Cymry Rhyfel Cartref Sbaen

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-A quiet country. Unspoilt beauty -and celebrated traditions.	0:00:01	0:00:07
-It was very different once. 80 years -ago, Spain was torn apart by war.	0:00:07	0:00:12
-Welsh people were heavily involved.	0:00:12	0:00:14
-I'm following their journey, -retracing their steps...	0:00:15	0:00:18
-..to a country with painful memories -and continued ill-feeling.	0:00:18	0:00:23
-One of the most brutal wars of -the 20th century began in July 1936.	0:00:35	0:00:42
-The Spanish Civil War.	0:00:42	0:00:44
-Not everyone realised...	0:00:44	0:00:46
-..this was the beginning -of the battle against fascism.	0:00:46	0:00:50
-Many men travelled from Wales -to fight a battle of principle.	0:00:50	0:00:54
-Little attention has been given -to the women involved.	0:00:55	0:00:58
-Three young women from Wales had an -important part to play in the war.	0:00:59	0:01:04
-I'll recollect their stories, -which begin at sea.	0:01:04	0:01:08
-At daybreak on April 20, 1937...	0:01:15	0:01:20
-..a boat sailed towards the port -of Bilbao in the Basque Country...	0:01:21	0:01:26
-..captained by WH Roberts -from Penarth.	0:01:26	0:01:29
-Accompanying him was his daughter...	0:01:29	0:01:31
-..20-year-old Florence Evelyn, -or Fifi.	0:01:32	0:01:34
-Reaching Bilbao -was crucial for them.	0:01:34	0:01:37
-The Basque Country, -in Northern Spain...	0:01:37	0:01:40
-..supported -the democratic government...	0:01:40	0:01:43
-..against the right-wing armies.	0:01:43	0:01:45
-At that time, -because of a blockade...	0:01:45	0:01:48
-..Bilbao only had enough food -to last four days.	0:01:49	0:01:53
-The Seven Seas Spray's cargo -was partly made up of food.	0:01:53	0:01:57
-Captain Roberts had heard that -the sea was littered with mines.	0:01:57	0:02:02
-With Fifi at his side, -he set a course for Bilbao.	0:02:02	0:02:07
-At ten o'clock -we raised the anchor and left.	0:02:11	0:02:14
-The excitement of the event has been -captured in newspaper reports...	0:02:14	0:02:19
-..and in -the young woman's memories...	0:02:19	0:02:22
-..as her father, defying orders, -set off from France...	0:02:22	0:02:25
-..in the dead of night.	0:02:26	0:02:28
-There were flashes from the land.	0:02:28	0:02:30
-Searchlights were pointed towards us -but my father ignored them all.	0:02:30	0:02:35
-Defying the British authorities -was a bold move.	0:02:36	0:02:39
-Bolder still -was venturing out to sea...	0:02:40	0:02:42
-..where mines -were reportedly floating.	0:02:42	0:02:45
-However, there were no mines, -there was no blockade.	0:02:46	0:02:49
-It was a conspiracy -to prevent ships from coming in.	0:02:49	0:02:52
-At the time, Captain Roberts, -Fifi and the sailors...	0:02:52	0:02:56
-..risked their lives -to rescue the Basque Country.	0:02:56	0:02:59
-More ships would follow, -many from Wales.	0:03:00	0:03:03
-The cargo of Seven Seas Spray -offered hope.	0:03:04	0:03:07
-As we came riverside, everyone -was hanging out of their windows...	0:03:10	0:03:14
-..waving their arms -and crying happily.	0:03:14	0:03:16
-This was nine months after -the start of the Spanish Civil War.	0:03:20	0:03:24
-The right-wing government, Basque and -Catalan nationalists on one side...	0:03:24	0:03:29
-..fascists and conservative forces, -led by Franco, on the other.	0:03:29	0:03:33
-On land, they had surrounded -the Basque Country.	0:03:33	0:03:37
-At sea, the blockade -prevented maritime movement...	0:03:37	0:03:42
-..causing great hardship -for people like Cely Jiminez.	0:03:42	0:03:47
-We had to source goods -from places other than shops.	0:03:47	0:03:51
-Supplies were low.	0:03:51	0:03:53
-Goods were bought from what -we called the black market.	0:03:53	0:03:57
-Everything was expensive.	0:03:57	0:04:00
-A kilo of sugar was 80 pesetas. -A litre of oil was a similar price.	0:04:00	0:04:04
-The Spanish Civil War was a -brutal war between different worlds.	0:04:09	0:04:13
-The democratic government -of the popular front...	0:04:14	0:04:17
-..was a collection of left-wing -groups, communists and anarchists.	0:04:17	0:04:21
-They believed in -education for all, women's rights...	0:04:22	0:04:25
-..and powers for -the Basque Country and Catalonia.	0:04:25	0:04:28
-They wanted to overthrow landowners -and the Catholic Church...	0:04:28	0:04:32
-..who rebelled with the help -of Mussolini in Italy...	0:04:32	0:04:36
-..and Hitler's Nazis in Germany.	0:04:37	0:04:39
-Western European countries watched -and did nothing.	0:04:40	0:04:45
-Individuals were ready to stand up -and they would be seen as heroes.	0:04:45	0:04:49
-After being welcomed -in the Basque Country...	0:04:53	0:04:56
-..Fifi Roberts arrived here.	0:04:56	0:04:59
-A few days earlier, in this town...	0:04:59	0:05:01
-..one of the civil war's -most recognised events took place.	0:05:01	0:05:06
-It's an event that changed -the course of the war...	0:05:06	0:05:09
-..an event that changed -the history of warfare itself.	0:05:10	0:05:13
-This is Guernica.	0:05:13	0:05:15
-It was Monday, April 26, 1937.	0:05:15	0:05:19
-There was a market in this square.	0:05:20	0:05:22
-The place was packed -with people and market stalls.	0:05:22	0:05:26
-At 4.00pm, church bells were rung -and factory hooters were sounded.	0:05:26	0:05:30
-A military plane was approaching.	0:05:31	0:05:33
-It wasn't just one plane, -it was wave upon wave of aeroplanes.	0:05:33	0:05:38
-German planes dropped bombs.	0:05:38	0:05:40
