The Brigade and its Commander

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The XV Brigade was the fifth International Brigade to be organised ‘in almost the same number of weeks, when the fate of Madrid, nerve- centre of anti-Fascist Spain, was still in the r-balance.

The XV Brigade may today be described as an English—speaking Brigade in the sense that in its administration only the Engli.s‘hlanguage need be used in addition to Spanish. It is now composed of a British Battalion, an American Lintctotln-W.ashingtro»n Battalion, a Canadian Mac Kenzie-Papineau Battalion and a Spanish Battalion. In the follow- ing pages also feature two other Battalions which, for several months were attached to the XV Brigade. They are the Franco-Belge Battalion named the “Sixth of February” in commemoration of the formation of the People’s Front in France, and the renowned Dimitrov Battalion. The latter comprising Czecho-Slovaks, Croats, Germans, Italians, Hungarians, ‘Austrians, Yugo-Sllavs, maintains today in another Brigadethe proud

_ tradition it established for itself in the XV Brigade.

The Brigade has been commanded, almost since its inception, by Lieut.—rColonel V. Cotpic, ~quon»dam officer in the Austro—Hungarian Army. When after a few weeks —— in the case of some units, a few days — of hurried training the Brigade left for the Jarama front in the beginning of February, General Gall was in command. A few weeks later, he was promoted to command of a Division. Thenceforward, Lieutenant- Colonel Copic has been in command of the XV Brigade, throughout its four major campaigns, and one year of almost continuous front—line service. To his uninterrupted command is due to a great extent the ,welding of the various Brigade units into a capable fighting force which

has won for itself a foremost reputation in the Spanish Republican Army. / // ‘M t 1 fir’ .\‘\, ‘

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