Item 3 - Photocopy of Joseph Cunningham's typescript memoirs

12 pp. (6 sheets)

Photocopy of memoirs in typescript of Joseph Ó Cuinneagáin [Cunningham] entitled The War in Spain, printed by The Echo, Enniscorthy, county Wexford, with pages missing up to page eighteen, and begins ‘…to concede that Franco’s fine melange of forces, each with its own peculiar idea’, recording his views on Franco and his influence, an attack on the ‘Reds’ in the second week of March, stating ‘With more than 50,000 rounds of rifle and 12,000 of M.G. ammunition, ‘C’ Company had enough materials if judiciously employed, to last them one day’s hard fighting… our only doubts centred on the worthiness of our guns. Rifles, bearing dates ranging from 1890 to 1934 (and there were few as recent as this), are no great boon to modern infantry. None were automatic, and in practice, had carefully to be nursed, for ten rounds in quick succession so heated the breach as to compel a cessation of fire’. In addition, notes the arrival of a company of mixed Moorish and Spanish cavalry, meals, changes in command due to illness, and an attack seven miles from Valdemoro claiming some fifteen casualties stating ‘Even had the aircraft assisted the advance – and the weather forbade that essential aid – it would have been impossible to dislodge the posts in the caves, which held them as in a vice. An assault by night promised some success, by day it was a suicidal sacrifice, however noble its inherent inspiration’, cancellation of movement into village of Titulcia, and arrival of harps from Ireland, ‘It was a few days before the advance that harps arrived from Ireland to be a distinctive feature of our attire. One was worn on each lapel of our tunics, our attached Spanish officers taking particular pride in this emblem’. Also records the attack of a sniper and enhancing security through use of passwords stating ‘To combat this prevalence of sniping an order was issued authorising all sergeants to arrest those who, after 9.30p.m., could not give the night’s password. This had its comic side too as it led to the excruciating torture of Spanish place names.’ Also records celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, with wine, cigarettes and even a football match between young Spaniards and a section of the ‘D’ Company, noting ‘Play conformed to no fixed rules, but the association code was more in evidence than that of any other appellation. No quarter was given or asked but the thurstful Irish attack could not compare with the fine constructive craft of the Spanish combination’, manning the front, and the journey to La Marañosa. Paginated and some paragraphs underlined with notes in margins.

• Béarla