Write to a Canadian Soldier in Afghanistan

The Olive Tree Genealogy has a webpage hosted here where anyone who wishes to can write a note to our soldiers in the PPCLI (Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry) in Afghanistan. Take a minute to say hello, send a thumb's up, or just tell them how proud we are of their efforts. Let them know we haven't forgotten them!

The Canadian Military Heritage Project
SPANISH CIVIL WAR

The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) was a military rising originating in Morocco, headed by General Francisco Franco.

Over twelve hundred Canadian soldiers supporting Republican Spain took part in the Spanish Civil War to defend the Spanish Republic against the military rebellion led by General Franco and aided by Hitler and Mussolini. These men created a unique military unit: the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion of the XVth International Brigade of the Spanish Republican Army: 'the Mac-Paps.'

The Abraham Lincoln Brigade (The Lincolns) fought alongside approximately 35,000 anti-fascists from fifty-two countries. In keeping with Popular Front culture, the Americans named their units the Abraham Lincoln Battalion, the George Washington Battalion, and the John Brown Battery. Together with the British, Irish, Canadian, and other nationals they formed the Fifteenth In- ternational Brigade.

The International Brigade consisted of, for example, US volunteers in the Abraham Lincoln Battalion, German volunteers in the Thaelmann Battalion, and Canadians in the MacKenzie-Papineau Battalion. The International Brigades were 40,000 strong coming from 52 countries Some 16,000 gave their lives fighting fascism. The contingents were approximtely

• France, 10,000
• Germany, 5,000
• Poland, 4,000
• Italy, 3,500
• U.S. and Britain, 2,500 each
• Belgium, 1700
• Czechoslovakia, 1,500
• Canada, 1,200
• Yugoslavia, 1,200
• Latin America, 1,000
• Hungary, 1,000
• Scandinavia, 1,000
• Holland, 600
• Switzerland, 400

An International Non-Intervention Committee, and the Foreign Enlistment Act prohibiting travel to Spain cut down on relief troops for the International Brigade. In October 1938 the International Brigade was withdrawn from combat and disbanded. The financial problem of getting home to Canada was solved by two private citizens.

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