-Italian planes shot people -as they fled.	0:05:40	0:05:43
-As you can see, -most of the buildings here are new.	0:05:45	0:05:48
-The old, historic town of Guernica -was completely destroyed.	0:05:48	0:05:53
-Begotxu Olaizola -comes from the Basque Country.	0:06:15	0:06:18
-She lived for a time in Wales.	0:06:18	0:06:20
-She explained how Guernica -became a symbolic target...	0:06:20	0:06:23
-..the home of the Basque Country's -government when it was independent.	0:06:23	0:06:27
-It was more than just -military strategy.	0:06:28	0:06:31
-It was a moral strategy to break -the heart of the Basque Country.	0:06:32	0:06:37
-Nothing about it was militaristic.	0:06:37	0:06:39
-There was a small ammunition factory -here but it wasn't bombed.	0:06:40	0:06:44
-They bombed Guernica town centre.	0:06:44	0:06:47
-How did it affect -the Basque population?	0:06:47	0:06:49
-If you read the press reports, -it really did break their hearts.	0:06:50	0:06:56
-It was a very effective strategy.	0:06:57	0:07:00
-I accompanied Begotxu -to the peace museum.	0:07:03	0:07:06
-It was established -to commemorate the attack.	0:07:06	0:07:10
-Over the years, historians -have pieced the day together...	0:07:10	0:07:15
-..to recall the event.	0:07:15	0:07:17
-They initially used fire bombs, -the one-kilo variety.	0:07:23	0:07:27
-7,000 were used.	0:07:27	0:07:29
-After the fire bombs, -they dropped huge 250kg bombs...	0:07:30	0:07:34
-..to destroy everything -in their path.	0:07:34	0:07:37
-Everything was lost.	0:07:37	0:07:40
-People fled to the shelters -carrying their house keys...	0:07:41	0:07:45
-..thinking it was -an ordinary bombing raid.	0:07:45	0:07:49
-These were planes -they'd seen before.	0:07:49	0:07:51
-When they returned home...	0:07:52	0:07:54
-..they saw their homes -had been completely destroyed.	0:07:54	0:07:58
-Fifi Roberts arrived -within days of the destruction.	0:08:02	0:08:06
-There were groups carrying anything -that was left of their lives.	0:08:08	0:08:12
-It was a heart-breaking scene.	0:08:12	0:08:14
-Once we reached Guernica, there -was not a single building standing.	0:08:14	0:08:20
-Ashes everywhere and nobody to be -seen but for one or two soldiers.	0:08:20	0:08:25
-They seemed to be searching -for bodies in the ruins.	0:08:25	0:08:28
-The place was totally destroyed.	0:08:29	0:08:31
-The bombs were intentional.	0:08:31	0:08:33
-Market day in the centre -of the old town.	0:08:33	0:08:36
-Guernica was a symbol -of Basque independence.	0:08:36	0:08:39
-As well as overthrowing -the government in war...	0:08:39	0:08:42
-..Franco also wanted to crush -its supporters.	0:08:42	0:08:45
-Basque and Catalan nationalists, -socialists and infidels.	0:08:45	0:08:50
-For Franco, -this was a cruel mission for change.	0:08:50	0:08:53
-He requested that German planes -drop the bombs...	0:08:54	0:08:57
-..and Italian planes -shot the people.	0:08:58	0:09:00
-For Hitler and Mussolini, the attack -was a rehearsal for things to come.	0:09:00	0:09:05
-This is why Guernica was chosen.	0:09:09	0:09:11
-The trunk of this old oak tree -is a symbol of Basque independence.	0:09:12	0:09:16
-A history in this tree.	0:09:16	0:09:18
-The attack and the fall of Bilbao -soon after destroyed Basque spirits.	0:09:18	0:09:23
-Today, the memories inspire.	0:09:24	0:09:27
-In our memories, it's remained as an -attack against the Basque Country.	0:09:28	0:09:34
-Against the existence -of the Basque Country.	0:09:35	0:09:38
-Begotxu and I -attend a huge rally that night.	0:09:42	0:09:46
-A rally to welcome -a politician's release from jail.	0:09:46	0:09:49
-A former member -of separatist group ETA...	0:09:49	0:09:52
-..who now supports peace.	0:09:53	0:09:54
-Arnaldo Otegi wants to recreate -the collaboration of the 1930s...	0:09:55	0:10:00
-..between left-wing parties -and lesser nations.	0:10:00	0:10:04
-How influential is Arnaldo Otegi?	0:10:06	0:10:09
-Arnaldo Otegi, -along with four others...	0:10:10	0:10:14
-..has moved ETA away from -its violent past five years ago.	0:10:14	0:10:20
-He's worked very hard...	0:10:20	0:10:23
-..he's done a lot -of important work.	0:10:23	0:10:25
-I'm looking forward to hearing -what he has to say today.	0:10:25	0:10:29
-What he says is important, -what he does is even more important.	0:10:29	0:10:34
-We'll wait and see.	0:10:35	0:10:37
-I hope Otegi, or someone else, -can find a way to heal this country.	0:10:37	0:10:43
-A part of that process...	0:10:53	0:10:54
-..would be returning this -to the Basque Country.	0:10:55	0:10:58
-It's a copy -of Pablo Picasso's Guernica.	0:10:58	0:11:00
-The original is in -the Spanish capital, Madrid.	0:11:01	0:11:04
-For 40 years -after winning the war...	0:11:04	0:11:07
-..Franco tried to stifle the Basque -Country's culture and language...	0:11:07	0:11:11
-..and the memory -of what happened here.	0:11:11	0:11:13
-For many in the Basque Country -today, memory is a great weapon.	0:11:13	0:11:18
-A Welsh lady has a part to play -in those memories.	0:11:18	0:11:21
-After that journey that brought her -from Bilbao to Guernica...	0:11:29	0:11:33
-..Fifi Roberts and her father -made many more journeys...	0:11:33	0:11:37
-..back and forth to the -Basque Country and along the coast.	0:11:37	0:11:41
-On one occasion, to the west...	0:11:41	0:11:43
-..her ship was held by -Italian soldiers for two months...	0:11:43	0:11:48
-..as food stocks ran low.	0:11:48	0:11:50
-Fifi returned to Penarth and settled -eventually in South-west England.	0:11:51	0:11:56
