MEMORANDUM OF INTERVIEW.
Date 30th December, 1936
Time 4.30 pm. to
Reference WJB/AC/287
Present W.J. Bolton, Captain R.F. Browne.
SUBJECT. SPAIN.
Captain R.F. BROWNE,
129, West Street, Erith,
KENT. Erith 2776.
This man, who says he has been a captain in the Air Force, called in the office on Wednesday, December 30, at 4.30 p.m., in order to see the General Secretary.
He is recruiting airmen for the Spanish forces. He advances the men the money for their journey and the Spanish Government refunds it. He has taken over one or two parties and will be leaving shortly with another. He states it is good wages that are being offered, I understood him to say £180 per month, but this must mean for the highest position, I imagine.
Continuing, he said that a number of persons were writing to him who have served in the army in other capacities than airmen, - gunners, machinegunners, snipers, etc., and who are very anxious to go. He, however, has his hands full with supplying the air forces, and he wanted to know if we could help him in any way with these other people, advancing the cost of their expenses, etc.
Continuing the conversation, he said that when he was coming back from Paris the last time, he met on the train a number of recruits who had been sent back as being unsuitable for Spain. He asked them who had sent them, and declares that they told him it was the T.U.C. I said to him that all this was news to me, but that the General Secretary and the Assistant Secretary were away, it being holiday time, and that as soon as they came back I would inform them. He gave me his telephone number, saying that he would be pleased to get some sort of communication as early as possible.
