| Date from | 01 January 1936 |
|---|---|
| Date to | 31 December 1939 |
| Collection type | Conflict |
| Scope note | 66 Australians are thought to have served in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), not counting those of Spanish descent that returned home to fight. All except one of the 66 fought for the republicans, as opposed to Franco's fascists, and around a quarter were killed. The Australian's, as part of the International Brigade, were assigned to various 'national' battalions as there were not enough numbers to constitute a distinctive Australian battalion. Franco's eventual victory was utilised as propaganda for the fascist regimes of Germany and Italy, and is often seen as a precursor to the Second World War |