-The memory of the time -she spent here...	0:11:56	0:11:59
-..stayed with her until she died.	0:11:59	0:12:02
-By the time she reached Guernica...	0:12:02	0:12:05
-..two other Welsh women -were already in Spain.	0:12:05	0:12:08
-As we follow in their footsteps, we -will witness the intensity of war.	0:12:08	0:12:13
-.	0:12:19	0:12:19
-Subtitles	0:12:23	0:12:23
-Subtitles - -Subtitles	0:12:23	0:12:25
-The Spanish Civil War -started in July 1936...	0:12:28	0:12:31
-..but it was more than a civil war.	0:12:31	0:12:34
-Italy and Germany -supplied the right-wing rebels...	0:12:34	0:12:37
-..with soldiers, -aeroplanes and weapons.	0:12:37	0:12:39
-The Soviet Union provided some -assistance to the government...	0:12:39	0:12:43
-..but for them, volunteer help -was just as important.	0:12:43	0:12:46
-Socialists and fascists opposers -from around the world...	0:12:47	0:12:50
-..including Wales.	0:12:50	0:12:53
-Fifi Roberts' involvement in the -Spanish Civil War was unexpected...	0:12:53	0:12:58
-..but two Welsh nurses had made -a conscious decision to be here...	0:12:58	0:13:03
-..because of their beliefs -and conviction.	0:13:03	0:13:06
-Thora Silverthorne was the daughter -of a communist from Abertillery.	0:13:06	0:13:11
-She arrived in Granen, -a sleepy town today.	0:13:12	0:13:15
-She arrived in a lorry -not knowing what lay ahead for her.	0:13:15	0:13:18
-She helped establish -one of the first army hospitals.	0:13:19	0:13:22
-Thora was a member of -the first medical unit in Spain...	0:13:24	0:13:28
-..working for a body named SMAC.	0:13:28	0:13:31
-The day they left London...	0:13:31	0:13:33
-..10,000 turned up to -an anti-fascist rally in Hyde Park.	0:13:33	0:13:37
-3,000 people turned up at Victoria -Station to bid them farewell.	0:13:37	0:13:41
-They could see that fascism and -Nazism in Europe was on the rise...	0:13:41	0:13:46
-..and that the war in Spain -was a war to oppose the rise.	0:13:46	0:13:50
-The rebels, the nacionales -led by Franco, dominated the war.	0:13:50	0:13:54
-An important factor -was Franco's army...	0:13:54	0:13:57
-..which crossed to Spain from -North Africa thanks to German help.	0:13:57	0:14:01
-They made their way -across the country...	0:14:02	0:14:05
-..killing the opposition -and punishing survivors.	0:14:05	0:14:08
-They crushed the new-found rights -of women and many were raped.	0:14:09	0:14:14
-Government supporters -were pushed back.	0:14:15	0:14:17
-Some professional soldiers...	0:14:17	0:14:19
-..civilians and thousands -of overseas volunteers.	0:14:20	0:14:23
-Thora's unit initially arrived -in Granen on the Aragon front.	0:14:27	0:14:32
-Some of the bloodiest battles -were fought 12 miles from the town.	0:14:33	0:14:37
-Their task was establishing -a field hospital...	0:14:38	0:14:41
-..to give soldiers intensive care.	0:14:41	0:14:44
-The only place to set up a hospital -was the doctor's former home.	0:14:45	0:14:49
-It was very dirty -and overrun with rats.	0:14:49	0:14:52
-We cleaned and scoured the building -for a whole week.	0:14:52	0:14:56
-We then set up a theatre -for surgery.	0:14:57	0:14:59
-That was my domain since I was -used to working in a theatre.	0:14:59	0:15:03
-One of the town's older residents -showed me where the barber's shop...	0:15:05	0:15:10
-..and hospital were located.	0:15:10	0:15:13
-I arrived in Granen -with a forlorn hope...	0:15:16	0:15:18
-..of finding something -associated with the civil war.	0:15:18	0:15:21
-Historians claim there is nothing -to show where the hospital was.	0:15:22	0:15:27
-The only thing I knew was it was -situated in the doctor's house...	0:15:27	0:15:31
-..and at the time, -it was the town's largest house.	0:15:31	0:15:35
-I started asking local people -and they said it was situated here.	0:15:35	0:15:40
-They remember the building...	0:15:40	0:15:42
-..they remember the doctor -and the hospital.	0:15:43	0:15:46
-The hospital was similar to today's -Accident and Emergency department.	0:15:47	0:15:52
-Injured soldiers arrived, emergency -treatment where they lay...	0:15:52	0:15:57
-..before sending the injured -to other units and hospitals.	0:15:57	0:16:01
-The Granen hospital -treated up to 120 soldiers daily.	0:16:01	0:16:05
-We are very busy.	0:16:07	0:16:09
-The attack on Huesca has begun and -will be for some time I'm afraid.	0:16:09	0:16:14
-We've been working -for the last few days...	0:16:14	0:16:17
-..some days for 14 hours.	0:16:18	0:16:20
-It's difficult for us to imagine -the conditions at that time.	0:16:26	0:16:30
-This is why I'm here.	0:16:31	0:16:33
-Places like this -would be turned into hospitals.	0:16:33	0:16:37
-The medical group would arrive and -source the most suitable building.	0:16:37	0:16:42
-Thora mentioned turning a place -similar to this into a hospital.	0:16:42	0:16:47
-Operations were carried out -on the bar.	0:16:47	0:16:50
-This was a brutal war on both sides.	0:16:54	0:16:56
-Normal rules were ignored. -Even hospitals were a target.	0:16:56	0:17:01
-We have become accustomed to the air -raids although they still worry me.	0:17:04	0:17:08
-Planes flew over last night -dropping bombs but did no damage.	0:17:08	0:17:13
-The swine deliberately -target hospitals, it's inhuman.	0:17:15	0:17:19
-An English nurse working in a -village some distance from here...	0:17:20	0:17:24
-..was very frightened.	0:17:24	0:17:26
-The previous day, she was talking -to a comrade when a bomb dropped.	0:17:26	0:17:30
-She was thrown off her chair -and her companion was killed.	0:17:30	0:17:33
