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Help Talking-up Scotland keep going.

Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going

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JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON

Sort Code – 08-91-04

Account – 12266421

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I was born into centuries of only coalmining with Presbyterianism and a good few decades of following ‘The Rangers’ but absolutely no active churchgoing or belief. They hated the ministers like all authority figures and the men only went for birth, marriage and death, with booze.

Working in US-owned petrochemicals which were not closed shops, in the 1960s, my father got to know Catholics and drifted from the Rangers and the bigotry, to Falkirk with a dash of 70s peace, love and understanding. What’s so funny about that?

Learning nothing of what the Empire had done in Ireland, from my school Higher History classes in 1968, University of Stirling Sociology (access) and students from all over including Ireland, along with seeing groups like Planxty with Christy Moore, properly sorted me out in the 70s. I’ve even given the Green Brigade £20 for football pitches in Palestine.

However, much as I enjoy the above song and everything he does, it misses something out and I know Moore has recognised the slip.

The song is about the Irish socialist volunteers, who were a small contingent (around 250) within the 15th International Brigade, and who in later years became known as the Connolly Column. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connolly_Column

The fifth/fifteenth error was due to similarity in the Spanish words “quinta” (fifth) and “quince” (fifteen). The Irish volunteers served with the XV (Fifteen) International Brigade

Scotland, as in other campaigns of ‘British’ forces contributed a disproportionately high share, 550, about 23% of the British volunteers—despite making up a much smaller portion – 9/10% – of the UK population. Many came from working-class backgrounds in places like Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and industrial areas. A significant number were Communists or socialists motivated by anti-fascism. They saw major action (and heavy casualties) at battles such as Jarama and Brunete. Around 129 Scots are estimated to have died. https://euppublishingblog.com/2021/02/15/the-scots-at-jarama/

Scottish involvement in the Spanish Civil War was heavily skewed toward the Republican side. Around 500–550 Scots volunteered to fight in the International Brigades (mainly the British Battalion of the XVth Brigade), plus medical and aid workers. This was a disproportionately high contribution relative to Scotland’s population. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_volunteers_in_the_Spanish_Civil_War

Support for Franco’s Nationalists existed but was limited and mostly non-combatant. A small minority of Scots—often from aristocratic, conservative, Catholic, or far-right circles—backed the Nationalists for reasons such as anti-communism, defence of the Catholic Church, or fascist sympathies. Notable figures included:

• Captain Archibald Maule “Jock” Ramsay (Unionist MP for Peebles), who formed the pro-Franco United Christian Front.
• Groups like the Scottish Friends of National Spain (linked to figures such as Major-General Sir Walter Maxwell-Scott).
• Limited activity by local British Union of Fascists branches (which never gained strong traction in Scotland).

There is no record of any significant number of Scottish combat volunteers fighting for Franco, in contrast to the hundreds who joined the Republicans. Pro-Franco sentiment in Scotland remained a clear minority, while public fundraising, medical aid (e.g., the Scottish Ambulance Unit), and volunteer recruitment overwhelmingly favoured the Republic.

So, Scots were over-represented in the anti-fascist forces in the Spanish Civil War by more than 2 to 1.

It was nothing new. In 1914-1918:

Meanwhile in Ireland, mentioned in Moore’s song, 700 men in the Irish Brigade out of 7 000 volunteers, led by Eoin O’Duffy fought for the fascists and Franco. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Brigade_(Spanish_Civil_War)

In relative terms, Scotland punched well above its weight on the anti-fascist side, while Ireland’s involvement reflected its sharper religious and political polarisation at the time.

___________________________________________________________

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going.

Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going

Or by direct bank transfer to:

JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON

Sort Code – 08-91-04

Account – 12266421

___________________________________________________________