The historian Hugh Thomas estimates the numbers of Britons who served with the Nationalists at around twelve. In his history of British and commonwealth flyers between the two world wars Brian Bridgeman names several Britons who served as pilots or merely aided the nationalists in minor ways.

Peter Kemp

Peter Kemp was 21 when the civil war broke out. He was a graduate of Trinity college and had been a member of the Universities Conservative association. He decided to go to Spain to resist Communism. Through a friend he obtained a letter of recommendation from a member of the Nationalist agency in London. Kemp crossed to France where he met up with a pro nationalist Spanish nobleman who provided a courier who drove Kemp to the Spanish border and across into Nationalist Spain over the Irun international bridge

At first Kemp fought with the Carlist Requetes, but later transferred to the Foreign Legion, where he served in the 14th Bandera. In the Legion he became a captain because of his O.T.C ( officer training corps) certificate from Cambridge. He was wounded in Spain at the battle of the Ebro in 1938 facing the British volunteers in the 15th international brigade. During his time in Spain he was ordered to shoot an Irish International brigade POW, which he carried out. He left Spain in 1938 to convalesce from his wounds sustained on the Ebro, and in England he continued to argue the nationalist cause against returned International Brigade veterans.

During world War 2 he served as a commando and in the SOE. In 1945/46 he worked with the French in Indo - China against communist Vietminh guerrillas.

Other Britons

Other Britons who served in the Foreign Legion included Lieutenant Noel Fitzpatrick and William Nagle, both ex British army officers who served in the 5th Bandera. Cecil Owen served in the 16th Bandera and was killed at the Ebro in August 1938. Other Britons who served in the Legion included 2 Royal Marine deserters Stewart and Little, and two deserters from the Navy ; Wilson and Yarlett. The latter was killed in Spain.

John Amery was born in 1912, the son of a Conservative MP. He was kicked out of Harrow and wanted to become a film producer. He also had a love of fast cars and thus acquired many police fines. By 1936 his failed attempts to to be a film producer meant he was bankrupt. In October 1936 he went to Spain to help the Nationalists. He served as an intelligence officer in Spain and he helped run guns from France to Spain illegally.

After this he joined the Italian army in Spain, where he became an officer and won their medal of honour for bravery. He stayed in the Italian army until July 1939, then lived in Spain for a time before leaving for Paris in 1940. During his days as a gun runner during the civil war, and again in 1940 he was a friend of the French Fascist leader, Doriot. Amery was imprisoned by the Vichy government and in 1942 was released and invited to Germany. In Germany he spoke several times on the radio programme 'Germany calling' he tried unsuccessfully to raise a unit British POW's to fight the Russians.

Late in the war he went to Italy and was eventually captured in the North by partisans. When captured he was dressed in full Fascist regalia and made no attempts to avoid detection. Amery was tried by the British as a war criminal and hanged in December 1945. At his trial he made no attempt to save himself and openly spoke of his Fascist beliefs.

Rupert Bellville

Rupert Bellville, who met up with Kemp in Spain, was born in 1904. His family had links with the wine producing area in Andalucia. He spent time in Spain and could speak Spanish fluently. he learnt to fly in England and served in the auxiliary airforce. He then became a personal pilot to a certain Edwin Montague in the period 1932 -1936. At first in Spain he was a correspondent for the Daily Telegraph in Republican territory, sending hostile reports about the Spanish Republicans back to Britain. He later served 3 weeks with the Falangist militia in Andalucia, mopping up enemy resistance. Reportedly he was excused shooting enemy prisoners by his commander, who said he would turn a blind eye if Belville shot high, which he claimed he did. A photograph of him in a mono with the Falangist crest on his breast appeared in an Italian newspaper.

In an obituary in 1997 of Andrew Fountaine in the Guardian newspaper, it was stated he fought in Spain for the Nationalists. Fountaine was a life long British Fascist and in in 1967 was one of the founders of the Neofascist National Front Party.

A number of British pilots helped the Nationalist cause in minor ways. One common way was the ferrying of Nationalist officers around the country, and delivering planes to Nationalist Spain by flying them from Britain and arranging the selling of planes to the Nationalists. These men included Thomas Black, Owen Cathcart - Jones, Marquess of Chichester, Roland Falk , Lord Douglas Hamilton, Robert Mcintosh, Richard Malone, Rupert Bellville, and Count Zichy ( Hungarian born but with a British passport ). A certain Peter Humbletton flew in battles around Madrid with Grupo 1 - G -12 in a Romeo Ro 37. later he flew in Heinkel fighters. Eventually he was posted to the' Condor Legion ' where he stayed until April 1939, holding the rank of Leutenant. Conrad Everad claimed he flew in Spain and dropped provision to the beleagured Alcazar garrison at Toledo. Malcolm Craig a deserter from the RAF claimed he flew a Messerschmidt Me109 in Spain.

Cecil Bebb

The most famous British pilot involved in the civil war was Cecil Bebb or Captain Bebb. he was born in 1905 and at 16 joined the RAF, which he left in 1931. Between 1931 - 36 he worked for Olley Air Service Ltd. A Spaniard called Luis Bolin asked the airlines managing director to ferry a Rif leader to start a native rebellion in Spanish Morocco. The operation was to secret. With Bolin and three English friends Bebb took off from Croydon towards the Canary Islands. After several refuelling stops, Bebb's De Haviland Rapide aircraft reached the Canary Islands where he dropped off his 3 English friends who acted like tourists. A short man in civilian clothes came aboard the aircraft at Gando in the Canary islands.

During the flight to Spanish Morocco the secret passenger changed into the uniform of a General. Bebb had on board General Franco, a member of the Military rebellion against the Spanish government and designated Commander of the Army of Africa in Spanish Morocco. Two years later Franco awarded Bebb the Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of the Red Arrows, and other Spanish decorations for his service to the Nationalist cause in delivering Franco safely to Spanish Morocco.

British Women

In addition to these men, a handful of British women went to Nationalist Spain, although few served in the Nationalist forces. A certain Florence Farnborough broadcast to English speaking countries each Sunday night from Salamanca, spreading pro nationalist propaganda. Lady Chamberlain was the chairwoman of the relief fund for depressed children, and appealed in the Times newspaper for funds and visited Nationalist Spain, but saw no need to visit Republican Spain.

Gabriel Herbert helped the Nationalist medical services through the 'Bishops fund for relief of Spanish Distress' (The Bishop was the Catholic Cardinal of Westminster ). Her job was to liase with the Nationalists and set up a medical unit, which would be supplied by the Bishops fund. This unit included two ambulances and medical supplies and a Spanish medical team. This unit served at the besieged town of Huesca from October 1937 to April 1938 when it was relieved by the Foreign Legion. Earlier it had served on the Northern front with the Carlist Requetes and eventually served to the end of the war seeing action in Aragon, Catalonia and Madrid. Gabriel served with the 'Equip Anglo - Espanol' as the unit was called until the end of the war in April 1939.

A certain Priscilla Scott - Eliis daughter of Lord Howard of Walden, who was a friend of the Spanish royal family, served as a nurse in the Nationalist forces.

The above is an extract kindly donated by the author from:

VIVA LA MUERTE: NATIONALIST FORCES OF THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR 1936 -1939

by Chris Hall which is due for release in mid March at £ 4.95 + 50p p&p.

From Gosling Press, 35 Cross St, Upton, Pontefract, WF9 1EU.