Harry Dobson (International Brigades)

Harry Dobson
Memorial photograph erected by Cambrian Combine Workmen and friends in tribute to Dobson's "Supreme Sacrifice for Democracy"
Born	(1907-08-09)9 August 1907 Tonypandy, Rhondda, Wales
Died	29 July 1938(1938-07-29) (aged 30) La Bisbal de Falset, Catalonia, Spain
Cause of death	Wounds received in the Battle of the Ebro
Buried	Cemetery of La Bisbal de Falset
Allegiance	Spanish Republic
Branch	International Brigades
Rank	Political Commissar
Unit	British Battalion
Commands	Major Attlee Company
Battles / wars	Battle of De Winton Field Spanish Civil War Battle of Brunete Battle of Belchite Battle of Teruel Battle of the Ebro

Harry Dobson (9 August 1907 – 29 July 1938) was a Welsh coal miner, trade unionist, and communist activist who became a prominent figure in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. Born in Tonypandy in the South Wales Valleys, Dobson was actively involved in anti-fascist resistance in Wales before volunteering to fight against Francisco Franco's Nationalist forces in Spain. He served with distinction as political commissar of the Major Attlee Company in the British Battalion and was killed during the Battle of the Ebro in July 1938.

Harry Dobson was born on 9 August 1907 at 121 Dunraven Street in Tonypandy, in the heart of the Rhondda Valley.^[1] He was the son of an English father who worked as a coal miner and trade unionist, and a mother from Abersychan in the Gwent Valleys.^[2] Dobson was one of eleven children in the family.^[2]

Like his father, Dobson began working as a coal miner and was employed at Blaenclydach pit. He became an active member of the South Wales Miners' Federation and joined the Rhondda branch of the Communist Party of Great Britain in 1929.^[1] His political consciousness was shaped by the harsh economic conditions of the 1930s, unemployment, poor working conditions, and the rise of fascist movements across Europe.

Dobson was actively involved in the trade union movement and campaigned against the rise of fascism in Wales. He worked as a miner until 1931, when he was victimised for his political activities and became unemployed.^[1] Despite this setback, he continued his activism and became a prominent figure in local anti-fascist resistance.

On 11 June 1936, Dobson participated in the Battle of De Winton Field, a significant anti-fascist confrontation in Tonypandy. When Tommy Moran, propaganda officer for the British Union of Fascists (BUF), attempted to hold a rally, between 5,000 and 6,000 anti-fascist demonstrators mobilised to prevent the meeting. Dobson was among 37 people arrested and charged on 187 counts of riot, incitement to riot, unlawful assembly, breach of the peace, and disturbing a public meeting.^[3]

Dobson was sentenced to six months in Swansea prison for his role in the confrontation. Upon his release, he famously asked: "How do I get to Spain?"^[4] The Spanish Civil War had erupted just five weeks after the Tonypandy confrontation, and Dobson was determined to continue his fight against fascism on an international stage.

Dobson departed for Spain in May 1937, joining the International Brigades as part of the international effort to support the Second Spanish Republic against Franco's rebellion.^[2] His journey to Spain was perilous from the outset.

On his way to Spain, Dobson survived the sinking of the troopship Ciudad de Barcelona, which was torpedoed by an Italian submarine off the coast of Malgrat de Mar, north of Barcelona, in June 1937.^[1] Many volunteers drowned in the attack, but Dobson was among the survivors who were rescued by local fishermen and brought ashore. The experience demonstrated both the international nature of the conflict and the dangers faced by volunteers attempting to reach Spain.

Dobson arrived at the British Battalion in June 1937 and immediately went into action at the Battle of Brunete, where he was wounded.^[4] After recovering from his injuries, he succeeded Walter Tapsell as battalion political commissar, a role that reflected both his political experience and the respect he had earned from his fellow volunteers.^[4]

As political commissar of the Major Attlee Company, Dobson was "well regarded amongst the men of the battalion as a good soldier with strong political convictions".^[3] Military historian Hywel Francis described him as someone who "amongst the Welshmen, best combined the qualities of courage under fire, coolness and shrewdness in leadership with a profound political understanding".^[2]

Dobson served with distinction in numerous engagements, including Brunete, Quinto, Belchite, Mediana, Huesca, Teruel, Caspe, and Gandesa.^[4] During the retreat from Caspe, he was captured along with British Battalion Commander Sam Wild, but managed to escape by overpowering one of his captors using a tin of bully beef in a sandbag.^[3]

Dobson was fatally wounded on 28 July 1938 during the Battle of the Ebro, the Republic's final major offensive of the war.^[4] He was taken to an emergency field hospital set up in the Cave of Santa Lucia near La Bisbal de Falset, where Leah Manning of the Spanish Medical Aid Committee was visiting. Manning later recalled that Dobson recognised her from their previous meeting at an anti-fascist rally in South Wales.^[5]

Despite receiving a blood transfusion from surgeon Reg Saxton, Dobson died from his wounds on 29 July 1938.^[4] Manning sat with him through the night until his death, later writing: "he seemed very happy to have met [me] here".^[5] He was buried in the cemetery of La Bisbal de Falset alongside other Republican soldiers.

A memorial plaque was erected in Tonypandy Library shortly after Dobson's death, unveiled by Arthur Horner, President of the South Wales Miners' Federation.^[2] When the original library was demolished in the 1990s, the plaque was lost, but a replacement was unveiled in November 2023 by his nephew Ray Gleeson.^[1]

In September 2023, a memorial plaque was also unveiled at La Bisbal de Falset Cemetery in Spain, near where Dobson is buried.^[5] The inscription reads: "Died as he lived fighting for Freedom".^[2]

Dobson was one of four participants from the Battle of De Winton Field who later volunteered for the International Brigades, alongside Hector Manning, William Bevan, and William Price.^[3] Welsh volunteers represented the largest regional industrial grouping within the British Battalion of the International Brigades.^[6] Will Paynter, who also fought in Spain, described Dobson as "quiet and unassuming but a great comrade".^[4]

• Battle of De Winton Field
• British Battalion
• International Brigades
• Frank Owen (International Brigades)