Sideligphts on the l3attle

Telephone Wires, cut several times daily by bombardment, were taped together with bits of cloth and paper, no other material being available.

One night, Pat Reade Was running a telephone Wire from Battalion Headquarters to the various Companies along a route which led him up and down several hills. Seeing a figure silhouetted against the sky, first on one hill then on another, the Fascists took alarm and opened up. From the intensity of the fire it was evident they were convinced that they had‘ discovered at least a Company trying to make a night attack. Reade, disregarding the fire, finished his Work and returned unhurt.

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During the first day of the offensive, when the Brigade crossed the Guadarrama river, they had to Wade through water at least three feet high. As the offensive proceeded, the river dried up completely. The sun was beating down umercifully and the men were parched with thirst. Water was often obtained by digging iii the dry river—bed.

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Chasing the Fascists over the Guadarrama river, a few of the Wash» ingtons took cover under a tree when they ran into heavy fire from Mosquito Ridge. While under the tree, the men suffered several cas- ualties.

Looking up the men noticed a white piece of cloth tied on a branch and called Wallace Burton’s attention to it. Burton had served in the French Foreign Legion and as result was familiar with the tactics of the Moors. The Moors had a trick of marking the points from which they retreated, measuring off the distance and thus getting the range from their new position. The White rag was a marker.

The Section Was immediately moved into another position saving further casualties.

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First Aid Men laboured hard, proving themselves real heroes. They advanced with the infantry, running to the wounded in the most exposed positions, bandaging them under the most intense fire and then carrying them—often as much as “five kilometres to the dressing stat- ions. Many of them gave their lives trying‘ to save the lives of the Wounded.

P. W. 168