ISBN 978-1-913693-33-6

Between 1936 and 1939 several thousand men and women from Britain chose to leave the safety of their homes and involve themselves in another country’s civil war. The country was Spain, where a military uprising had been launched against the country’s Republican government. Most of the British who went to Spain were volunteers for the legendary International Brigades, though others served in other roles, such as medics, journalists or aid workers. A few even fought for Franco.

Drawing substantially on new material, these ten biographies tell the stories of a handful of those extraordinary men and women, explaining why they went to Spain, what happened to them there and the lasting, often dramatic impact the war had on their lives. While they survived the war, all were forever changed by their experiences. All of them were, in their different ways, forged in Spain.

The volunteers featured are:

• The Forgotten Warrior: Malcolm Dunbar  
• The Niños’ Second Mother: Leah Manning  
• The Cambridge Rebel: Peter Kemp 
• A Family Goes to War: The Haldanes 
• Their Man in Havana: Sam Lesser
• Out of Orwell’s Shadow: Stafford Cottman
• The Truculent Scotsman: Peter Kerrigan
• The Red Musician: Alexander Foote
• The Painter of Words: Clive Branson
• The Brilliant Surgeon: Alex Tudor Hart  

The Author

Richard Baxell is a historian who has written extensively on the British volunteers and the Spanish Civil War. His Unlikely Warriors was short-listed for the 2013 political history book of the year.

Review Comments

‘As the Spanish Civil War fades from living memory, Richard Baxell has rescued from obscurity some of the brave men and women who left the safety of their homes in Britain to risk all in the fight against fascism, using newly released archival material to bring their stories vividly to life.’ — Billy Bragg.

‘These enthralling biographies give a picture of the passions of the age … Baxell’s research is meticulous … Forged in Spain is a serious and moving book that may inspire readers to fight the rise of a new fascism today.’ — Michael Eaude, TLS.

‘This book will obviously be of great interest to both specialists and general readers who want to learn more about the Spanish Civil War but also those wishing to understand the role and fluctuating policy of the British Communist Party during this period.’ — Brian Rubin, The Orwell Society

‘Excellent research based on the latest files from a range of sources, well put together, with some sound judgements and reassessments.’ — Stephen Dorril, author of MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty’s Secret Intelligence Service.

‘Baxell does not avoid controversy and discusses rumours and humanity frailty. You do not get heroes in his book but what you do get is remarkable individuals, none of whom are perfect, described and researched in Baxell’s usual extensive manner.’ — Chris Hall, author of In Spain with Orwell.

‘This is a book that should be of great interest to many readers … the involvement of the volunteers in Spain is usually passed over as a footnote in British history. It is to be hoped that Forged in Spain will help rectify this situation.’ — Charlie Nurse, ¡No Pasarán!

Battersea CP demonstration by Clive Branson. Courtesy Rosa Branson / Richard Baxell

Cover image courtesy of Southworth Collection, Special Collections & Archives, University of California, San Diego.