-She saw a bunch of children killed -by another bomb. It's really awful.	0:17:34	0:17:38
-There were horrific incidents -on both sides.	0:17:44	0:17:47
-When Franco and his nacionales -occupied a town or village...	0:17:47	0:17:52
-..they mercilessly -killed their opposition.	0:17:52	0:17:55
-On the other hand, there were -attacks on the Catholic Church too.	0:17:55	0:17:59
-Here, under the name of Primo de -Rivera, leader of the Falange...	0:17:59	0:18:02
-..the Spanish fascist party...	0:18:03	0:18:05
-..are the names -of over 60 people killed here.	0:18:05	0:18:09
-This number includes over -50 priests, killed by anarchists.	0:18:09	0:18:15
-The paint across the memorial -shows that feelings still run high.	0:18:15	0:18:20
-The Catholic Church was a huge -factor in the Spanish Civil War.	0:18:34	0:18:38
-It was one of the powers -of Spanish society.	0:18:39	0:18:42
-The republicans and the government -wanted to break that power.	0:18:42	0:18:46
-On the other hand, Franco and his -supporters wanted to maintain it.	0:18:46	0:18:50
-When the war began, the -Catholic Church supported Franco.	0:18:51	0:18:55
-The republicans and the government -fiercely opposed it.	0:18:55	0:18:59
-To this day, many Spaniards find it -difficult to talk about the war.	0:19:01	0:19:05
-Hundreds of thousands of Spaniards -were killed by other Spaniards.	0:19:05	0:19:09
-Historians claim that Franco -wanted to cleanse the country...	0:19:09	0:19:13
-..of his opponents.	0:19:14	0:19:16
-As well as revenge, he buried -the memory of what happened.	0:19:16	0:19:20
-In the middle of the horror of war, -because of the horror of war...	0:19:25	0:19:29
-..personal stories developed.	0:19:29	0:19:32
-In a civil ceremony, Thora married -a doctor, Kenneth Sinclair Loutit.	0:19:32	0:19:36
-It was, of course, inevitable -I should fall in love with Thora.	0:19:37	0:19:41
-She had an instinctive understanding -of people's feelings...	0:19:41	0:19:45
-..which made -her social relationship successful.	0:19:45	0:19:48
-All this encased in Celtic good -looks made me a very privileged man.	0:19:49	0:19:54
-He remembers -how very effective she was...	0:19:54	0:19:58
-..warming to people but also brave.	0:19:58	0:20:01
-Brave because she feared.	0:20:01	0:20:03
-She could control that fear -and help others to keep their heads.	0:20:03	0:20:07
-Even when the ground shook -with bombs.	0:20:07	0:20:10
-Thora Silverthorne was in Spain...	0:20:12	0:20:15
-..because of her strong -anti-fascist beliefs.	0:20:15	0:20:19
-She was raised in Abertillery.	0:20:19	0:20:21
-She witnessed the effect -of the depression in the Valleys.	0:20:21	0:20:25
-She joined the Young Communist -League at the age of 16.	0:20:25	0:20:28
-She said that everyone -in Abertillery discussed politics.	0:20:28	0:20:33
-After six months with SMAC, she -joined the International Brigade...	0:20:33	0:20:38
-..soldiers from around the world -who fought with the republicans.	0:20:39	0:20:43
-They included miners -from South Wales.	0:20:44	0:20:47
-They came because -they were communists and socialists.	0:20:47	0:20:51
-Thora believed that if they were -defeated by fascism in Spain...	0:20:52	0:20:57
-..they would be defeated -across the rest of Europe.	0:20:57	0:21:01
-The International Brigade -was an incredible army.	0:21:03	0:21:06
-A mixture of people -from different backgrounds.	0:21:07	0:21:09
-They were trained for four days -before facing Franco's army.	0:21:10	0:21:14
-They came from over 50 countries -across the world.	0:21:15	0:21:18
-Those who came from Britain -broke the law in doing so.	0:21:18	0:21:22
-The British government's policy -was to stay neutral.	0:21:22	0:21:26
-There was a ban -on travelling to Spain to fight.	0:21:26	0:21:30
-Amongst the 35,000 volunteers, there -were 180 from Wales, mostly miners.	0:21:30	0:21:36
-33 never returned home.	0:21:37	0:21:40
-This war is just bloody.	0:21:43	0:21:45
-If it was at all possible, it's made -me even more violently anti-fascist.	0:21:45	0:21:50
-Their methods, -even for war, are horrible.	0:21:50	0:21:53
-Seeing the consequences of war left -its mark on Thora by spring 1937.	0:21:57	0:22:03
-She was concerned that her brother, -Shon, would follow her.	0:22:03	0:22:08
-I imagine Shon -is on the point of coming out.	0:22:09	0:22:12
-Please don't let him.	0:22:12	0:22:15
-I just couldn't bear the strain -of knowing he was in danger too.	0:22:15	0:22:19
-I'd love to see you all...	0:22:21	0:22:23
-..and talk to you.	0:22:24	0:22:25
-During the war, -there were some key battles...	0:22:31	0:22:34
-..where both sides fought -determinedly or made a stand.	0:22:34	0:22:39
-Thora, the nurse -from Abertillery...	0:22:39	0:22:42
-..treated the injured from at least -three or four of the key battles.	0:22:42	0:22:46
-First, down in Southern Spain...	0:22:46	0:22:49
-..and then, -as government forces retreated...	0:22:49	0:22:52
-..closer and closer to Madrid -and central Spain.	0:22:52	0:22:56
-The final battle was in Brunette.	0:22:56	0:22:59
-She worked in a hospital where -over 5,000 soldiers were treated...	0:22:59	0:23:04
-..in a short space of time.	0:23:04	0:23:05
-This was in July 1937. -She had been there for a year.	0:23:06	0:23:09
-She soon returned home.	0:23:09	0:23:11
-What she had seen during the war -made her more determined...	0:23:11	0:23:15
-..to oppose fascism.	0:23:15	0:23:17
-I've never lived -in another community...	0:23:18	0:23:21
-..where everybody -was everybody's friend.	0:23:21	0:23:23
