Kiwi Companeros: New Zealand and the Spanish Civil War

Description

In the first-ever account of New Zealand's role in Spain's civil war of 1936-39, Mark Derby presents the personal stories of some extraordinary individuals who became involved. For example: A fighter pilot from Wellington who landed his plane with a shattered shoulder, then left for Hollywood to make movies with Errol Flynn; A Cromwell surgeon who operated as close as possible to the firing line, and was described as 'the most important volunteer to come from the British Commonwealth'; A tough young wharfie from Napier who buried 80 of his fellow fighters in a single grave, and later became a union leader and thorn in the side of PM Rob Muldoon; A Christchurch-born academic who risked his life as an intelligence agent in Spain, and was later termed the handsomest man at Oxford University; An elegant young Englishwoman who fought with anarchist militia units and, under the guidance of Frank Sargeson, turned that experience into a writing career; A Wellington film-maker, show-jumper and flamenco dancer who fought for Franco's Fascists. Derby also records the actions of New Zealanders who worked for the Spanish cause at home by raising funds, lobbying politicians, writing poems and spreading propaganda. Kiwi Companeros includes contributions from some of New Zealand's leading writers and historians. It draws on personal letters, recently released military documents and previously unpublished photographs to tell an all-but forgotten story.

Mark Derby is a writer and historian who has worked for Te Ara (the online encyclopaedia of New Zealand), the Waitangi Tribunal and as a South Pacific correspondent for Jornal Expresso, Portugal's leading newspaper. He has also curated museum exhibitions, made historical documentaries and reviewed films for the Wellington community newspaper City Voice. He is chair of the Labour History Project and lives on Wellington's south coast with his family.

This is a very readable account of what happened in Spain and what it was like to be there, and of the effects back in New Zealand." -Oliver Riddell, Otago Daily Times "This engrossing book tells the stories of New Zealanders involved in this chilling conflict . . . recommended reading." -Charles Gill, Daily News