ween the Fascist and Republican troops. The morale of the Republican troops withstood the most terrific punishment the Fascists «with their preponderance in aircraft and artillery were able to impose. On the other hand it brought tangible proofs in the person of 1,100 prisoners of the beginning of demo-ralisation and disintegration in the Fascist ranks. In Brunete hundreds let themselves be taken prisoners; in Villanueva del Pardillo a whole Battalion surrendered unconditionally.

The Brunete offensive showed the Republican Army on the march and laid the foundations for the Aragon and Teruel victories.

Throughout the Brunete operations the XV Brigade played an imp- ortant role being almost continuously in action for three weeks, its

\fi_) §'.\\Y\S». \ \/ . nwfq _, K) ~,“ 1:: Imoo

_ ‘ \ - \ \ VA§l.0ff4)0A’It£0.: ‘\Q,\ .- " ’ ..-.‘\ X_;_\ \.\J ask

, H/MA.»/U2’!/A o‘£z'/mp/zzo '3 4% zAsRo2A_s_vr713z'/To‘/2’/0---} \

E ‘ O ,5 ‘I To . .“"‘~.... j .‘.\.- ‘ |‘\ = “~\ ‘~ FWN‘ x/(1-7’ ; ‘. ‘ ~ .44 JA’oA//o DA ~

, , 3 Iv/115; AI\lq4 or CA3).Tl(L'°t0 / 9 cg! \ \ , ;'V/ttANt/'£’l'/A 054,4 )/vAoA s, k) /

\'.Qa ‘I

. I ? . -'7 ROM/W/uo . “ RA mm ‘- ‘ .‘ ‘ \ .- ' ‘~- ~' pozuao 05 AM’ ~ V

1/’ , QU/J0,/?NA ~\ ts“ , . \

7/ , ‘ 0". , . :0 ” I~

. ,. .. /<’.l/M-‘ 7-‘ " \ B040/l.lA'D1-‘t MONTE ,' "" “_ ‘~_ U ' I’, , V" s I bl: 0L‘\ ‘ C /" I ' ‘\ -_ . ___ 4 _ N‘ “ ‘ '” ' -3}, ;" . ("A BAA/(Hit 9-—-— mm Row: V‘-~‘ on./pg ' u 2 u 0 2 4- 6 8 I0 _ RAIL ‘I./0m9ffO5'

‘-"""’ RIVERS

achievements subsequently earning the praise of the Republican High Command.

On the eve of the offensive the Brigade, commanded by Lieutenant- Colonel Copic, consisted of six Battalions (all under strength) and the British Anti—Tank Battery. The Battalions were grouped in two Reg- iments, one consisting of the British, Lincoln and Washington Battal- ions unden the command of Major Jock Cunningham, and the other consisting of the Franco-Belge, Dimitrov and 24th Spanish Battalions under Major Chapaiev. During the offensive, Major George Nathan, back from the XIV Brigade, acted as Director of Operations.

The British Battalion was comanded by Fred Copeman, the Lincoln

by Oliver Laaw (Martin Hourihan being now Adjutant to Jock Cunn-

131