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British Battalion
The British Battalion (1936–1938; officially the Saklatvala Battalion) was the 16th (from November 1937 the 57th) battalion of the XV International Brigade, one of the mixed brigades of the International Brigades, during the Spanish Civil War. It comprised British, Irish and Dominion volunteers.
A number of British volunteers, including Tom Wintringham, David Marshall and Ramona and Nat Cohen, and Scots nurse Annie Murray, arrived in Spain during August–September 1936. The men formed the Tom Mann Centuria, and in July/August they had been part of an attempt to liberate Majorca. Later they were joined by Bill Scott, becoming a rifle company in the German-speaking Thälmann Column. The Thälmann Battalion later formed part of XII International Brigade and fought in the Siege of Madrid, including the Battle of Ciudad Universitaria.
Another group of British volunteers – among them Jock Cunningham and John Cornford – fought with the French-speaking Commune de Paris Battalion, in the XI International Brigade. It also fought in the Siege of Madrid, including the battles for University City and Casa de Campo.
In December 1936, 145 British volunteers formed No. 1 Company of the French-speaking Marseillaise Battalion, part of the XIV International Brigade. They fought on the Córdoba front during December, and on the Madrid front during January 1937. Heavy fighting on 15 January at Las Rozas reduced the active ranks to 67.
In January 1937, the survivors of No.1 Company joined with 450 new British, Irish, and Dominion volunteers at Madrigueras, near Albacete, International Brigades headquarters. They were formed into an English-speaking battalion, with three infantry companies (Nos. 1, 3, 4) and a machine-gun company (no. 2). Its initial commanding officer was Wilfred Macartney, a former British Army officer who had served both in the Black & Tans and Spanish Foreign Legion, and then been sentenced to 10 years in HMP Parkhurst for spying for Russia. Canadian Bert "Yank" Levy served as an officer in No.2 company of the Saklatvala Battalion, under Wintringham from 1937. He was captured at the Battle of Jarama and spent six months in a Francoist jail until he was released in a prisoner exchange.
The battalion was numbered the 16th battalion of the International Brigades. It was formally named after Shapurji Saklatvala, the former Communist Member of Parliament (MP) for Battersea. However, this name never caught on and it was normally known as the "British Battalion". The Spanish also referred to it as "el batallón británico" or "el batallón inglés". Number 1 company was later called the Major Attlee Company after the leader of the British Labour Party, who visited the British volunteers in December 1937.
The British Battalion was attached to XV International Brigade, XV IB. The other battalions were the US Lincoln Battalion, the crack Balkan Dimitrov Battalion, and the Franco-Belgian Sixth February Battalion. In early February 1937 Macartney was recalled to the UK by his parole board. En route to the railway station at Albacete he was accidentally shot in the arm by the battalion commissar, necessitating transfer of command to Tom Wintringham.
In February 1937, the battalion fought at the Battle of Jarama. In a single day's bloody fighting on 12 February against Moors of the 7th Tabor of Melilla, part of the 8th Regiment of Francisco Franco's Army of Africa, the British Battalion suffered 275 casualties in No.1, No.3, and No.4 companies – leaving 125 riflemen fit for duty. On the second day of fighting, the machine gun company was surrounded by Spanish Nationalist troops and many of its members were captured. Battalion commander Tom Wintringham was wounded, and Jock Cunningham took command of the battalion's 140 survivors. On the third day of the battle the battalion was temporarily routed, but under the leadership of Cunningham and brigade commissar Frank Ryan, staged a counter-attack, singing the Internationale, in what would become known as the “Great Rally”. The battalion remained in the trenches at Jarama until 17 June 1937.
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British Battalion
The British Battalion (1936–1938; officially the Saklatvala Battalion) was the 16th (from November 1937 the 57th) battalion of the XV International Brigade, one of the mixed brigades of the International Brigades, during the Spanish Civil War. It comprised British, Irish and Dominion volunteers.
A number of British volunteers, including Tom Wintringham, David Marshall and Ramona and Nat Cohen, and Scots nurse Annie Murray, arrived in Spain during August–September 1936. The men formed the Tom Mann Centuria, and in July/August they had been part of an attempt to liberate Majorca. Later they were joined by Bill Scott, becoming a rifle company in the German-speaking Thälmann Column. The Thälmann Battalion later formed part of XII International Brigade and fought in the Siege of Madrid, including the Battle of Ciudad Universitaria.
Another group of British volunteers – among them Jock Cunningham and John Cornford – fought with the French-speaking Commune de Paris Battalion, in the XI International Brigade. It also fought in the Siege of Madrid, including the battles for University City and Casa de Campo.
In December 1936, 145 British volunteers formed No. 1 Company of the French-speaking Marseillaise Battalion, part of the XIV International Brigade. They fought on the Córdoba front during December, and on the Madrid front during January 1937. Heavy fighting on 15 January at Las Rozas reduced the active ranks to 67.
In January 1937, the survivors of No.1 Company joined with 450 new British, Irish, and Dominion volunteers at Madrigueras, near Albacete, International Brigades headquarters. They were formed into an English-speaking battalion, with three infantry companies (Nos. 1, 3, 4) and a machine-gun company (no. 2). Its initial commanding officer was Wilfred Macartney, a former British Army officer who had served both in the Black & Tans and Spanish Foreign Legion, and then been sentenced to 10 years in HMP Parkhurst for spying for Russia. Canadian Bert "Yank" Levy served as an officer in No.2 company of the Saklatvala Battalion, under Wintringham from 1937. He was captured at the Battle of Jarama and spent six months in a Francoist jail until he was released in a prisoner exchange.
The battalion was numbered the 16th battalion of the International Brigades. It was formally named after Shapurji Saklatvala, the former Communist Member of Parliament (MP) for Battersea. However, this name never caught on and it was normally known as the "British Battalion". The Spanish also referred to it as "el batallón británico" or "el batallón inglés". Number 1 company was later called the Major Attlee Company after the leader of the British Labour Party, who visited the British volunteers in December 1937.
The British Battalion was attached to XV International Brigade, XV IB. The other battalions were the US Lincoln Battalion, the crack Balkan Dimitrov Battalion, and the Franco-Belgian Sixth February Battalion. In early February 1937 Macartney was recalled to the UK by his parole board. En route to the railway station at Albacete he was accidentally shot in the arm by the battalion commissar, necessitating transfer of command to Tom Wintringham.
In February 1937, the battalion fought at the Battle of Jarama. In a single day's bloody fighting on 12 February against Moors of the 7th Tabor of Melilla, part of the 8th Regiment of Francisco Franco's Army of Africa, the British Battalion suffered 275 casualties in No.1, No.3, and No.4 companies – leaving 125 riflemen fit for duty. On the second day of fighting, the machine gun company was surrounded by Spanish Nationalist troops and many of its members were captured. Battalion commander Tom Wintringham was wounded, and Jock Cunningham took command of the battalion's 140 survivors. On the third day of the battle the battalion was temporarily routed, but under the leadership of Cunningham and brigade commissar Frank Ryan, staged a counter-attack, singing the Internationale, in what would become known as the “Great Rally”. The battalion remained in the trenches at Jarama until 17 June 1937.