Their subject was Bernard Mckenna, born 11/9/1915 in Manchester. He decided, like many of his countryman, to leave for Spain to help the cause of the Republic. He packed a few belongings into a suitcase and bought a weekend train ticket to Paris which cost him 30 shillings (£ 1.50). In Paris, he managed to find where the recruiting agency was located, after one night in a Paris hotel he left with others the next day on a bus heading for the Spanish border.

It was another 2 weeks before he joined up with the International Brigades where he was to be a telephone linesman. He took part in some small skirmishes leading up to the battle of Brunette. At Brunette he was wounded on the first day laying telephone lines for his HQ. The wound put him out of action for two months. He returned to the brigade serving with them there until he returned home.

*Ed's note ; for more on Bernard Mckenna and other British I. B's see 'DISCIPLINA CAMARADAS' by C. Hall, again available from Caliver books.