-It was important to be there, -a bit of history, and helping.	0:23:24	0:23:29
-I think it was -the most important part of my life.	0:23:29	0:23:33
-Thora Silverthorne's next battle -was for nurses' rights.	0:23:34	0:23:38
-She established an union -and made a stand against managers.	0:23:38	0:23:42
-She was part of the discussions -to set up the NHS in 1948...	0:23:42	0:23:47
-..but she never forgot Spain.	0:23:47	0:23:49
-The songs played at her funeral were -Valley of Jarama, Cwm Rhondda...	0:23:49	0:23:53
-..The Internationale -and Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.	0:23:53	0:23:56
-At almost the same time -as Thora returned to London...	0:24:00	0:24:04
-..another Welsh woman -was heading to Barcelona...	0:24:04	0:24:07
-..to play her part -in the war against fascism.	0:24:08	0:24:10
-.	0:24:12	0:24:13
-Subtitles	0:24:16	0:24:16
-Subtitles - -Subtitles	0:24:16	0:24:18
-The medical crews initially -arrived here, in Barcelona.	0:24:55	0:25:00
-Thora Silverthorne came here at the -start of the war, in August 1936.	0:25:00	0:25:05
-In March 1937 Margaret Powell, -another Welsh nurse, arrived.	0:25:05	0:25:10
-She came from Llangenny -near Crickhowell.	0:25:10	0:25:13
-She was a communist and had family -who'd fought in World War One.	0:25:14	0:25:18
-She remembered Belgian refugees -that moved to the area.	0:25:18	0:25:22
-She was determined to help.	0:25:22	0:25:24
-On the day her midwifery training -ended, she was on her way.	0:25:24	0:25:28
-Margaret Powell reached Barcelona -as part of a convoy from Britain.	0:25:45	0:25:50
-Two new ambulances, -four men and two women.	0:25:50	0:25:53
-Two of the men were young. They -volunteered to drive the ambulances.	0:25:53	0:25:57
-They were both killed -within a fortnight of arriving...	0:25:58	0:26:02
-..an example of the heartbreak -Margaret would witness here.	0:26:02	0:26:07
-She began her work in Polenino.	0:26:07	0:26:09
-Soon enough, Margaret experienced -the chaos war created.	0:26:15	0:26:19
-She was meant to embark -on a short train journey...	0:26:19	0:26:22
-..but that became -a 12-hour marathon.	0:26:23	0:26:25
-The train would often stop...	0:26:25	0:26:27
-..the engine was transferred -to another train...	0:26:28	0:26:31
-..and she failed to complete -the journey to Zaragoza.	0:26:31	0:26:34
-She walked the final three miles -to Polenino.	0:26:35	0:26:37
-I was shown to our communal bedroom.	0:26:39	0:26:42
-Six beds, a shelf and a hook -for our few clothes...	0:26:42	0:26:45
-..and a washstand -with a bowl and a jug.	0:26:46	0:26:48
-Luckily, none of us snored.	0:26:49	0:26:51
-The one lavatory - a hole in the -think stone floor near our bedroom.	0:26:51	0:26:55
-And how we knew it -as the weather got hotter.	0:26:56	0:26:58
-Polenino is where -Margaret's journey began.	0:27:00	0:27:03
-This was the hospital.	0:27:03	0:27:05
-After a few days, Margaret enquired -about a constant sound she heard.	0:27:05	0:27:10
-She was told -it was the noise of battle.	0:27:11	0:27:13
-For a nurse, battles mean work.	0:27:13	0:27:16
-There were quieter periods too.	0:27:17	0:27:19
-Margaret worked as a nurse in the -community and worked as a midwife...	0:27:19	0:27:24
-..bringing new life into the world.	0:27:25	0:27:27
-That was just mere respite.	0:27:27	0:27:29
-Soon, she was back in the thick -of it, trying to save lives.	0:27:30	0:27:33
-The house in Polenino -was filled with historic wonders...	0:27:36	0:27:40
-..including direct links -to Margaret's time here.	0:27:40	0:27:43
-The owner showed me where patients -and staff carved their names...	0:27:43	0:27:47
-..in the beams.	0:27:47	0:27:49
-One name stands out - Dr Aguilo.	0:27:50	0:27:52
-It's almost like seeing -Margaret's name.	0:27:52	0:27:56
-This Majorcan doctor worked closely -with Margaret during her time here.	0:27:56	0:28:00
-These were young people.	0:28:01	0:28:03
-During hard times, -they could still have fun.	0:28:03	0:28:06
-One hot summer's day, Margaret and -her friends bathed in the river.	0:28:06	0:28:11
-They were driven away by the locals -for scaring the donkeys!	0:28:11	0:28:15
-Because of the intense situation...	0:28:31	0:28:34
-..the war led to many -important medical developments...	0:28:34	0:28:38
-..such as how to treat soldiers -so close to the frontline.	0:28:38	0:28:43
-The other was triage - the order for -deciding the urgency of treatment.	0:28:43	0:28:49
-But as Margaret Powell said, -for them...	0:28:49	0:28:52
-..it was a case of deciding -who would die first.	0:28:53	0:28:56
-She has a story about treating -two men in a ward.	0:28:57	0:29:01
-She went to the older man who -told her to treat the younger man.	0:29:01	0:29:05
-As she treated the younger, -the older man died.	0:29:05	0:29:09
-The younger man started to scream.	0:29:09	0:29:11
-That's when she realised -they were brothers.	0:29:11	0:29:15
-Margaret said -she just wanted to run away.	0:29:15	0:29:18
-It's hard to imagine -why a Welsh woman would choose...	0:29:27	0:29:30
-..to work in the middle of such -destruction in a foreign country.	0:29:30	0:29:35
-Margaret was in Spain -because she opposed fascism.	0:29:35	0:29:38
-Other nurses and doctors -were there...	0:29:38	0:29:42
-..because they believed everyone -had a right to treatment.	0:29:42	0:29:45
-Often, the help -meant more than just treatment.	0:29:45	0:29:48
-When I'm not needed for surgery...	0:29:51	0:29:54
-..I visit the temporary wards -in barns and sheds.	0:29:55	0:29:59
