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Fuentes Del Ebro, October 1937:
‘The last gasp of the Aragon Offensive’


The XVth International Brigade at Fuentes Del Ebro

13 to 23 October 1937

'Blast from the Past' multi period event, Cliveden, Buckinghamshire

September 2006

La Columna returned to the beautiful grounds of Cliveden House and did their utmost to transform it into to a past corner of Spain. As we had the chance to dig trenches we decided to set the display around the brief time that XVth International Brigade spent at Fuentes Del Ebro between 13th to 23rd October 1937.

To prepare the group for the display a brief description of the campaign was created, a copy of this can be found here.

Also available a short 'period news reel' created by a member of La Columna from images filmed over the weekend:

 

 

All the images below of La Columna's display were taken by member Dave Wilton on his 1936-vintage Agfa Billy Clack camera.

All photographs are Copyright David Wilton

Click thumbnails for full photograph

Ambulance driver

Mairi Ann looking rather demure dressed as a British volunteer Ambulance driver cum nurse who served alongside the more commonly remembered male volunteers of the International Brigades.

Quick link: Original Photograph of the Nurses of 15th Brigade from December 1937

'Digger' portraying a veteran Machine gun instructor, note his mix of civilian and military clothing.

Steve in the trench, it you click to see the main picture you will see his French WWI water bottle.

Cabo Palfrey taking a break from the constant drill he was instructing throughout the weekend. You can just about make out his rank insignia on his Pasamontana hat

Quick link: Rank insignia of the Spanish Popular Army

A view from behind the trench

The cookhouse and medical tent, note the wireless for listing into Radio 'Free Madrid'; the Spanish Civil War is often referred to as first Radio war - both sides harnessing the 'new' technology of radio for propaganda purposes.

Quick Links: Transcript of Radio broadcast by Dr Norman Bethune from Madrid January 1937

Hotchkiss heavy machine gun position

 

Milicana y Brigadista

Trench life

 

Constructing the trenches

 

A special honour for us all..

We had the honour of being visited on Saturday by Cora Portillo, mother of former Conservative minister Michael Portillo, whose late husband, Luis, came to Britain as Republican refugee following the Spanish Civil War.

Thank you for coming to see us Cora - you are welcome anytime.

 

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