reaction of parents to his decision to go to Spain; family relations; advice received from Peter Kerrigan; memories of other volunteers travelling by train from Glasgow; volunteers being refused entry at Calais, France; staying in homeless hostels in London, GB; entering France at Boulogne on second attempt; separation from group leader John Londragan in Paris, France, 5/1937; May Day celebrations in Paris, France, 5/1937; move to Lyon, France and story of group of volunteers following wrong contact; accommodation in Beziers, France; crossing Pyrenees Mountains on foot.
REEL 4 Continues: nature of crossing and composition of group including Ben Glaser carrying weak volunteer; arrival in Figureas, Spain, 10/5/1937. Aspects of period as volunteer with British Bn XV International Bde in Spain, 5/1937-6/1937: billeting at Figureas Castle including quality of rations; rolling of cigarettes; move to Albacete; issue of uniforms; brief training. Recollections of period as gunner and NCO with Anti-Tank Bty, XV International Bde in Spain, 6/1937-8/1937: formation of Anti-Tank Bty at Albacete; opinion of Malcolm Dunbar and Hugh Slater; question of discipline and class relations in battery; opinion of Malcolm Dunbar; training on Soviet 45mm M1937 Anti-Tank Gun; bombardments during thunder storms; initial deployment at Battle of Brunete, 6/1937; reaction to death of Fraser Crombie; Hugh Slater's picking up dismembered arm; duties in gun team; explanation of term 'Jimmy Higginism'.
REEL 5 Continues: field communications; in positions on Mosquito Ridge including death of Sergeant Jack Black, 11/7/1937; firing techniques; how dead mule attracted Nationalist fire; problems acquiring ammunition and manoeuvring guns; withdrawal from positions; question of reasons for Bill Alexander's deafness; work of American machine gunners; opinion of Nationalists; unit casualties; into reserve after Battle of Brunete; opinion of doggerel verses by Miles Tomalin; reorganisation of unit and arrival of Spanish replacements; promotion to sergeant and gun commander of No 3 Gun; memories of Sergeant Jimmy 'Paddy' Sullivan; move to Quinto; opinion of attitude of Republican troops at Quinto; shelling Nationalist positions at Quinto, 8/1937; wounding at Quinto, 24/8/1937.
REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of hospitalisation at International Bdes Hospital at Benicassim in Spain, 24/8/1937-30/9/1937: medical treatment received at dressing station and on hospital train; hospitalisation in International Bdes Hospital at Benicassim; story of Peter Daly's funeral at Benicasim. Aspects of period with Anti-Tank Bty, XV International Bde in Spain, 10/1937-4/1938: convalescing in battery cookhouse at Fuentes de Ebro; opinion of Spanish cooks; rejoining unit in reserve near Mas de las Matas; accommodation in convent; question of Christmas celebrations; character of journey to Teruel, 12/1937; clothing worn; work of battery at Teruel; question of use of anti-tank guns; conditions at Teruel; instance of anti-tank gun being used at Teruel; communication with Spanish gun crew members; prior recollection of dispute between commanders over guns after Battle of Brunete.
REEL 7 Continues: withdrawal from Teruel to Ambite for training; question of fraternisation with Spanish civilians; story of volunteer who deserted after Battle of Brunete; opinion of Nationalist forces; receiving mail and cigarettes from home; question of censorship; visits by Very Important Persons (VIPs); opinion of Ernest Hemingway and Sefton Delmer; reaction to introduction of saluting of officers; story illustrating discipline in battery; story of listening to talk on sexual behaviour at Ambite; role of political commissars; comparison between political commissars; retreat from Gandesa across River Ebro.
REEL 8 Continues: how his gun became separated from battery during retreat across River Ebro; background to being criticised by André Marty; crossing River Ebro prior to detonation of bridges, 3/1938; holding position at bridge, 3/1938; disbandment of battery, 4/1938. Recollections of period as NCO with No 3 Section, Machine Gun Coy, British Bn, XV International Bde, 35th Div in Spain, 4/1938-9/1938: taking command of artillery piece and opinion of its effectiveness; mountain position on Sierra Pandols; shooting down of Nationalist aircraft; panic shooting; removal of unit's gun and joining brigade scouts; decision to send George Baker home for propaganda work, 9/1938; redeployment to scouting position near Corbera; physical and psychological condition of Ben Glaser; investigating break in Spanish Republican lines near Corbera; death of Ben Glaser, 8/9/1938. Aspects of period as adjutant with Spanish Anti-Tank Bty, 35th Div, Republican Army in Spain, 9/1938-10/1938: appointment as adjutant, 18/9/1938; positions; morale; method of quelling panic; reaction to being left with unit and on own near Corbera.
REEL 9 Continues: Aspects of repatriation and return to GB, 10/1938-11/1938: reaction to withdrawal of International Bdes; morale at Ripoll; sight of war materials for Spanish Republic on French borders; farewell parade for International Bdes in Barcelona, 29/10/1938; interviews by League of Nations officials; delay in repatriation at Ripoll; refusing food from Salvation Army during train journey through France; reception in London and Glasgow. Aspects of civilian in Rutherglen and Rotherham, GB, 1939: campaigning for Spanish Republican relief; reasons for move to Rotherham, 4/1939; question of being pressurised to rejoin the Catholic Church; employment in steel works; attempts to contact Spanish comrades; story of imprisonment of Ted Edwards; question of British Army's discrimination against Communists.