-I try to comfort the injured -and those close to death.	0:29:59	0:30:03
-As Franco's army gradually conquered -the country...	0:30:06	0:30:09
-..the government's armies tried -to make a stand in key locations...	0:30:09	0:30:13
-..gaining territory, -albeit temporarily.	0:30:14	0:30:16
-The greatest destruction -was witnessed in these areas.	0:30:16	0:30:20
-Margaret Powell -treated the injured here...	0:30:22	0:30:25
-..as she worked in a hospital -a few miles away.	0:30:25	0:30:28
-This is Belchite which has been -left exactly as it was...	0:30:29	0:30:33
-..after a brutal battle for almost -a fortnight in August 1937.	0:30:33	0:30:38
-It was left like this by Franco -for propaganda purposes.	0:30:39	0:30:42
-Whatever the reasons, the remains -reflect the intensity of battle...	0:30:42	0:30:48
-..on dozens of Spanish towns.	0:30:49	0:30:51
-It shows the horror of war -that happens across the world today.	0:30:51	0:30:57
-After the plains of Aragon and -Polenino, Margaret's world changed.	0:31:16	0:31:20
-By then, October 1937, the battles -had moved to the Pyrenees.	0:31:20	0:31:25
-There were no -established hospitals here.	0:31:25	0:31:28
-Small units moved from place -to place, following the battles.	0:31:28	0:31:33
-In one place, -they set up an emergency hospital...	0:31:33	0:31:38
-..only three miles -from the frontline.	0:31:38	0:31:42
-The task for me was to find -the location of that unit.	0:31:43	0:31:47
-Margaret had written vividly -about her work and the conditions.	0:31:47	0:31:52
-There was no electricity, -just an oil lamp and candles.	0:31:52	0:31:56
-Imagine the surgeon -opening someone's stomach...	0:31:56	0:31:59
-..searching for the liver -and stitching it under candlelight.	0:31:59	0:32:03
-Another pioneering aspect -of the medical work here...	0:32:04	0:32:07
-..was using blood banks, -a store of blood for surgeries.	0:32:07	0:32:11
-This was difficult in the mountains, -and supply was also a problem.	0:32:11	0:32:15
-They asked for contributions -from anyone who was available.	0:32:15	0:32:20
-Margaret said -they felt like vampires.	0:32:20	0:32:23
-We try to give blood -to every patient who needs it...	0:32:23	0:32:26
-..but there is no fridge -to store the blood.	0:32:26	0:32:29
-The most direct approach -is the only answer.	0:32:30	0:32:33
-At times, we can't find a donor...	0:32:33	0:32:35
-..because everyone -has given as much as they can.	0:32:35	0:32:38
-I was on my way.	0:32:43	0:32:44
-I knew that the emergency hospital -was in an old mill.	0:32:45	0:32:48
-It's now used as a hostel -but historian Jose Perez-Marcello...	0:32:49	0:32:54
-..knows precisely -where everything was.	0:32:54	0:32:58
-On the September 22, 1937, an -army medical unit was set up here.	0:33:04	0:33:09
-It benefitted -from having the mill here.	0:33:09	0:33:12
-The unit was set up here...	0:33:12	0:33:14
-..with two tents in that field.	0:33:14	0:33:16
-The operations were done -in this abattoir.	0:33:17	0:33:20
-They had a day to source a suitable -building and turn it into a theatre.	0:33:26	0:33:33
-That building was an abattoir.	0:33:33	0:33:35
-Boxes as beds, blankets as walls -and no pillows or sheets.	0:33:35	0:33:39
-They could hear the sound of battle -all day long...	0:33:40	0:33:44
-..a sure sign -that they would be busy later.	0:33:44	0:33:47
-They were responsible for -the welfare of 13,000 soldiers.	0:33:47	0:33:50
-Every day, lorries filled -with young men head for the front.	0:33:53	0:33:57
-They look younger and younger.	0:33:57	0:33:59
-Though I'm not religious...	0:34:00	0:34:02
-..I say a little prayer -and think of their families.	0:34:02	0:34:06
-I also wonder how long it will be...	0:34:06	0:34:08
-..until they are brought back -on the donkeys.	0:34:08	0:34:11
-Many died.	0:34:13	0:34:15
-Today, a society -keeps their memory alive.	0:34:16	0:34:18
-Soldiers were buried -without headstones.	0:34:19	0:34:22
-Often, there is no record of -the graves of government soldiers.	0:34:23	0:34:26
-People have declined to ask -in case they open old wounds.	0:34:27	0:34:30
-Next to the mill in Escartin, -there are two fields.	0:34:31	0:34:34
-They have been untouched -by the farmer since the war.	0:34:34	0:34:38
-They are now a pilgrimage site.	0:34:38	0:34:40
-Underground tests proved -that there were graves here.	0:34:43	0:34:47
-It was research by a society -determined to find the truth.	0:34:47	0:34:52
-They wanted to tell the story.	0:34:52	0:34:55
-They're glad to see forgotten sites -such as this being recognised.	0:34:55	0:35:00
-By revealing the story, -they gain a deeper understanding.	0:35:01	0:35:04
-Frederico -is an anti-Franco republican.	0:35:05	0:35:07
-His father fought for the fascists, -not because he was a fascist...	0:35:08	0:35:12
-..but because his home was conquered -by Franco early in the war.	0:35:13	0:35:17
-When he returned from the war, -he understood the outrage...	0:35:21	0:35:25
-..that had been done -and both he and I...	0:35:25	0:35:27
-..we are ashamed that the things -that were committed remain hidden.	0:35:27	0:35:32
-My work ensures -that Spain does not forget...	0:35:32	0:35:35
-..and knows what really happened -during Franco's time.	0:35:36	0:35:40
-For decades, -people didn't talk about the war...	0:35:46	0:35:49
-..or family members -that had fought or died.	0:35:49	0:35:53
-It was almost as if both sides -intentionally forgot.	0:35:53	0:35:57
-While Franco was alive...	0:35:58	0:36:00
