Captain T. H. Wintringham

Captain Tom Wintringham, first Commander of the British Bat- talion in Spain was born in Lincolnshire England, forty years ago. Wintringham had just begun his studies at Balliol College, Oxford, when he decided to join the Flying Corps (later Royal Air Force). At eighteen years of age he found himself in France. When the Great War ended two years later, he left the Army with the rank of Captain, and "with a growing conviction that the ways of Imperialism lead humanity to dis- aster.

Back at Balliol, his activities included the formation of a Labour Club, organisation of undergraduate help for a transport strike, and culminated in less than two years with a visit to U.S.S.R. where “a mere public meeting called a Soviet” (to quote the London Times) was attempt- ing to change the ways of the world. Deciding that the “public meet- ing” Was on the right lines, Wintringham threw in his lot with it. From 1923 onwards his history is linked up with the Communist Party of Great Britain. In 1925 he was jailed for sedition and inciting soldiers to mutiny. In intervals in his varied Work for the Party, he has written

“The Coming World War” and “Mutiny” and founded the “Left Review”. . I

In Spain since August 1936, his first assignment was machine—gun instructor. Later he was appointed in command of the British Battal- ion and led it at Jarama. Wounded on his second day in the field, he was just convalescent when typhoid put him back for another a few months. - After a period as instructor at a11 Officers’ Training Camp, he rejoined the XV Brigade in August, as a staff-officer, only to be again wounded on his second day in action, during street—fighting in Quinto.

To the regret of all with whom he has ‘worked, and of all he has led, his wound incapacitates him from active service for an indefinite

period. C. R.

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