Forthcoming Events..... Here's one for April, 2026!

So, this will happen in April….

The Merriman March. 11th and 12th April 2026.

The annual Merriman March organised by Herencia Altés in Gandesa and led by Anna Marti will take place this April 11th and 12th.

https://albavolunteer.org/2012/07/in-the-footsteps-of-the-lincoln-washington-battalion/

The afternoon/evening of April 11th there will be a talk and supper at Herencia Altés near Gandesa, and the 32km/20 mile walk led by Anna will start on 12th April at Venta de Sant Joan north of Batea (described by Alvah Bessie as "a great lime-washed stone house" in "Men in Battle". It is a rather interesting Casa rural if people wish to stay there?) at 0930 and end at Corbera about 1700 with a picnic on the way. Cars will accompany the March to pick up any "wounded" to move them on. Members of the University of the Third Age on the Costa Brava may also attend. U3A member Brigid Spillane comes on the annual March and can hopefully explain the weekend. Chris Stone and Sarah Wachtel , relations of Marion Merriman have also taken part. And, of course, Benjamin Marriner Pratt whose relation died near Caseres with the Mac-Paps.

At the end of the March, cars will initially take back essential drivers to Batea to pick up their own cars and return for anyone left behind! Corbera is very close by and there are various bars for those having to wait to be picked up to natter and have a drink. There is also Corbera Poble Veil to explore and where Robert Merriman was likely held after capture and shot (see Adam Hochschild's "Spain in our Hearts" for the many local oral memories of this event).

If anyone would like to join us, we can suggest places to stay and even drive people around before during and after the weekend? But it will need planning in advance. Space for certainly three (waiting for one confirmation) but maybe up to four? Drop us a line on either pdlhistoria@gmail.com or Whatsapp on +34 638438766 to discuss possibilities depending on budget and particular interest or even if you are looking for a missing brigader in the Retreats?

Hope to see you there!

Alvah Bessie writes:

"Late that afternoon of the endless afternoon we saw Manuel coming down the valley fast, carrying something in his hand, and when he got to the intersection of the valley he waved. We could spot the other comrades coming down off the near-by hills, and we unbent our rigid limbs and started sliding down. Manuel was waiting patiently for us and when we reached him he put his hand into the news-paper he was carrying and gave a handful of avellanos to each of us. We started to crack the nuts between our teeth. "Come," he said, "we are going," and we fell in behind him, moving off down the valley till we came to the dirt road.

We kept looking to the right, the left, behind; there was a feeling of suspense; a feeling that something was going to happen any minute. Further ahead, down the road, we could see a large body of men, standing, sitting, lying near the great lime-washed stone house that was being used as the Brigade first-aid post. No one said anything; no one asked any questions, but we knew we were moving, moving fast. Tabb was seated beside the road, the light Russian machine-gun at his side. His funny face was unshaved, his hands were dirty; he said nothing. But the place was loud with commands: small groups of men moving forward and back, threading their way between the tired men, seeking their units. "Company One this way!" "Scouts and machine-guns up ahead."Cola! cola!", the tired men joked, leaning on their rifles. "Who ever saw the XVth Brigade do anything.right?" some one said.

I went to the head of the disorganized column, found Luke and Hal sitting beside the road, sat down beside them. I looked at the tiny butt in Luke's long, stained fingers, and he handed it to me. Hal was staring at his feet; Milt Wolff was down the road, conferring with Merriman and Doran of the Brigade, looking twice as tall as normal in his long black cape, stained with red dirt. They were looking at a map. He turned to the men, raised his hand and said, "Batallón! A formár!" It was growing dark. He waved his arm, said, "Let's go," and the men who had been sitting, lying beside the road, picked themselves and their equipment up and shuffled along in the dust of the eroded path, moving downhill. The head of the column halted, and men bumped each other. Angry voices said, "Watch that bayonet; pick up your feet; get the lead outta your ass," and the column moved on again, stumbling down the hill toward the main road."

"Men in Battle" by Alvah Bessie. pp. 109-110.

This Facebook posting (with more photos. I can only put up one here!) can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B4iG7dQhJ/

If you would like to join PdlH for this weekend on the Ebro, contact us on either pdlhistoria@gmail.com or Whatsapp on +34 638438766 to natter? But we only have space for certainly three, but possibly four passengers (one person has yet to confirm!) with me driving Kevin the Kangoo!