Mackenzie Papineau

Mackenzie Papineau Battalion

" This is Madrid. It is fighting for Spain, for humanity, for justice, and, with the mantle of its blood, it shelters all human beings! Madrid! Madrid! "

Robert George Thompson: born 21/06/1915, Grant's Pass, Oregon, United States. YCL. Battalion Commander, MacKenzie-Papineau. Wounded at Jarama, but still fought at Quinto and Belchite. pictured in December 1937. WW2, NCO, 32nd Division serving in the Pacific. died 16/10/1966 Source: Tamiment XV Brigade Photograph Collection, Tamiment Library: 11-0117

Edward Paul Cecil Smith: born 1903, China. Married. Home: Toronto. Canadian Royal Engineers (1921-1928) Rank: Sergeant Major. Montreal based journalist and trade union organizer. CPC (1931) Appointed Captain of MacKenzie-Papineau Battalion after Fuentes de Ebro in November 1937. Led the Battalion in the defence of Teruel, during the Retreats of Spring 1938, and the Ebro Offensive of July 1938. WIA at Brunete. Pictured here at Mas de las Matas in December 1937. Source: Tamiment XV Brigade Photograph Collection, Tamiment Library: 11-1286

Frank Rogers: real name Frank Henderson. Home: Regina, Toronto. Finnish? CPA (1927) Occupation: Journalist in Cleveland. Arrived in Spain 18/06/1937. Tarazona Base Commissar. Battalion Party Secretary. Repatriated.

Ely Sack: born September 1915, Brooklyn, New York. Arrived in Spain June 1937. Trained at Tarazona de la Mancha between June and September 1937. In September 1937 his unit was in reserve, then went into combat at Fuentes de Ebro in October, 1937. Wounded in March 1938 in the left leg which left him disabled for the rest of his time in Spain. He was treated at both Tartosa and Benacasim, where he had an operation to remove shrapnel from his left leg. He spent time recovering in Murcia, then on to Mataro where he had a further two op's on his left leg in May 1938. Discharged and repatriated in July 1938, going home to the States on the SS De Grasse in August 1938. source alba. Source: Tamiment XV Brigade Photograph

Patrick McAllister: born 8/1/1909, Lincoln Street, Ireland. Joined the IRA in 1926. Emigrated to Canada. Occupation: Waiter. Age: 29. Sailed from Vancouver to Dieppe in 1937, then by train to Perpignan, before crossing the Pyrenees into Spain. Arrived in Spain: 2/12/1937. Tarazona Training base: 6/12/1937-20/2/1938. No. 4 Company, Mackenzie Papineau Battlion. Actions presnt at: Belchite, Caspe, Gandesa and the Ebro Offensive (Hill 481, and 666). Wounded in right forearm in the Sierra Cabals (Ebro) on 10/9/1938. Repatriated and arrived back in Belfast on Christmas Eve 1938.

Jules Pekka Paivio: born: 13/04/1917. Subury, Mattawa. Single. Canadian/Finnish. YCL. Occupation: Clerk. Spain February 1937. Served with the Lincoln Battalion and the Mac-Paps. Officers school. rank: Lieutenant. Captured by Italian Fascists. 01/04/1938. Threatened with a firing squad, saved by an Italian General. Taken to San Pedro de Cardena, a prisoner of war camp in a converted Abbey. Spent just over a year in the unsanitary conditions, beaten and starved. Jules was released and repatriated. served in WW2.

Thomas John Mallon: born: 28/03/1912, Brooklyn, New York. Irish/American. CP (1937) Single. Occupation: Aviator/ Telephone Trouble Shooter. Mac-Pap Political Commissar. Company 2, Section No. 1. Machine-gun Company. Pictured in November 1937. Killed in the Aragon retreats. Source: Tamiment XV Brigade Photograph Collection, Tamiment Library:11-0902

Harry C. Patterson: born: 27/01/1909. Fenelon Falls, Toronto. Truck driver. Single.Company 1, MacKenzie-Papineau. Missing in Action. 1/1938. Survived. Pictured in May 1938 Source: Tamiment XV Brigade Photograph Collection, Tamiment Library:11-0023

Joseph Kaplan: born 1908. Sailed for Spain 21/09/1937. Pictured at Mas de las Matas. killed at Belchite either on 09/03/1938 or 10/03/1938. Source: Tamiment XV Brigade Photograph Collection, Tamiment Library:11-0920

