During the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939 almost 2,500 men and women left Britain to fight for the Spanish Republic. This book examines the role, experiences and contribution of the volunteers who fought in the British Battalion of the 15 International Brigadesasking:

* Who were these volunteers?
* Where did they come from?
* Why did they go to Spain?
* How much did they actually help the Spanish Republic?

In contrast to recent revisionist interpretations, this work stresses the crucial importance of the war experience itself, rather than political ideology, in the understanding of the volunteers' role and experiences within the Spanish war.

This book will be of essential interest to historians and those interested in the Spanish Civil War.