On July 25th, after a heavy fire, the fascists broke our 
lines at Brunete, our company received orders to move up to the 
cemetery at Brunete to cover the retreat of the troops to their 
next lines. We had only nine tanks at that time. The fascist 
artillery concentrated its fire on our tanks from three directions, 
keeping up the fire steadily for three hours. The tanks had to 
be on the move in an attempt to avoid the shells. A great many 
shells did not explode. One of the tanks was slightly damaged 
by a direct hit, but the infantry was able to reach its second 
line. There was great courage, devotion and ability displayed 
in this memorable action of the anti-fascists.

After twenty-five days at the front, our battalion received 
orders to return to its base. Over one hundred Spanish sold-
iers arrived to take over the tanks. They had just completed 
a three-month training course in the Tank School. Some Span- 
iards in our battalion were transferred to another. Rumours 
reached us that we were to be given new, bigger and better 
tanks.

Five days of practical training with the new soldiers, and 
we were on the go again. New tanks awaited us, hidden in a 
park near a river. They were bigger in size, heavier and faster. 
After three weeks of hard work, we were ready to take them 
into action. 

One day, we had manoeuvres reviewed by General Rojo. 
We were proud to show him and his staff what the new tanks 
could do. The tanks leaped a long distance into the air from 
a tramplin, broke through a thick concrete wall, climbed a hill 
at a sharp angle, breaking down all obstructions in their way. 

Having destroyed an imaginary machine-gun nest of the 
enemy, the tanks broke through imaginary fascist lines, paving 
the way for the infantry to advance. General Rojo was pleased 
with the efficiency of our manoeuvres. With high spirits, en- 
couraged by the praise of General Rojo, we set out on a long 
train journey to the front. Only the staff knew where we were 
going. After passing through Valencia, we surmised that we 
were heading for the Aragon front. Finally we reached our 
destination. Huge crowds greeted our arrival at the station. 
In twenty minutes, our tanks thundered through the streets of 

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