988732 Sgt.Ronald Malcolm Loraine DUNBAR M.M., RA & XV International Brigade

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Guy Hudson, Oct 28, 2020.

  1. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

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    988732 Sergent Ronald Malcolm Loraine DUNBAR M.M.
    'I' Battery, 13th Honourable Artillery Company, Royal Horse Artillery

    29th February 1912 Paignton, Devon - 1963 Milford-on-Sea, Dorset

    Educated Repton School 1925-1930
    Cambridge University 1930-1933
    Travelled to Spain arriving 10.1.1937
    Wounded at Jarama in Febraury 1937
    O.C. British Anti-Tank Battery May 1937
    Chief of Operations, then Chief of Staff 15th International Brigade
    Promoted Major 17.10.1938

    Newspaper Circulating Manager residing 9 Norfolk Square, Paddington, London 29.9.1939
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    Enlists in the Royal Artillery as a Gunner in June 1940

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    Posted from the 39th Signal Training Regiment R.A. to 13 H.A.C. 3.1.1941
    Promoted Lance Bombardier 3.1.1941
    Promoted Bombardier 3.3.1941
    Promoted Sergeant 12.10.1941


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    Yorkshire Post 6th July 1942

    MEET DUNBAR - THE N.C.O. WHO WON THE HISTORIC BATTLE

    Who is Dunbar? Who is the Sergeant in the British Armoured Brigade who was a Chief of Staff of the Republican Army in Spain, and won the Battle of the Ebro, in which he flung across a river 150,000 men?
    Many have asked the question since Mr. Aneurin Bevin in the "no-confidence" debate in the House of Commons revealed that the victor of the Ebro batlle of the Spanish Civil war is now a N.C.O. in the British Army.
    Today I talked to a man who knows and fought with Dunbar. Here is the story of Malcolm Dunbar, as told to me by Mr. E.J. Bee, of Turves Road, Cheadle Hulme who was on the operations staff of the XV International Brigade with Dunbar.
    "Dunbar was achieving success in Britain as a writer when he went to Spain to fight for the Republican Army. He is now about 30 and has a Univesity degree in Economics and History.
    Arriving in Spain in January 1937, Dunbar took a rifle and went to the Jarama front as a volunteer. Three days later he was in command of a section, another three days and he was wounded and in hospital. In a month he was back in the fighting.
    The Republicans sent him to Officers' Training School and then he instructed recruits. Later he commanded the Anti-Tank Barttery, one of the first formed in Spain.
    He was wounded again at Brunete and after a month in hospital returned to the frontline. He was then a Captain, but so complete had his leadership been at Brunete he was appoined to the Brigade Staff, and throughout the Aragon offensive showed brilliance.
    He took part in the successful defence of the southern flank of Madrid, helping in smashing of the encircling bid, and he played a part in the rout of the Mussolini Brigade at Guadalajara. It was here he took part in the first succesful co-operation of fast fighter planes supprting tanks.
    Later Dunbar became Chief of Staff of the XVth International Brigade, attaining the rank of Major.
    After the memorable stand at Teurel Dunbar was responsible, at the age of twenty seven, for carrying out in the field all those actions in which the Brigade fought, the stand at Gandesa and in the Ebro retreat, literally holding together Spain before the Fascists severed Catalonia from Southern Spain.
    Next Dunbar showed remarkable coolness and iniatiative and efficency, though several times wounded, in the recrossing of the Ebro by the International Brigade.
    In my opinion, declared Mr.Bee, Dunbar pesonifies the type of leadership in the great Russian Army, where every man is promoted from the ranks has the ability of the practical soldier and can execute personally every order he gives to his men and at the same time knows every automatic weapon inside out."

    Manchester Evening News 10th July 1942

    Awarded a Military Medal for actions in Normandy on the 18th July 1944

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    Major DUNBAR XV International Brigade (right) E.J. BEE (Left) J.B.S. HALDANE (Centre)
     
    Last edited: Oct 29, 2020
    JohnH and JimHerriot like this.

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