Lives Given for Freedom

The Brunete victory electrified the World. But it had to be paid for -— and the price was the blood of some of the best fighters for liberty. Here We can mention only some of them, men from each unit and each service who were typical of the whole. Some died, rifle in hand facing the enemy. Others died doing less glamorous but equally necessary Work — bringing up munitions or food, or tending the wounded. All, from many services, from different nations, died in the same cause, and are equally cherished in our hearts.

Dr. Sollenberger, Dr. Robbins and Dr. Crosev together with some of their First Aid men and twelve wounded volunteers were killed when the Fascists bombarded one of our front—line dressing-stations.

The British Battalion lost most of its leaders. Charley Groodfellow, Second in Command, who had performed mxany heroic actions during eight months of war in Spain, was killed by shell-f~ire on Mosquito Rid- ge. Bill Meredith, Company Commander, cheery, courageous, fell at Vi- llanueva de la Cafiada. Commissar Bob Elliott, stern disciplinarian, gay comrade, died of Wounds. John Black, Second in Command of the Anti- Tank Battery, fell directing his Battery.

Alec McDade and George Brown, Political Commissars died as mili- tants of their type die, at the head of their men. Tommy Gibbons, Batta- lion secretary, and Pat Murphy from the ranks, Comrade Tatten, Bat- talion observer, and cheery young Harry Gross, all of different ranks, made equal sacrifice in the common cause.

Sam Masters did heroic work in getting the food up from the reser- ve to the front lines; he died at his task. So did Comrade Riddel of the Battalion kitchen ‘who was one of the casualties when Fascist aircraft straffed the field kitchen.

Charlie Duval and Rodriguez, French and Spanish interpreters res- pectively who had endeared themselves to all, veteran comrade McCabe, Willie Keegan of Bellshill, Frank Owen of Mardy, WhO had been jailed three times for working—class activity, Sidney Hamm, Cardiff Socialist

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