They Shall Not Pass!: The British Battalion at Jarama: The Spanish Civil War

Description

In 1937 a group of idealistic British volunteers sailed from England to fight the dark threat of dictatorship in Spain. In the olive groves of Jarama, near Madrid, they achieved the first victory against Franco's army. It was Fascism's first defeat. Hardly remembered today, it proved a crucial military turning point in the fight against Fascism. For the first time, Ben Hughes reconstructs the battle in a vivid blow-by-blow account, and considers its fascinating aftermath. Author’s Note List of Illustrations list of Maps Preface Introduction Dramatis Personae PART ONE: ‘A crowd of boy scouts’ First Blood Departures Training The Advance White House Hill PART TWO: Death Stalked the Olive Groves ‘The bodies were rollingdown the hill’ Retreat! ‘The Moors were mowed down in scores’ The Dark Dawn The Feint Capture! The Second Night Tank Attack! The Great Rally PART THREE: Conclusions From Jarama to Brunete The Nationalist Breakthrough The Ebro Offensive and the Farewell Parade Back to Britain Appendix 1: The Battlefield Today Appendix 2: Order of Battle Notes Index Bibliography