Malcolm Dunbar
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Ronald Malcolm (Michael) Loraine Dunbar (29 February 1912 – July 1963) was a
chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supportin ...
of the XV International Brigade in the
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
, and later worked in the Labour Research Department.


Early life

Dunbar was born on 29 February 1912 at Belle Vue Lodge in
Paignton Paignton ( ) is a seaside town on the coast of Tor Bay in Devon, England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority, borough of Torbay which was created in 1968. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the Engli ...
, Devon; son of Sir Loraine Geddes Dunbar, a banker of independent means, and his wife Lady Liola Violet Dunbar. He was educated at
Repton School Repton School is a 13–18 co-educational, private, boarding and day school in the public school tradition, in Repton, Derbyshire, England. Sir John Port of Etwall, on his death in 1557, left funds to create a grammar school which was th ...
, Derbyshire (1925–1930), and Trinity College,
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
(1930–1933), graduating with BA Hons. Whilst at Cambridge, Dunbar is reported to have been part of an elite set that included the infamous double agent
Kim Philby Harold Adrian Russell "Kim" Philby (1 January 191211 May 1988) was a British intelligence officer and a double agent for the Soviet Union. In 1963, he was revealed to be a member of the Cambridge Five, a spy ring that had divulged British secr ...
.


Early working life

Following his graduation, Dunbar worked as journalist and photographer. He was commissioned by some of the leading ballet companies of the day – positions often facilitated by his mother. It was whilst working with
Ballet Rambert Rambert (known as Rambert Dance Company before 2014) is a leading British dance company. Formed at the start of the 20th century as a classical ballet company, it exerted a great deal of influence on the development of dance in the United Kingd ...
that he met and forged a life-long friendship with the famous ballerina Thérèse Langfield. During this time, Dunbar showed an interest in left-wing political ideas and a dislike for fascism, marching against
Oswald Mosley Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet (16 November 1896 – 3 December 1980), was a British aristocrat and politician who rose to fame during the 1920s and 1930s when he, having become disillusioned with mainstream politics, turned to fascism. ...
's British Fascists in east London, in October 1936.


Spanish Civil War

Following the outbreak of civil war in Spain in July 1936, Dunbar left London to join the anti-fascists on 5 January 1937. Once in Spain, Dunbar undertook two weeks training before being sent to the front line. He first saw action at the
Battle of Jarama The Battle of Jarama (6–27 February 1937) was an attempt by General Francisco Franco's Nationalists to dislodge the Second Spanish Republic, Republican lines along the river Jarama, just east of Madrid, during the Spanish Civil War. Elite Spa ...
on 12 February 1937. As a new recruit, Dunbar had enlisted as a 'soldado' (
private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...
) but by 15 February he had been made group leader of the battalion. He continued in this role until his arm was injured in an attack against the Fascists in mid-January 1938. Dunbar recuperated from his wound at Colmenar, Quintanar, Alcazar and Murcia before moving to
Benicàssim Benicàssim (; ); officially Benicasim / Benicàssim) is a municipality and beach resort located in the province of Castellón, on the Costa del Azahar in Spain. The Desert de les Palmes mountain range further inland shelters the town from ...
by 22 February. There, Dunbar was elected partially responsible for the English-speaking front at the military hospital Villa Ralph Fox in Benicassim. He remained at the villa until 10 March, when he returned to Albacete. Finding the 16th Battalion quartermaster unable to command his men, Dunbar took the opportunity to return to the Jarama Front. After the quartermaster returned, Dunbar was attached to the battalion HQ in the capacity of interpreter. After another three weeks, he was sent back to Albacete and the officer school. Dunbar continued to rise through the ranks. He became the most senior British ranking infantry officer in Spain when he served as the chief of staff for the entire 15th International Brigade at the
Battle of the Ebro The Battle of the Ebro (, ) was the longest and largest battle of the Spanish Civil War and the greatest, in terms of manpower, logistics and material ever fought on Spanish soil. It took place between July and November 1938, with fighting mainly ...
in July 1938. Dunbar was demobilized in December 1938 having served 23 months. The shy, taciturn Dunbar never gave any interviews on his time in Spain and information on him has always been fairly scarce, despite his high rank and illustrious record.


