In the latest edition of the Newsletter of the International Brigades Memorial Trust there is an article on page 4 about a variant of Jarama Valley which was written and sung by prisoners in the Palencia prison. The lyrics were recalled and given to the Newsletter by David Loman who at 93 is one of the last surviving members of the British Batallion of the International Brigades.

' These are the words that David and the other prisoners used to sing, as recalled by him...

There's a valley in Spain called Palencia
'Tis a place that we all know too well
It was there that we gave of our manhood
And spent months of misery and hell.

Surrounded one day by Italians
Who with guns bought by Chamberlin's gold
Blown to hell by artillery and avion
That's how our brave comrades were sold. '

The Newsletter of the International Brigades Memorial Trust there is news of a new record on which Billy Bragg has recorded Jarama Valley. The Newsletter asks whether this is the first time that the British Batallion's memorial version has been recorded (as opposed to the frequently recorded Lincoln Batallion memorial version and the original ' soldiers' complaint' version written in 1937 by Alec McDade and recently recorded by Billy Stewart in Scotland.
It seems very unlikely that there is not an earlier recording of this common version of the song but I do not recall one. Did Arthur Johnstone who is listed above as singing it, also record it? And one of the many political choirs which perform the song has surely recorded it? Does anyone know for certain of a recording?

There is also news of a new Billy Bragg recording on which Maxine Peake has recorded the farewell address of La Passionaria to the International Brigades.The Cd can be ordered for £5 plus £1.90 p&p ( cheques payable to IBMT) from: IBMT 6 Stonells Road , London SW11 6HQ or you can pay by credit card or Paypal by ordering on the merchandise page on the IBMT website : http://www.international-brigades.org.uk/