speaking through the loud—speaker, the Fascist officers realised that they could not force their men to fight any longer. They became afraid that the men would turn on them and shoot them, as was the case at Quijorna in July, when six hundred of our misled brothers realised their error, shot their officers and joined our ranks.

Afraid of the «sioldiers, the officers stole away by one of the under- ground passages and took refuge in another strongly-fortified building. Now we realised there was more fighting in front of us. And though we Were very weary after days and nights without sleep, and fighting all the time, we were glad that this time we would not be firing on men who wanted to be our comrades. There would be opposed to us ‘only the Fascist officers who are the betrayers of Spain and the -enemies of the Spanish people.

We were awaiting orders, resting in a trench. Firing was still going on. Other Battalions ‘were searching for the traitor Fascist officers‘. Then, Robbie, Adjutant—Coimmissar of the Brigade came and spoke to us. He didn’t speak much Spanish but we understood that he was telling us the siesta was over and that we were to go into the fight. After ma- king a very good speech he went away to give instructions to other com- rades. Acting on orders, we moved closer towards the houses.

As this part of the town had been captured by our Brigade a few days earlier, we were unsuspecting. It was night time and except for the grenades bursting and the machine-guns firing further in in the town, there was nothing unusual happening.

Sudldenly, a few yards in front of us We heard voices and distin- guished a mass of people coming towards us. Some were women. There were shouts of “Camaradas!” We thought they were more of the people

who had been liberated. But we always had orders to challenge all

people coming from the town and establish their identity before we let them pass. Then our Commander shouted and we realised what was happening. These were Fascists who had escaped through one of the underground passages with which the town was honeycombed, and they were driving civilians before them in order to prevent us firing effec- tively.

Our Commander called on them to halt. The answer was a shower of grenades. Women, children, men and Fascists were now so mixed up and running in all directions that it was imposslible in the bad light

to distinguish anything clearly. We noticed that some of the civilians

were firing at us. t-erwards.

The whole affair had taken us by surprise. ted too much for fear of killing the civilians.

They were officers in disguise, as we found out af-

Then, we had hesita- So the Fascists were able

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