| Spanish Republican Exiles to Britain |
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| Spanish Republican on a Anti-Franco demonstration at Trafalgar Square (press for bigger view of photograph and tell us the year if you know it) |
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| Spanish Republicans fighters never recognised in Great Britain |
| e-mail us with your comments on: editor@spanishrefugees-basquechildren.org |
This very special photograph depicts the great disgrace of the British authorities. These men are Spanish Republicans who lost their own war in Spain against the fascist and re- actionary forces from 1936 to 1939, and became exiled in Britain. Most were then given the option to join the British Army and did so to continue the fight against the spread of Nazism in the rest of Europe. Several fought in Norway, Crete and other countriies. Many not present gave their lives. So where are these men standing? What are they commemorating? What year was it? There are so many qestions to ask and still many remain unanswered? We need your help! These proud and courageous men have never been recognised by the Brtish military, British Legion and government authorities. They are standing at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. They are about to lay a wreath decorated with their Republican colours of red, yellow and purple "To the memory of the Spaniards who gave their lives in the fight for freedom 1939-45". The year? We think it is 1986. Yet as Miguel Ramina, in the third row on the left, told us, the day was NOT Remembrance Sunday, but the following Sunday! THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO MARCH ON REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY. NOT TO BE TOGETHER WITH OTHER SOLDIERS AND REMEMBER THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES. They were alone that Sunday, alone, Spanish Republicans alone, proud yet not recognised. They were not allowed to join Remembrance Sunday, and this was the ONLY TIME THEY WERE ALLOWED TO REMEMBER THEIR COMRADES. They had requested, mainly by the 4 at the front, many times to the organisers and the British Legion to be part of the commemorations. They were NEVER ALLOWED TO JOIN AND NEVER RECOGNISED. Some like Miguel, had joined the French Foregin Legion, were awarded medals and are remembered every year at the Memorial opposite Victoria Station, on Remembrance Sunday. Some fought with the British Army in Norway and were recognised by the Norwegian military and government with medals, certificates and for photographs, again on Remembrance Sunday yet alone in front of the Cenotaph. In 1940, Miguel and Fernandez joined the Queens Regiment (6th Platoon F company) but they were told after 8 months that because their English was poor they were going to form Spanish Units. |
| It seems that all the Spaniards, who were all Spanish Republican exiles, were brought together in late 1940 to form 3 Spanish units till they were demobed in 1946. The were each called, the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 Spanish companies of the British Army and the 500 or so made them up as well as their British instructors named them as such amongst each other. These units fought in various places together with other units of the British Army, which included many from different countries united in their role to defeat German facism. But they were all told by the British that they had to say that they were from South America and not Spanish. They all wore British uniforms with an "S" on their sleeve. We are learning that there are many occasions and incidents in which Spanish Republicans in Britain have not been recognised by the British military and government. Please tell us of any others. We have to ask why this is? The reason given to us by a living member of the Spanish Company is that the British military and government did not want to offend General Franco. From the shame of non-intervention during the Spanish Civil War thus favouring Franco who was clearly b3ing helped by the Germans and Italians, and denying their support to the democratically elected Republic, which directly led to the victory of Francos facism over the Spanish people, with the World War II looming, the British government wanted Franco to take a neutral position. This 'neutrality' continued after the defeat of Hitler and Mussolinin, in 1945, ofr another 30 years when Franco died in 1975 and even after that. It seems the British government cared more about not offending Franco and less about defending the people of Spain. To have recognised the Spanish Republican exiles who fought against fasiscm in Europe, even with the British Army, would not have fitted in with the policy of the British establishment. Please get contact with us should you have further information on this aspect. We are also seeking to make contact with the families and friends of Spanish Republicans who were involved in these army units. Manuel Moreno |
Front row from the left; Agustin Negueroles, Jaime Mas, Martinez and Varga. Second row; 'Pino' and Luis Portillo, third row; Miguel Ramira and behind him; Navarete -- all with their own stories. (The above photograph, we think, was taken by a Morning Star photographer) |
| The above photograph is a London Reunion organised in 1942 by the magazine AMISTAD. The magazine was first publish in 1940 under the title of Basque Children's Committee and later by the International Committee for Spanish Child Refugees. The magazine was dedicated to reuniting all those Basque children who remain in Great Britain. It ceased in 1944 after 25 issues were produced. |
