Alex McDade (1905–1937) was a Glasgow poet and labourer who went to Spain to fight with

XV International Brigade The XV International Brigade was one of the International Brigades formed to fight for the Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War. History The XVth Brigade mustered at Albacete in January 1937. It consisted of English-speaking volunte ...

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 ...

.Jump, p 115 He was a political commissar with the

British Battalion The British Battalion (1936–1938; officially the Shapurji Saklatvala, Saklatvala Battalion) was the 16th (from November 1937 the 57th) battalion of the XV International Brigade, one of the mixed brigades of the International Brigades, during t ...

and wounded 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 ...

in February 1937. He was killed on the first day of the

Battle of Brunete The Battle of Brunete (6–25 July 1937), fought west of Madrid, was a Republican attempt to alleviate the pressure exerted by the Nationalists on the capital and on the north during the Spanish Civil War. Although initially successful, the R ...

at Villanueva de la Cañada on 6 July 1937. He wrote the poem "Valley of Jarama".

References

*Jump, Jim (ed). ''Poets from Spain: British and Irish International Brigaders on the Spanish Civil War'' London: Lawrence & Wishart (2006) {{DEFAULTSORT:Mcdade, Alex 1905 births 1937 deaths Writers from Glasgow British people of the Spanish Civil War British military personnel killed in action International Brigades personnel killed in action