Ewart Milne

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Ewart Milne (1903-1987) was an Irish poet who was in the Spanish Civil War.

One of the poets who went to the Spanish Civil War, Ewart Milne acted as an administrator for the Spanish Medical Aid. Stradling says that he served for 2 years with the British Medical unit. Arthur Peacock, a British volunteer in the International Brigades wrote: "I recall the quiet and valuable work of the young raven-haired poet from the Wicklow Hills, Ewart Milne, who worked long hours packing parcels of bandages, hypodermic needles and sterilizers and who travelled backwards and forwards across France with our convoys. During these missions Ewart Milne wrote some of his best stories and poems."

In one activity Milne describes how he was involved as a letters courier in some arms deal. (See Ulster Tattler, May 1982.)

After Spain Milne remained active in support of the Release Frank Ryan committee, at one point taking part in a delegation to Westminster seeking Labour Party support. The Labour Party failed to offer their support but the trip did get some publicity in Irish papers. In August 1938 he was reported in The Worker's Republic as being one of the 12 member committee of the James Connolly Irish club in London.

By 1976 his politics had moved well to the right as he wrote to the Irish Times, 13/4/76, saying that he'd been taken in by Stalin and that 'Leninismis Satanism'!