-..the vanquished, -the left and the republicans...	0:36:00	0:36:03
-..remained silent -for fear of retribution.	0:36:04	0:36:07
-Whenever a man was buried, -the men asked me to accompany them.	0:36:09	0:36:14
-I never asked why but it was plain -I represented a wife or a mother.	0:36:15	0:36:19
-No record other than A's notes...	0:36:19	0:36:21
-..were kept of the soldiers -that passed through our hands.	0:36:22	0:36:25
-There was no time -to mark their graves.	0:36:25	0:36:28
-Some of the soldiers -were buried here.	0:36:30	0:36:32
-The soldiers Margaret and her team -failed to save.	0:36:32	0:36:36
-While many of Franco's supporters -were given respectable graves...	0:36:36	0:36:41
-..these soldiers were forgotten.	0:36:41	0:36:43
-Until society started researching -a few years ago...	0:36:43	0:36:47
-..no-one knew what was here.	0:36:47	0:36:49
-They now know -and there's a stone on each grave.	0:36:49	0:36:52
-They are stones without names.	0:36:52	0:36:55
-The evidence has disappeared...	0:36:55	0:36:57
-..and no-one will ever know -who was buried underground here.	0:36:58	0:37:02
-.	0:37:11	0:37:11
-Subtitles	0:37:15	0:37:15
-Subtitles - -Subtitles	0:37:15	0:37:17
-Life was hard for Margaret Powell -in northern Aragon in autumn 1937.	0:37:31	0:37:37
-That winter, it became even harder.	0:37:37	0:37:40
-The republicans unsuccessfully tried -to break Franco's stranglehold...	0:37:40	0:37:45
-..in another part of Aragon, -Teruel...	0:37:45	0:37:48
-..during one of the harshest winters -Spain had ever witnessed.	0:37:48	0:37:53
-According to Margaret...	0:37:53	0:37:55
-..injured soldiers froze to death -before they were helped.	0:37:55	0:37:59
-War is never glorious...	0:38:03	0:38:04
-..for nurses, doctors -and the women who wait.	0:38:05	0:38:08
-We see the misery, -pain and tragedy of it.	0:38:08	0:38:11
-In Spain, -there was no lack of all three.	0:38:12	0:38:15
-By the beginning of 1939, -the end was nigh.	0:38:22	0:38:26
-Margaret Powell fled with whatever -was left of the republican army.	0:38:26	0:38:31
-The medical crew left Escartin...	0:38:31	0:38:34
-..and moved once more.	0:38:34	0:38:36
-Franco had the support of Germany -and Italy's modern weapons...	0:38:36	0:38:41
-..and the government -was left helpless.	0:38:41	0:38:44
-The nurses couldn't cope -with all the work.	0:38:44	0:38:48
-We do everything humanly possible, -more than I once thought possible.	0:38:51	0:38:55
-There is so much more that can be -done if there were more of us.	0:38:56	0:38:59
-By the time Margaret reached -Solsona in Catalonia...	0:39:07	0:39:11
-..the situation looked hopeless -for the government and republicans.	0:39:11	0:39:15
-They had fled north-east -towards their border with France.	0:39:16	0:39:19
-Margaret had travelled to Spain -at the earliest opportunity...	0:39:20	0:39:24
-..because she believed -in democracy and socialism...	0:39:24	0:39:27
-..and her desire to oppose fascism.	0:39:28	0:39:30
-Preparing to leave, her -determination was as strong as ever.	0:39:30	0:39:34
-Her love for the Spanish people -had strengthened her feelings.	0:39:35	0:39:40
-If you knew Spanish people -as I have come to know them...	0:39:43	0:39:46
-..you would find ordinary people -brave and kind...	0:39:46	0:39:50
-..fighting -not because they love bloodshed...	0:39:51	0:39:53
-..but know that they must fight -to save their homes...	0:39:54	0:39:57
-..and for the right -to live peacefully and decently.	0:39:57	0:40:00
-Spaniards know that victory -for the Fascist force...	0:40:02	0:40:06
-..would mean tyranny and oppression -for them and for Spain.	0:40:06	0:40:10
-As republican forces retreated, -chaos ensued.	0:40:11	0:40:14
-Margaret was in the middle -of that chaos.	0:40:14	0:40:17
-Members of the medical crew -searched for her...	0:40:17	0:40:21
-..and they found her here, -in Solsona.	0:40:21	0:40:24
-Knowing what I know of her, she -would have come to this building.	0:40:24	0:40:28
-This church had been turned -into an emergency hospital.	0:40:28	0:40:32
-By then, Margaret had been a nurse -in the war for two years...	0:40:32	0:40:36
-..in difficult circumstances -with little medical equipment.	0:40:37	0:40:41
-During that time, she didn't mislay -any piece of equipment.	0:40:41	0:40:45
-Of her patients, -none died from blood poisoning...	0:40:45	0:40:49
-..and only one died of gangrene.	0:40:49	0:40:51
-But they knew the end was nigh -for the government and republicans.	0:40:55	0:41:00
-They knew that Franco's army would -seek revenge on their opponents.	0:41:00	0:41:05
-The only answer -was fleeing to France.	0:41:05	0:41:08
-Long before February 1939...	0:41:11	0:41:14
-..most of the international soldiers -had returned home.	0:41:15	0:41:19
-Margaret, along with many -local republican fighters...	0:41:19	0:41:23
-..made the painfully long journey -to the border with France...	0:41:23	0:41:27
-..in the snow -and freezing temperatures.	0:41:28	0:41:31
-Tens of thousands of civilians -also made the journey...	0:41:31	0:41:35
-..the elderly, -pregnant women and children.	0:41:35	0:41:38
-They searched for gaps in the -Pyrenees and some kind of salvation.	0:41:38	0:41:42
-People's memories of this period -give us an idea of the chaos.	0:41:47	0:41:52
-Walking though the night, missing -children crying for their mothers.	0:41:52	0:41:57
-Babies born in the snow. -Children falling over the rocks.	0:41:57	0:42:01
-Some crawling on all fours, -others barefoot.	0:42:01	0:42:04
