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Fighting Franco: the First Irish Casualties of the Spanish Civil War
Murphy, Pauline
http://www.counterpunch.org/2017/01/05/fighting-franco-the-first-irish-casualties-of-the-spanish-civil-war/Date Written: 2017-01-05 Publisher: Counterpunch Year Published: 2017 Resource Type: Article Cx Number: CX20194 A brief biography of Tommy Patten and Jack Barry focusing on their involvement in the Spanish Civil War. Abstract: -- Excerpts: Patten had rebel blood flowing through his veins, so while in England he joined the London branch of the Republican Congress and when Franco’s fascists started to lay waste to democracy in Spain he decided to take a stand. - The December 26th issue of The Worker newspaper contained a late report regarding the fate of Tommy Patten and Jack 'blue' Barry. It reported how Patten was reported missing after he volunteered to hold off advancing troops at the gates of Madrid with a mere rifle while his comrades tried to dismantle machine guns and make good their get away. It stated that 'hopes are held that Patten may have succeeded in escaping capture by the fascist enemy.' That same report stated that Patten’s comrade 'Barry was found dead with his rifle still clasped in his hands.' Subject Headings |