John Arthur (Jack) Penrod: born: Birmingham, Alabama. He led a sniper squadron in the MacKenzie-Papineau Battalion and saw action in major engagements, including Teruel and Fuentes de Ebro. A high point was a maneuver, where Jack, comrade Len Levenson, and a handful of other snipers held off advancing fascist armies for hours. Jack was wounded. When he recovered, he became an ambulance driver until he returned to the U.S. Thanks toMatt White for this info

Nilo Johannes Makela: born 1915. Finnish rock miner. Commander of the Illka-Antikainen machine gun-company, at Fuentes de Ebro and Teruel. He was killed during the Aragon retreats at the battle for Caspe 15/03/1938. Source: Tamiment XV Brigade Photograph Collection, Tamiment Library: 11-1281

Iver Lassen 'Tiny' Andersen: born 1907, Denmark. Home: Vancover. Occupation: logger and miner. Traveled to Spain on-board the 'Cuidad de Barcelona' which was sunk by an Italian submarine. Arrived in Spain 2/6/1937. Survived to fight at Fuentes de Ebro, (where cited for bravery) Teruel and the Aragon retreats. Andersen shot himself after being mortally wounded in the Sierra Pandols on 17/08/1938 in the last action of the Mac-Paps.

Claude Arden Nash: Notch Hill, British Colombia, Canada.Single. Occupation: Logger/Farm worker. CPC (1933) Stretcher Bearer and Rifleman. Wounded in Action 1/4/1938. Cited for bravery. Returned home. Canadian Army WW2

Stewart 'Paddy' O'Neil: real name Stewart Homer, born 18/12/1900, Newfoundland. WW1 veteran. Occupation: Lumber worker. Home: Vancover. Section leader of the Mac-Paps at Brunete. Killed at Villaneuva de la Canada, Battle of Brunete on 06/06/1937.

Jan William Coops: born Lynn Valley 15/12/1913. Dutch background. Occupation: auto mechanic, driver, YCL. CP. Single. To Spain August 1937. wounded in action. survived.

Emile 'Frenchy' Gougen: born 1/07/1900, Acadian Construction worker from New Brunswick. Lumberjack. Served at Aragon, Quinto Belchite and Fuentes de Ebro. Wounded in action. Survived Spain. Died in 1973.

John Patrick McElligott: born 1905, Ireland. IRA (1918-1926) Home: Vancouver. single, CPC (1934) 1918-26. Miner in Yukon. Arrived in Spain 26/10/37. Infantry Instructor. transferred to Machine-gun battalion. decorated for bravery. Disciplinary Unit and also jailed. Survived. Served with the Merchant Marine during WW2.

Mykhailo (Mike) Emil Hyduk: born 12/10/1910, Innisfree, Edmonton, Canada. Ukranian background. Occupation; Restaraunt worker. Single. YCL. CPC (1930) To Spain 26/6/1937. accused of desertion 2/10/1938. Wounded in action at Belchite. Survived. Served with the Canadian Army during WW2.

Henry Mack: Finnish. Commander of No. 3 Company. Wounded in action at the Ebro offensive. Pictured in May 1938. Source: Tamiment XV Brigade Photograph Collection, Tamiment Library:11-1302

James Wolfe: Born 1900, Limerick. IRA. Occupation: Logger. CPC (1932) Spain: circa March '37. OTS. Killed at Quinto, Battle of Belchite, 4/9/1937 or 3/9/1937. Hit by a hand Grenade while attempting to capture the village church of Sant Augustin, which was held by the Fascist's.

Sol Wellman: born 1913, Elizabeth, New Jersey. Occupation: truck driver. Candy drivers union. YCL. CPA. Spain in 30/05/1937. OTS (Officer Training School) Mac-Pap battalion commissar after the death of Joe Dallet

William Bertram Titus: Grand Rapids, Michigan. Rank: Lieutenant. Killed in action 14/02/1938, Atalaya, Seguro de los Banos.

Joe Dallet: born 1907, Cleveland, United States. CPA. Steel and Metal Workers Union. Arrested en- route to Spain by French authorities, along with 22 other volunteers. After spending three weeks in prison crossed the Pyrenees reaching Albacete, Spain, May 1937. Mac-Pap Battalion Political Commissar. Killed in action, leading his men over the top at Fuentes de Ebro, October 13th 1937.

