Homage to Caledonia : Scotland and the Spanish Civil War

The Spanish civil war was a call to arms for 2,300 British volunteers, of which over 500 were from Scotland. The first book of its kind, __Homage to Caledonia__ examines Scotland's role in the conflict, detailing exactly why Scottish involvement was so profound. The book moves chronologically through events and places, firstly surveying the landscape in contemporary Scotland before describing volunteers' journeys to Spain, and then tracing their every involvement from arrival to homecoming (or not). There is also an account of the non-combative role, from fundraising for Spain and medical aid, to political manoeuvrings within the volatile Scottish left. Using a wealth of previously-unpublished letters sent back from the front as well as other archival items, Daniel Gray is able to tell little known stories of courage in conflict, and to call into question accepted versions of events such as the 'murder' of Bob Smillie, or the heroism of 'The Scots Scarlet Pimpernel'. Homage to Caledonia offers a very human take on events in Spain: for every tale of abject distress in a time of war, there is a tale of a Scottish volunteer urinating in his general's boots, knocking back a dram with Errol Flynn or appalling Spanish comrades with his pipe playing. For the first time, read the fascinating story of Caledonia's role in this seminal conflict. --- Thirty-five thousand people from across the world volunteered to join the armed resistance in a war on fascism. More people, proportionately, went from Scotland than any other country, and the entire nation was gripped by the conflict. What drove so many ordinary Scots to volunreer in a foreign war? Their stories are powerfully and honestly told, often in their own words: the ordinary men and women who made their way to Spain over the Pyrenees when the UK government banned anyone from going to support either side; the nuses and ambulance personnel who discovered for themselves the horrors of modern warfare; and the people back home who defied their poverty to give generously to the Spanish republican cause. Even in war there are light-hearted moments: a Scottish volunteer drunkenly urinating in his general's boots, enduring the dark comedy of learning to shoot with sticks amidst a scarcity of rifles, or enjoying the surreal experience of raising a dram with Errol Flynn. They went from all over the country: Glasgow, Edinburgh. Aberdeen, Dundee, Fife and the Highlands, and they fought to save Scotland, and the world, from the growing threat of fascism. As seen on STV Documentary 'The Scots Who Fought Franco' 'Daniel Gray has done a marvellous job in bringing together the stories of Scots volunteers - in [this] many-voiced, multi-layered book' —__Scotland on Sunday__ --- '...moving and thought-provoking.' —__The Herald__ 'A new and fascinating contribution' —__Scottish Review of Books__ 'Book of the week - Gray deserves applause for shining a light on a lesser-known aspect of the nation's character of which we should all be proud.' —__Press & Journal__ --- **Daniel Gray** graduated with a politics and history degree from Newcastle University where he focussed in particular on foreign intervention in the Spanish civil war. Daniel has researched Scotland s role in the Spanish Civil War since 2006, and lectured throughout Scotland on the topic. He has also written on the topic for __Discover__ magazine and the __Scotsman__. He is currently employed as an archivist in the National Library of Scotland, working on 19th century literary manuscripts contained within the John Murray Archive and lives in Edinburgh. The Spanish civil war was a call to arms for 2,300 British volunteers, of which over 500 were from Scotland. The first book of its kind, 'Homage to Caledonia' examines Scotland's role in the conflict, detailing exactly why Scottish involvement was so profound. The book moves chronologically through events and places, firstly surveying the landscape in contemporary Scotland before describing volunteers' journeys to Spain, and then tracing their every involvement from arrival to homecoming (or not). There is also an account of the non-combative role, from fundraising for Spain and medical aid, to political manoeuvrings within the volatile Scottish left. Using a wealth of previously-unpublished letters sent back from the front as well as other archival items, Daniel Gray is able to tell little known stories of courage in conflict, and to call into question accepted versions of events such as the 'murder' of Bob Smillie, or the heroism of 'The Scots Scarlet Pimpernel'. Homage to Caledonia offers a very human take on events in Spain: for every tale of abject distress in a time of war, there is a tale of a Scottish volunteer urinating in his general's boots, knocking back a dram with Errol Flynn or appalling Spanish comrades with his pipe playing. For the first time, read the fascinating story of Caledonia's role in this seminal conflict. REVIEWS: As seen on STV Documentary 'The Scots Who Fought Franco'. 'Daniel Gray has done a marvellous job in bringing together the stories of Scots volunteers - in [this] many-voiced, multi-layered book' SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY'...moving and thought-provoking.' THE HERALD' A new and fascinating contribution' SCOTTISH REVIEW OF BOOKS 'Book of the week - Gray deserves applause for shining a light on a lesser-known aspect of the nation's character of which we should all be proud. 'PRESS &p; JOURNAL. BACK COVER: Thirty-five thousand people from across the world volunteered to join the armed resistance in a war on fascism. More people, proportionately, went from Scotland than any other country, and the entire nation was gripped by the conflict. What drove so many ordinary Scots to volunreer in a foreign war? Their stories are powerfully and honestly told, often in their own words: the ordinary men and women who made their way to Spain over the Pyrenees when the UK government banned anyone from going to support either side; the nuses and ambulance personnel who discovered for themselves the horrors of modern warfare; and the people back home who defied their poverty to give generously to the Spanish republican cause. Even in war there are light-hearted moments: a Scottish volunteer drunkenly urinating in his general's boots, enduring the dark comedy of learning to shoot with sticks amidst a scarcity of rifles, or enjoying the surreal experience of raising a dram with Errol Flynn. They went from all over the country: Glasgow, Edinburgh. Aberdeen, Dundee, Fife and the Highlands, and they fought to save Scotland, and the world, from the growing threat of fascism. Foreword Acknowledgements Chronology of Events The Stages of the Spanish Civil War Introduction Part 1 Chapter 1 - Connecting the Fight: Scotland in the 1930s Chapter 2 - Bonny Voyage: Leaving Scotland, Arriving in Spain Chapter 3 - Early Action: Brunete and Jarama Chapter 4 - 'Esta noche todos muertos': Prisoners of Franco Chapter 5 - Eating Onions as Apples: Life as a Volunteer Chapter 6 - With the Best of Intentions: The Scottish Ambulance Unit Chapter 7 - Red Nightingales: Nursing Volunteers Part 2 - Scotland's War Chapter 8 - The Home Front: Scottish Aid for Republican Spain Chapter 9 - The Home Guard: The Reaction of Relatives Chapter 10 - Scots for Franco: The Friends of National Spain Chapter 11 - The Red, Red Heart of the World: Scotland's 'Other' Left Part 3 - Spanish Stories, and Endings Chapter 12 - Murder or Circumstance? The Bob Smillie Story Chapter 13 - The Scots Scarlet Pimpernel: Ethel MacDonald Chapter 14 - Last Heroic Acts: Aragon and the Ebro Chapter 15 - Far From Perfect? Criticism and Dissent Chapter 16 - The Unbitter End: Going Home and Being Home Chapter 17 - 'Something to be proud of': Conclusions Interviews and Printed Material Quoted Archival Sources Selected Bibliography 35,000 people from across the world volunteered to join the armed resistance in a war on fascism. More people, proportionately, went from Scotland than any other country, and the entire nation was gripped by the conflict. This text looks at what drove so many ordinary Scots to volunteer for a foreign war