Photocopy of an autograph book of Tom Hyde, Lieutenant of ‘A’ Company of Irish Brigade, from Midleton, county Cork, with messages in English and Spanish, including one from General Eoin O’Duffy, dated January 1937, which reads ‘To my most faithful friend & comrade – Tom Hyde’, the Duke of Algeciras, O’Duffy’s Chief Liaison Officer dated 31 January 1937 which simply states ‘Viva Irlanda – Viva Espana’, a note from Major Patrick Dalton dated 31 January 1937 which reads ‘“Viva Tom Hyde” With all my best – PD’, and Captain James Finnerty, who notes on same date ‘Good Luck & God Bless you Tom, 31-1-37 Cacérés Spain’. In addition, includes autograph from Second Lieutenant [Alfera] Antonio Miracle dated 31 January 1937, stating ‘For faith and country you came to Spain as you did I will do’, and message from Captain Padraig Quinn, Commanding Officer of ‘C’ Company, dated 6 February 1937 wishing Hyde ‘all that is best’. Also contains messages of farewell to Tom after his death on 19 February, one from Major Patrick Dalton which says ‘“Au revoir Tom”’, and from Captain Diarmuid O’Suilleabhain [O’Sullivan], Officer Commanding of ‘A’ Company, which reads ‘We will miss you in ‘A’ Company but we will try to do what you gave your life for’, both dated 25 February 1937, and finally from General O’Duffy, dated 1 March 1937, which states ‘To Tom in Heaven. You were the first to join the Irish Brigade, you were the first to give your life for this cause which the Irish Brigade is fighting for.’ Includes later annotations.