Alfred 'Chic' Chakin: born 1904, Brooklyn, New York. Wrestling coach at City College, New York. Married. CPA. Arrived in Spain, July 1937. Mac-Pap Quatermaster. Missing in Action 17/03/1937.

Reino Herman Tanttila: Age: 28. Occupation: Farmer. YCL. CPA. (1928) Spain 27/5/1937. Actions at Jarama, Brunete and entire Aragon offensive. Political Commissar of machine-gun Company. Seriously wounded in action. Taken to hospital at Albacete, August, 1938, presume died of wounds sustained in battle.

Karl Kalke: Born: 4/1/1910. Toronto. Finnish. Occupation: Mechanic, Truck driver. Single. Spain 16/2/1938. Joined CP in Spain 12/05/1938. Survived.

William Edgar Williamson: Born 17/9/1908. Winnipeg, Canada. Single. CPC.(1928) Relief camp Organiser. Seaman, Lumberjack, Photographer. IWW (Wobblies) Arrived in Portugalete 18/7/1936. Fought with Basque militia unitColumna Ochandiano/Columna Pcrczagua.Wounded at Oviedo. Transferred to the XV International Brigade at Albacete on 14/04/1937. Machine Gun Company Washington and Mackenzie-Papineau Battalions.

William Chega: born August 1916, Brockville, Canada. Occupation: Truck Driver. Single. YCL. Joined CP in Spain. Auto park (Transport) WIA July 1938. Survived to return home.

Bill Matthews aka Vasyl Matvenko: born: 30/5/1913, Kamsack, Saskatchewan, Canada. Canadian/Russian. Single. Occupation: Miner. YMCA (amateur boxing champion.) Mine Mill and Smelt Workers Union. CPC (1934) Arrived in Spain 15/7/1937. OTS. Rifle Instructor. Rank: Lieutenant, Company Commander. WIA 26/7/1938. Returned from Spain. Volunteered for service in WW2 but was refused.

Raymond Roy James Henderson: born 17/12/1902, Huntingdon, Canada. Occupation: Lumberjack/salesman Single. CPC (1936) WIA. To Spain 30/10/19327. Rank: Sergeant. WIA 7/9/1938. Cited for 'outstanding work' Returned home. WW2 (unknown unit)

Tom Aucoin: born: 20/4/1915, Joliette, Quebec, Canada. French/Canadian. Single. CPC (1936) YCL. Embarked for Spain 26/9/1937. Transmissions. Returned home. WW2 (RCAF) Royal Canadian Air Force.

Rowland Rodney Liversedge: born: 12/4/1899, Bradford, UK. Home: Vancover.Married with one child. CPGB. CPC. (1933) Occupation: Miner/CP organiser. Emigrated to Canada in 1927. International Union of Mine Mill and Smelter Workers. British Army in WW1. Twice wounded. Age: 38. To Spain 3/5/1937. Arrived at Albacete 2/6/1937. Survived the sinking of the 'Ciudad de Barcelona'

Milton Herndon: born: 1908. Home: Ohio, United States. Occupation: Steelworker/Coal Miner. CP. Company 2. Leader of third section of the machine-gun company. Killed at Fuentes de Ebro 13/10/1937, whilst moving his Maxim machine -gun into no-mans land to support the riflemen.

Laurence Duval Foy: Montreal. French/Canadian. Married. CPA (1933) COTC (military training in College) Workers Alliance of America. Occupation: Designer/Painter. Left For Spain: 19/10/1937. In hospital with bronchitis. survived.

Harvey William Hall: born: Ottawa, Canada. Married. Canadian Army (5 yrs) Three years engineering school. Occupation: Railwayworker. Left for Spain; 17/1/1937. Communist party (joined in Spain) WIA at Jarama (minor but infectious) and Brunete. Survived. Canadian Army during WW2.

Frank Roderick Earle O'Leary: born; Sprague, Ontario. Single. Canadian/Irish background. Canadian Labour Defence League. International Federation of Unions. Canadian Seaman's Union. Occupation: Seaman/logger. YCL (1936) CPC (1937) Left for Spain:24/5/1937. Served with both Mac-Paps and Lincoln Battalion. Posted to Auto Park (transport) WIA at Quinto. Survived.

Suggested reading: 'Renegades, Canadians in the Spanish Civil War' author Michael Petrou
'Mac-Pap: Memoir of a Canadian in the Spanish Civil War' author Ronald Liversedge.