Hyndman Jimmy

 

Jim Hyndman

James Hyndman was born on the 4th September 1911 at 175 Queen St, Govan, Glasgow. His parents, Robert Hyndman from Ardstraw and Matilda Boggs from Legfordrum, were married in Newtownstewart and moved to Glasgow sometime between 1896 and 1899, living in Govan. Robert was employed as a engineering labourer in a ship yard.

Jimmy became a prominent member of the Young Communist League at an early age and was also a full member of the British Communist Party. Jim visited Soviet Russia and Germany and spoke both languages to some degree, presumably acquiring these in the course of work with the Young Communist International.

He was active in organising the 1936 Hunger march to London from Glasgow. According to his mother he had then already decided to go to Spain to fight Fascism, because he said it was ‘his duty to do so’. (Irish Press 2^nd February 1937) Challenge, the YCL paper, carried a photo of him in front of the banner on arrival in London.

By early December 1936 he had arrived in Spain where he joined the 145 strong No.1 Company (British, Irish, Dutch and Cypriot volunteers) attached to the XIV International Brigade at Madriqueras / Albacete.

On the 24^th December 1936 the Company was sent from Albacete to the Cordoba Front to try to stop the nationalist offensive towards Lopera. The Company suffered heavy losses in killed and wounded. On 10^th January 1937 the remainder of the company was transferred up to the Madrid front.

Then, on the 12^th January at Las Rozas, Jimmy, by then a Group Leader / Machine Gunner in the machine gun section of the company, was struck by a fascist artillery shell in defence of a bridge.  Also killed were Jim Kermode from Airdrie and George Palmer from Andover, Hants. The poet John Cornford was in the same engagement.

Source: Thomas Barr

http://irelandscw.com/ibvol-Hyndman.htm