INTERNATIONAL BRIGADES ANNIVERSARY CYCLE RUN.

       A group of cyclists will set off from Edinburgh next Monday (19 September) for a tour of Britain and Ireland to remember the volunteers from the British Isles who joined the International Brigades.

       Organised by the National Clarion Cycling Club 1895 (NCCC), the IBMT-supported ride will mark the 75th anniversary of the formation of the International Brigades in October 1936 to fight General Franco’s fascist-backed revolt against the Spanish Republic.

       Seven cyclists will complete the entire 645-mile itinerary, with others joining them for shorter parts of the route. They will call at International Brigade memorials along the way, where wreaths will be laid and homage paid to the 527 men and women from Britain and Ireland who were killed in the war in Spain.

       The cyclists will arrive in London in time for the IBMT’s annual general meeting on 1 October and the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street on the following day.

       IBMT members are invited to support the riders, by joining them for parts of their route or by attending the ceremonies of remembrance at International Brigade memorials.

ITINERARY.

19 September: Assemble 9.30am at IB memorial, Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh; to Glasgow via Blantyre and Rutherglen IB memorials; 60 miles.

20 September: Assemble 9.30am at “Pasionaria” IB memorial, Custom Quay, Glasgow; to Cairnryan; 85 miles.

21 September: Cairnryan by ferry to Larne; onwards to Belfast; 25 miles.

22 September: Assemble 9.30am at IB memorial, Saint Anne’s Square, Belfast; to Dundalk; 55 miles.

23 September: Dundalk to Dublin; 55 miles.

24 September: Assemble 9.30am at IB memorial, Liberty Hall, Dublin; to Arklow; 62 miles.

25 September: Arklow to Rosslare; 58 miles.

26 September: Rosslare by ferry to Fishguard; onwards to St Clears; 33 miles.

27 September: St Clears to Cardiff via IB memorial in Swansea; 62 miles.

28 September: Assemble 9.30am at IB memorial, Cathays Park, Cardiff; to Bristol; 55 miles.

29 September: Assemble 9.30am at IB memorial, Castle Park, Bristol; to Streatley; 35 miles.

30 September: Streatley to London via Reading IB memorial (at 9.30am); join more cyclists at Olympia at approximately 3pm; arrival at IB memorial and mural in Cable Street at approximately 5pm; 60 miles.

MORE INFORMATION

NCCC clarioncc@yahoo.co.uk

IBMT secretary@international-brigades.org.uk

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SPANISH CIVIL WAR, 75 YEARS AGO THIS YEAR.

PRESS RELEASE:      Files reveal full extent of British involvement in the Spanish Civil War.

        More volunteers may have left Britain with the aim of joining the International Brigades in Spain than previously thought according to documents discovered at The National Archives.

      This year marks the 75th anniversary of the start of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936. Despite the British government’s official policy of non-intervention, thousands of men and women from Britain and Ireland were inspired by their political beliefs to fight in defence of the Spanish Second Republic. They were among the first of a generation defined by the fight against Fascism.

        The British Security Service, sometimes known as MI5, was interested in which British volunteers were defying the ban to fight in Spain as many were also suspected members of the Communist Party. 

      James Cronan, Diplomatic and Colonial Records Specialist at The National Archives, said: “The records show that the Security Service tracked the movements of around 4,000 people it believed were trying to travel to Spain to fight with the International Brigades, many more than previously thought. It’s not clear how many made it to Spain although we know that hundreds never returned. “The International Brigades brought volunteers together from all over the world in defence of democracy but few if any records exist of their service. That’s why uncovering a document like this is so exciting.”

      The list has now been digitised and is available to view online at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/spanish-civil-war. It provides researchers and historians with a valuable new resource and is a good starting point for anyone wishing to find out whether a relative fought in Spain. The annotated list includes entries for the poet John Cornford, union leader Jack Jones and Eric Blair, better known as George Orwell, whose famous book Homage to Catalonia detailed his experiences with the International Brigades.

CAPA; Refugees on the beach.

      The newly-digitised material contains more than 200 pages of names and dates detailing the movements of the men and women who left British ports on their way to the frontline in Spain and a roll of honour of those killed in action. A selection of index cards have also been digitised and put online for notable brigade volunteers including the classicist Bernard Knox, Irish Brigade leader Frank Ryan and George Orwell as well as recently deceased veterans such as Sam Lesser, Bob Doyle, Jack Edwards and Paddy Cochrane.

     A ceremony will be held on 2 July 2011 at the International Brigades Memorial in Jubilee Gardens, London to mark the 75th anniversary of the start of the conflict with two of the five surviving British veterans. Further commemorations are planned later this year.

Contact secretary@international-brigades.org.uk for details.

For media enquiries please contact Thomas Norton on 0208 392 5277 or e-mail press@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

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