TO THE MEMORY OF THE SPANIARDS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM 1939-45 |
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On Monday 18th December 2006 a momentous meeting took place at the Spanish Embassy in London. A gathering took place, for the first time, of Spanish Republicans and the Spanish Ambassador, Carlos Miranda. I had been organising information and material concerning the Spanish Republican exiles in the UK participating in the liberation of Europe from fascism. Research on the various 2nd World War campaigns, show that Spanish republicans volunteered to fight with the British Army and the French Foreign Legion. The campaigns included Norway, and the early battles in Narvik, the initiation and formation of the Commandoes and their first campaigns in the Middle East and the D Day campaign which eventually libera- ted Europe of the German and Italian fascist and Nazi regimes. Their story has not been told in any detail and certainly not recognised by the Spanish or British governments. One has to look at the reasons way this is. We will come back to these matters. In an attempt to break the tradition, various people and organisations in Britain decided in 2006 to seek the Spanish Ambassadors attention and to invite him to their commemora- tions, including Gary Font for the Jersey commemorations of the Spanish slave labourers in May, followed by Marlene Sideway of the International Brigades in July and again by Eddie Adams of the Portobello Road, London W10 communi- ties for the unveiling of a beautiful mosaic on the Spanish Civil War. Carlos Miranda has spoken on all these occasions and said some memorable things in support of the struggle for Spanish democracy and the important played by the International bri- gades as well as those many who had helped. A long with these activities he was interested to invite for the first time, on Spanish soil, as is the Embassy in London, any remaining fighters who had joined the British Army and fought against fascism. Most have passed away, but I man- aged to get along Miguel Ramira and Francisco Sisto, both of whom had actually been in combat as well as two others who had acted as support staff with Auxiliary units of the British War Office. All were well into their 90's. The press office of the Embassy had certainly worked well to get the story into the Spanish media, the TVE and news media being at strength yet the British could only muster the BBC World Service. The main people interviewed were the two combatants, the Ambassador and myself. Sisto and myself were on the BBC radio on the same day just before 6pm and I am sure can be retrieved on their website. We are in the progress of retrieving other reportage from Spain . We also recorded the meeting: audiovisually. A copy can be available soon. We will be writing more about these various campaigns shortly. For the moment, Miguel, having fought with the 31st battalion for the republican army in Teruel, and the Ebro, retreated crossing the French border at Le Perthus, Was placed in the concentration camps on the French beach of St Cyprian and eventually got to Britain before the fall of France to the German army. In Britain he together were several other Spaniards joined the British Army, in his case with the Queens Regiment and fought in the disastrous campaign at Narvik in Norway. Many Spaniards lie dead on their soil. Miguel was injured and returned to Britain. He then was in active service with the Allied invasion of France as support staff In August 1944, sweeping east in the liberation of Europe. He like all others was not given the chance to defeat fascism in their own country Spain. Miguel is remarkably well, eloquent and passionate, and displays his many medals from the Norwegians and the French, Sisto, now 94 years old, fought in Norway with the French Foreign Legion and also has many stories to tell. Manolo Andres and Jose Mantas were the other two Republicans who served as support staff in the Auxialioary Units, as was our father Juan Moreno. The Spanish Ambassador gave a very good speech followed by myself, again on the theme of recognising for the first time here the importance of the contribution Of the Spanish Republicans who helped the liberation of Europe against fascism, their battle for Spain was far too late. Recognition was also given to the many 1,000s of Spaniards in France, who as exiles joined the Resistance movements against the German occupants, thus liberating France, in fact some of the first to enter Paris with General Leclerc and then amassed in the Pyrenees to enter Spain to liberate it only to be stopped by the Allies. More research is still being undertaken and an archive developed. Should you wish to share your comments or can provide information or material, please get in contact with us. Manuel Moreno |
| Spanish Republican delegation meets Spanish Ambassador in London |
| The Spanish Republican delegation with the Spanish Ambassador Carlos Mirada; fifth from the left. |
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| The Spanish Ambassador addressing the delegation and the Spanish Press. |
| Manuel Moreno explaining why the Spanish Republicans deserve to be recognised in this country. |
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