B After a short stay in the Aviation Hospital, I was called before the International Medical Bureau which was in charge of medical and sanitary services for the International Brigade. With a paper in hand stating that I was “inutil total” for front service, I appeared before the Medical Tribunal which issued the final papers for repatriation and permission to leave the country.

The Spanish Government insisted that all volunteers der clared unfit for military service should appear before a govern’ ment medical tribunal. Detail-ed record and description of the men is taken. The Government wishes to make certain that at the end of the war all international volunteers will be sup» plied with the proper records which will enable them to share in the benefits the Government will grant to all men who served in its army.

On May 15th, saying goodbye to Barcelona, some thirty men, myself included, set out on an ambulance for a hospital located on the way to the French border. This was our last stopping place before entering France.

We were to enter France on May 16th. Due to reasons beyond the control of the Spanish Government, we were held up. It is a very beautiful place on the Mediterranean. It is a well—known summer resort where the rich from all over Europe visited and stayed. Now, its many villas housed four hundred and fifty sick and wounded from the International Brigade who were on their way home.

There were fifteen villas, two hotels, a large diningroom and a dance/hall, which was used as a reading room and meeting place. Here were men without arms, without legs, some maimed beyond description. There were no regrets. The men came to Spain to defeat fascism. This task was still ahead. It will be accomplished by the others still in the lines.

There were twentyzseven different nationalities in the group. They came from all parts of the world. Spanish was the intermediary language.

Each villa had its own committee of three, usually those who could get around without much dilficulty. They looked after the distribution of newspapers, books, cigarettes, purchas

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