Original film of the return of the International Brigade British Battalion 07.12.1938

The film "Welcome to the International Brigade" comes from the archives of the British Film Institute and shows the return home of the International Brigade's British Battalion on 7 December 1938. The BFI digitised it specially for Philosophy Football's 75th Anniversary event and we are very grateful to them for doing so. The film-maker is unknown, but is thought to be Ivor Montagu of the Progressive Film Institute. Sadly the audio track has been lost, so Simon Green of Eventful added part of "Ballad of Heroes", which was composed by Benjamin Britten in honour of the International Brigades. For the libretto, Britten used poems about the Spanish Civil War and the International Brigades by WH Auden and Randall Swingler. The film begins with the arrival of the volunteers at Newhaven on a ferry from Dieppe. Next we see them being greeted at London's Victoria Station. They are addressed first by Fred Copeman, a commander of the British Battalion earlier in the Civil War, then by Labour Party leader Clem Attlee. Next comes footage of the volunteers in Spain and this includes Communist Party leader Harry Pollitt making a speech. The film returns to Victoria Station, where more labour movement leaders welcome the returning volunteers, among them Stafford Cripps, Communist MP Willie Gallagher and Herbert Morrison, leader of the London County Council. The volunteers then leave the station, passing through cheering crowds, and are taken by bus for dinner at the headquarters of the Cooperative Wholesale Society in Leman Street, Whitechapel. Again they are addressed by prominent supporters, including Charlotte Haldane and Ellen Wilkinson. Finally Sam Wild, the last commander of the battalion, speaks to camera. The 75th Anniversary Return of the British Battalion T-shirt is available from www.philosophyfootball.com