Second World War

During the Second World War Dunbar served in the British Army, but never rose above the rank of
sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
, adding fuel to claims that veterans of the Spanish war were being discriminated against. Nye Bevan cited him in support of a motion to censure the Churchill government in 1942.
"The Prime Minister must realise that in this country there is a taunt on everyone's lips that if Rommel had been in the British Army he would still have been a sergeant ... There is a man in the British Army who flung 150,000 men across the Ebro in Spain, Michael Dunbar. He is at present a sergeant ... He was Chief of Staff in Spain, he won the
Battle of the Ebro The Battle of the Ebro (, ) was the longest and largest battle of the Spanish Civil War and the greatest, in terms of manpower, logistics and material ever fought on Spanish soil. It took place between July and November 1938, with fighting mainly ...
, and he is a sergeant."
Bevan may have confused the XV brigade with the Republican XV Army Corps. Dunbar served under Pedro Mateo Merino commander of the 42nd international division which was under the command of Mañuel Tagüeña of XV Army Corps. Dunbar was thus a brigade commander of thousands not an entire army corps comprising 150,000 It has been suggested that Dunbar was recommended for a
commission In-Commission or commissioning may refer to: Business and contracting * Commission (remuneration), a form of payment to an agent for services rendered ** Commission (art), the purchase or the creation of a piece of art most often on behalf of anot ...
, but rejected it himself to remain with his unit. Dunbar served in the Royal Horse Artillery and won the Military Medal.


Postwar, and death

He later worked in the
Labour Research Department The Labour Research Department (LRD) is an independent trade union based research organisation, based in London, that provides information to support trade union activity and campaigns. About 2,000 trade union organisations, including 51 national ...
until, in July 1963, having apparently removed all identification from his clothing, he walked into the sea at
Milford-on-Sea Milford on Sea, often hyphenated, is a large coastal village and civil parish in the New Forest district, on the Hampshire coast, England. The parish had a population of 4,660 at the 2011 census and is centred about south of Lymington. Touri ...
, near Bournemouth. According to Richard Baxell although this looks like a clear case of suicide,
Vincent Brome Vincent Brome (14 July 1910 – 16 October 2004) was an English writer, who gradually established himself as a man of letters. He is best known for a series of biographies of politicians, writers and followers of Sigmund Freud. He also wrote nu ...
pointed out in ''Legions of Babel'', his (now out of print) history of the International Brigades, that the coroner declared an open verdict at the inquest rather than declaring his death to have been suicide. This, and Dunbar's alleged relationship with the Cambridge spy, Kim Philby, have led to persistent rumours of official cover-ups and Secret Service skulduggery. Following his death, Malcolm Dunbar's papers were saved by Thérèse Langfield, whose partner contacted Richard Baxell. In June 2016, Baxell handed over the mass of material to the
Bishopsgate Institute Bishopsgate Institute is a cultural institute in the Bishopsgate area east of the City of London. The institute was established in 1895. It offers a cultural events programme, courses for adults, historic library and archive collections, and a ...
in London. The collection includes: Spanish Civil War documents, including papers regarding his service in the 15th International Brigade, 1937–1939; photographs, 1937–1939; papers and correspondence, 1936–1963; membership cards and certificates (UK), including membership of the
Communist Party of Great Britain The Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) was the largest communist organisation in Britain and was founded in 1920 through a merger of several smaller Marxist groups. Many miners joined the CPGB in the 1926 general strike. In 1930, the CPGB ...
, 1912–1949.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dunbar, Michael International Brigades personnel 1912 births 1963 deaths Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge British people of the Spanish Civil War British Army personnel of World War II British Army soldiers