Why did four young men put their lives on the line to fight fascism in Spain with the International Brigades in 1936? How did they end up in the same prison cell? James Maley, Donald Renton, Geordie Watters and AC Williams were politically engaged young men in an era of global turmoil. They shared a vision for a better society and recognised the threat of the rise of fascism. Willy and Jennie frame the relevance of their fathers' fight in terms of the social justice challenges we face today.
A resonant piece of working class history, this book is a living link to four extraordinary stories. Why did these young men put their lives on the line and go to Spain to fight with the International Brigades? How did they all end up in the same prison cell? And what is their legacy today?
James Maley, George Watters, Donald Renton and Archibald Williams were members of Machine Gun Company No. 2 of the XV International Brigade. This is the first book to focus on a small group of men who, from different starting-points, ended up on the same battleground at Jarama, and then in the same prisons after capture by Franco’s forces.
Their remarkable story is told both in their own words and in the recollections of their sons and daughters, through a prison notebook, newspaper reports, stills cut from newsreels, interviews, anecdotes and memories, with a foreword by Daniel Gray.
Our Fathers Fought Franco is a collective biography that promises to add significantly to the understanding of the motives of those who ‘went because their open eyes could see no other way’.