Volunteer of the Week: Earl Rose

Earl Rose was a volunteer who lived in both South Dakota and northern Alberta before fighting in the Spanish Civil War. Rose had a military history: he fought in the First World War and served with the RCMP. He also spoke Cree, but it is unclear if he was Cree. He was an older volunteer: he was 50 years old when he sailed for Spain. He was a member of the Communist Party, but was suspended while in Spain. This was not uncommon for Canadian volunteers, many of whom resisted the authority that came with the party. In Spain, he served with several different units and was wounded in action twice. He returned to Canada on the Duchess of Richmond and died in 1950.

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