-For many republican soldiers, this -was the worst experience of all.	0:42:04	0:42:09
-A painful realisation -that they had lost everything.	0:42:09	0:42:13
-For Margaret, this was the end -of her journey in Spain.	0:42:18	0:42:22
-From the evidence gathered, we are -sure she crossed to France here...	0:42:23	0:42:27
-..along with a dishevelled army -of republicans...	0:42:27	0:42:31
-..on February 9, 1939, -possibly in the early hours.	0:42:31	0:42:35
-For her, it was heart-breaking.	0:42:36	0:42:38
-In her own words, she said -it was the saddest day of her life.	0:42:38	0:42:43
-War wasn't imaginary anymore.	0:42:46	0:42:49
-We had witnessed its horror -and devastation for two years...	0:42:50	0:42:54
-..until February 9, 1939, -the saddest day of my life...	0:42:54	0:42:58
-..when I, and 10,000 soldiers...	0:42:58	0:43:01
-..crossed over the Pyrenees -into unwelcoming France.	0:43:01	0:43:05
-Margaret, the soldiers -and thousands of civilians...	0:43:14	0:43:19
-..crossed over hoping for a welcome -and some assistance.	0:43:19	0:43:23
-Similar to the plight of refugees -today, that wasn't the case.	0:43:23	0:43:28
-The Spanish Civil War ended -in March 1939...	0:43:29	0:43:33
-..as Franco captured -the Spanish capital, Madrid.	0:43:33	0:43:36
-Historians on both sides -don't agree on the number of deaths.	0:43:37	0:43:41
-200,000 soldiers -in the fighting itself...	0:43:41	0:43:44
-..and according -to recent, impartial historians...	0:43:44	0:43:48
-..hundreds of thousands -of civilians...	0:43:48	0:43:50
-..executed and punished, -killed by the bombing raids...	0:43:51	0:43:55
-..or died in prison camps.	0:43:55	0:43:57
-This was the first war where more -civilians than soldiers were killed.	0:43:57	0:44:02
-No-one will ever know -the full story.	0:44:02	0:44:05
-Government supporters -were right to fear.	0:44:09	0:44:12
-Oppression followed, on the language -and culture of the Basque Country...	0:44:12	0:44:18
-..and Catalonia, -where my journey ends...	0:44:18	0:44:20
-..but this part of Catalonia -is in France.	0:44:21	0:44:23
-Every summer, thousands of visitors -flock here to enjoy the sunshine.	0:44:23	0:44:29
-In the cold of February 1939, -different visitors were here.	0:44:29	0:44:33
-From the half a million people -who'd crossed the mountains...	0:44:34	0:44:37
-..100,000 arrived here -and Margaret Powell was one of them.	0:44:38	0:44:41
-There were no holiday homes -and hotels here at that time...	0:44:42	0:44:46
-..just a strip of marshland -and a beach.	0:44:46	0:44:49
-It was all fenced off...	0:44:49	0:44:51
-..and soldiers from Senegal -made sure no-one fled.	0:44:51	0:44:56
-There were no toilets, -there was no drinking water.	0:44:56	0:44:59
-Some people drank seawater.	0:44:59	0:45:01
-There was no shelter.	0:45:01	0:45:03
-People dug in the sand -to create makeshift beds.	0:45:03	0:45:07
-Husbands and wives were separated -and families were split up.	0:45:10	0:45:14
-Disease was rife.	0:45:14	0:45:16
-90% of the babies born here -were likely to die.	0:45:16	0:45:20
-According to one -humanitarian observer...	0:45:21	0:45:24
-..the treatment they received -in France was terrible.	0:45:24	0:45:28
-The right-wing press -turned people against refugees.	0:45:28	0:45:32
-They labelled them red terrorists...	0:45:32	0:45:34
-..and warned of lawlessness -in the South of France.	0:45:34	0:45:38
-Amidst the hardship...	0:45:48	0:45:49
-..and the thousands of people -confined to this beach...	0:45:50	0:45:54
-..Margaret's future -was also unclear.	0:45:54	0:45:57
-She'd lost her passport.	0:45:57	0:45:59
-She had no documents to prove -she was a British citizen.	0:45:59	0:46:03
-Only after a Quaker relief team -was allowed to help was she rescued.	0:46:04	0:46:10
-Even then, it appears she returned -to help refugees find shelter...	0:46:10	0:46:16
-..but it was a terrible end -to a brave story.	0:46:16	0:46:19
-Well, the end of one brave story.	0:46:23	0:46:25
-Margaret went on to become a nurse -in the Second World War.	0:46:26	0:46:29
-Her worked involved -assisting refugees again.	0:46:30	0:46:33
-In 1944, she headed -for the Sinai desert in Egypt...	0:46:33	0:46:37
-..to care for Yugoslavian children -and mothers who sought refuge there.	0:46:37	0:46:42
-She worked in camps -in Northern Germany...	0:46:42	0:46:45
-..caring for people who had lost -their homes during the war...	0:46:45	0:46:49
-..but Spain never forgot her work.	0:46:49	0:46:51
-She was made a Dame of the Order of -Loyalty to the Spanish Republic...	0:46:52	0:46:56
-..for her valiant action -as a nurse, self-sacrifice...	0:46:56	0:47:00
-..and devotion to the wounded.	0:47:00	0:47:02
-That's the end of my journey...	0:47:07	0:47:09
-..after following the stories -of three young Welsh women...	0:47:09	0:47:12
-..caught in one -of the most brutal wars.	0:47:12	0:47:15
-No-one knows for sure -how many people were killed.	0:47:15	0:47:18
-Possibly 200,000. No-one knows -how many bodies are missing.	0:47:19	0:47:23
-When you remember -the refugee camp on that beach...	0:47:23	0:47:27
-..there are striking similarities -to the current situation.	0:47:27	0:47:31
-On this stone, to commemorate -the camp and the war...	0:47:31	0:47:35
-..there's one simple sentence -in French.	0:47:35	0:47:40
-Those of you who are free, remember.	0:47:40	0:47:43
-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.	0:48:19	0:48:21
-.	0:48:21	0:48:21

Cymry Rhyfel Cartref Sbaen

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