The Dimitrov Battalion

by Laza Wovicky

February 12. Noon. We marched towards olive trees, where the 
enemy were. The enemy saw us and opened out a violent machine gun 
fire against us. We spread into fighting formation. We advanced 
about 300 yards without firing a single shot. 
We opened fire at about 200 yards from the enemy lines. 
A fierce and bloody struggle began. It was our first armed struggle 
against Fascism. Most of us were atingle with anxiety to get into closer 
touch with our enemy. I do not know how long this first battle lasted, 
or how the time passed. 
It was here that, like many of my comrades, I fired a rifle for the 
first time in my life. 
At the end of our advance the Fascists were using their legs much 
more than their rifles. We chased them for three kilometres, but they 
ran faster than we could. 
Behind them, they left a great number of wounded on the ground 
which slopes down to the Jarama River. We cheered and singing the 
“International”, went forward once more. 
But on the other side of the river were great numbers of enemy 
machine guns. 
The enemy sent his tanks against us, and as we had no anti-tank 
guns or bullets, we had to stop advancing and retire a hundred yards 
to the cover of the olive trees and there we stayed until the darkness 
put an end to the firing of the enemy tanks, which were lumbering 
around in front of us. 
We all slept very badly that night. Sleep is not easily achieved 
on those hills in the middle of February, when you have no blankets. 
In the middle of the night we were told that our tanks would come 
up at about five in the morning and that we were to advance with them. 
Our enthusiasm rose once again. The Fascist tanks would no longer 
have us at their mercy. 

44