Colman, Julius 'Jud (Oral history)

British volunteer served as rifleman with No.1 Coy, 14th International Bde and with British Bn, 15th International Bde in Spain 12/1936-10/1938.

REEL 1 Background in Cheetham, Manchester, 1915-1936: education at Jewish school; emigre parents; father's employment as cabinet-maker; living conditions; occupations, origins of Jewish population in Manchester; question of family's Jewish orthodoxy; opinion of education; employment as cutter in textile industry; wages; employers; membership of Tailor and Garment Workers Union; political influence of Maurice Levine, recruitment to Young Communist League, 1932; membership of Jewish Lads Bde; question of strike activity, opposing British Union of Fascists; literary influences; opinion of 'Daily Worker;' relations between YCL and Communist Party; police attitudes; decision to go to Spain, 11/1936. Aspects of joining Republican forces in Spain, 11/1936: failure of initial attempt without CP approval; CP approval and organisation of volunteers; casualties amongst YCL comrades from manchester; knowledge of British volunteers already in Spain; reasons for going to Spain; question of telling family; kit. REEL 2 Continues: journey via Paris to Spain; question of military experience. Recollections of period with No.1 Coy, 14th IB and British Bn, 15th IB in Spain, 11/1936-10/1938: allocation to No.1 Coy at Albacete; military experience of Franco-Belge Bn; duties attachment to Machine-Gun Coy; training; opinion of Steyr rifles; move to Cordoba front,12/1936; route marches; reactions under fire; advice from old soldiers, battle of Lopera; question of execution of Delasalle; move to Las Rozas; view of casualties; nature of warfare on Cordoba front; rations of soup; weather conditions; relations with Irish volunteers; reactions to political commissars; question of treatment of 'adventurers' in unit; joining British Bn; posting of No.1 Coy, 14th IB 'veterans' to Guard Coy, Bde headquarters during battle of Jarama, 2/1937. REEL 3 Continues: reaction to posting on guard duties at Morata de Tahuna; reaction to action at Lopera; duties on Jarama front, 3/1937; opinion of commissar George Aitken; opinion of battle of Brunete, 7/1937; question of discussions of tactics; kit; Russian rifles; question of other nationalities; conditions, activities on leave in Madrid; rations; mail from home, food parcels; wine drinking; action, casualties during battle of Brunete; postings as hospital guard at Villapas, with anti-aircraft unit at Teruel; contracting pleurisy; return to GB; view of Villapas after air attack; opinion of guard duty; preparations for crossing Ebro, 7/1938; view of shell-shocked British volunteer.