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Negative comments
The records include assessments of the volunteers made by their political superiors in the latter part of the war in Spain. Many are highly derogatory, referring to desertion, drunkenness and indiscipline, but should be taken with a pinch of salt, sometimes a very large amount. They were written for internal use, primarily as an assessment of suitability for future membership of the Communist Party at home and were often made by a party representative who may have had a grudge against certain individuals or may simply have been wrong. Many volunteers with outstanding military records in Spain – including senior ranking officers – received extremely critical assessments.
William Crawford
Other name:  John
Place of birth: Glasgow
Year of birth: 20th September 1896
Political organisation: ex CP '23-34 & NUS & NUWM
Occupation: Pipe Fitter
Date of arrival: 30th January 1937
Brigade ID: 509
Date of departure:
Date of death: 28th February 1937
Where killed: Jarama
Comments: Address given as; 247, Barnard Street, Glasgow. Married 3 children. Died in the military hospital at Tarencon 28 February 1937 as a result of wounds received in action. (IBA Box 21a File A).
Source: IBA Box 21 File A & Box D-7 File A/2, RGASPI 545/6/91 https://www.thelocal.es/20150226/in-muddy-fieldsspains-international-brigades-live-on/ https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-courier-advertiser-fife-edition/20130227/281732676899860
George Crawford
Other name: 
Place of birth: Scotland
Year of birth:
Political organisation:
Occupation:
Date of arrival: 21st September 1936
Brigade ID:
Date of departure: October 1936
Date of death:
Where killed:
Comments: Member of Scottish Ambulance Unit. Sent home on 11 October for reasons of ill health
Source:
Ben Davies
Other name: 
Place of birth: ?
Year of birth: 19th October 1903
Political organisation: CP '33 & NUWM & NUGMW
Occupation: Labourer
Date of arrival: 7th January 1937
Brigade ID: 40
Date of departure: September 1938
Date of death:
Where killed:
Comments: 7yrs BA. Address given as; 7, Crawford Street, Newport, Mon.(Family residing there in 1939). Wounded 14/2/37. Listed for repatriation, then sent back to fight at Belchite, where he was wounded again . 'Repatriated' (IBA Box D-7 File A/1)
Source: IBA Box D-7 File A/1, RGASPI 545/2/114/156 & 545/2/124/28,30 & 545/6/39/2 & 545/6/40/105 & 545/6/89/11 & 545/6/90/5 & 545/6/91/46 & 545/6/122/60-63.
Edward McBride
Other name:  Crawford
Place of birth: ??
Year of birth: 1902??
Political organisation: TGWU & FSU
Occupation: Dock Labourer
Date of arrival: 30th January 1937
Brigade ID: 534
Date of departure: 28th August 1937
Date of death:
Where killed:
Comments: Address given as; c/o Crawford, 4, Ann Street, Liverpool. Fought with Mac-Paps. Repatriated on health grounds.
Source: IBA Box D-7 File A/2, RGASPI 545/2/55/188 & 545/2/124/130 & 545/6/40/112 & 545/6/91/78 & 545/6/169/20.
David Stirrat
Other name: 
Place of birth: Glasgow, Scotland
Year of birth: 19th September 1915
Political organisation: YCL '33
Occupation: Driver/Mechanic
Date of arrival: 13th October 1937
Brigade ID: 1365
Date of departure: 7th December 1938
Date of death: 1986?? - Glasgow??
Where killed:
Comments: Address given as: Father, 35, Albany Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow. Returned back to the BB after Calaceite, where he was caught behind enemy lines for three weeks.. His health never really recovered. Repatriated. Nephew of Bill Crawford KIA Jarama.
Source: IBA Box D-7 File A/1, RGASPI 545/6/39/152 & 545/6/91/133 & 545/6/205/5-7. & NA FO371/22654. "Voices from the Spanish Civil War" Edited byIan MacDougall p262-275.
Edward "Sonny" Hillman
Other name:  Arthur John
Place of birth: Laindon, Essex
Year of birth: 10th May 1913
Political organisation:
Occupation: Pilot in the Spanish Republican Air Force
Date of arrival: 31st August 1936
Brigade ID:
Date of departure: 5th October 1936
Date of death: 3rd July 1975 - Deewhy, New South Wales, Australia
Where killed:
Comments: Address; 24, Tudor Avenue, Gidea park, Essex. Left Victoria Station with Carter, Warsow, Crawford and Griffin. Arrived at Getafe airbase on 3/9/1936. Shot down 18/9/1936 flying a Dewoitine D.372 by the Italian Sottotenente; Adriano Mantelli Survived. 1939 working as a Flying Instructor in Derbyshire. June 1939 joined RAF in Nottingham. Commissioned in 1941 and worked at flight training bases. Flew with Swedish Airlines for 8 years after WWII.
Source: http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/scw-1936.htm "Thye Fliers" by Brian Bridgeman. p116-117
Brian Griffin
Other name:  Douglas
Place of birth: Charlton, London
Year of birth: 26th January 1917
Political organisation:
Occupation: Pilot
Date of arrival: 3rd September 1936
Brigade ID:
Date of departure:
Date of death: 11th September 1936
Where killed: Shot down over Talavera de la Reina
Comments: Joined RAF and was stationed at Hatfield and Sutton before arriving at Westwood Aerodrome in Peterborough. Before military court in July 1936, guilty of stealing. Left Victoria Station on 31/8/1936 with Carter, Warsow, Hillman and Crawford. Of the British pilots, he had the least experience having only accrued 130 hours of flying time. Arrived at Getafe airbase on 3/9/1936. First British pilot to be shot down, flying a Nieuport-Delage NiD.52 after a battle with a Fiat CR-32 «Chirri», piloted by Sergente Patriani near Talavera de la Reina. Griffin was killed, aged 19 and buried at Carabanchel Military Cemetery in Madrid with full military honours.
Source: https://perrytwinkle.wordpress.com/2020/10/05/peterborough-uk-and-the-spanish-civil-war-brian-douglas-griffin "The Fliers" by Brian Bridgeman p115, 120-121

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