As the world we live in has become a more serious place since the events of September 11th, I had found myself in the Imperial War Museum in London, for the exhibition 'Spanish Civil War - Dreams and Nightmares'. So what's that got to do with Yorkshire? I here you say. Well, at the end of the exhibition, which is both enlightening and sad, there is a list of the fallen British fighters, who all had been part of the International Brigade. It lists them all - some several hundred; name, where from, year of death and location. The men from Yorkshire were ably represented, for example there were several from Leeds. But in my eyes one stood out - it being my home town, that of 'William Brent, Barnsley, 1938, Ebro'.
Now that's not to say that there were no others from Barnsley over there answering the call to defend the country from Fascism, that was so realistically represented in Ken Loach's film 'Land and Liberty'. So how many men joined up from Barnsley, I don't know. Maybe someone would like to take up the challenge and investigate it. It seems unlikely that he went alone. So, what of his friends who went with him? They may have died in the war that was to come.
So was William part of the last and most famous Republican offensive on July 26 1938? When a Republican force of 250,000 crossed the River Ebro with full armoured support during the night, and had surprised the Nationalist Morrocans forces, who were holding the south bank. Franco immediately re-inforced the battle from another front and began a furious level of aerial bombardment. He had refused to accept any form of defeat. The Battle of Ebro became a bitter battle of world war one proportions. During the war of attrition, there were heavy losses on both sides as they fought to capture trenches. The battle lasted for three and a half months, and ended with the Republicans in retreat. The Republican Cause had received a crushing blow to its morale.
Retreat from Aragon
Does William still have relatives in Barnsley? I expect so.
Being from the middle of the country, geographically speaking, you can sometimes feel a bit insulated. However, this is not true for all. Individuals can still make up their own minds. And many of them have left to fight in foreign lands for their beliefs, in contrast to the wishes of the Government of the day. I for one am glad Barnsley was represented in Spain. It could have helped to stop the attrocities to come, but the price was always going to be very high.
If you want to find out more about the exhibition at the Imperial War Museum, entitled 'Spanish Civil War - Dreams and Nightmares' - click HERE.
Try here for a more in-depth review of Ken Loach's film 'Land and Freedom (Tierra y Libertad).
