NATIONAL JOINT COMMITTEE for SPANISH RELIEF
Chairman:
THE DUCHESS OF ATHOLL, M.P.
Vice-Chairmen:
THE EARL OF LISTOWEL
MISS ELEANOR RATHBONE, M.P.
"Guernica, the most ancient town of the Basques and the centre of their cultural tradition, was completely destroyed yesterday afternoon by insurgent air raiders. The fighters plunged low from above the centre of the town to machine gun the civilian population who had taken refuge in the fields."—"The Times" report, 28th April, 1937.
THIS massacre of Guernica was the final horror that made it necessary to save from the barbarity of rebel aircraft the terror-striken children of the Basque country. Food shortage was acute. As the situation became more and more horrible an urgent appeal to take the children to safety was made. France promised public funds and took many thousands. To Britain were brought four thousand to be supported by voluntary aid.
They came in May, war-haunted, in fear, hungry and ill-clothed. To-day they are living in some eighty different centres scattered all over the country, supported by the ordinary warmhearted people of Great Britain. Their health and happiness depends on this practical sympathy. J.B. Priestley has written: "You are horribly wrong if you think that the children will somehow be allowed to stay here even if private funds give out."
One of the ways in which you can help them is by buying the gramophone records which have been specially made for the fund (for details see other side) and persuading your friends to buy them also. All royalties are being paid to the Basque Children's Committee funds.
Issued by and printed on behalf of The National Joint Committee for Spanish Relief, 53, Marsham Street, London, S.W.1
In order to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998, some names within this file have been redacted. While we have made every effort to comply with the Act, there may be other named individuals within this file who are still living. We will remove any names immediately we are made aware that this is the case or if any offence is caused to living relatives.