Ninety years after the Spanish Civil War began, the Australians who fought for the Spanish Republic remain largely excluded from official remembrance.

During the Second World War, more than one million Australians fought in the global struggle against fascism. These men and women have rightly been honoured with official memorials, honours, pensions and support.

But the first Australians to fight fascism, those who fought for the Spanish Republic against the forces of Hitler, Mussolini and Franco in the Spanish Civil War, have never been so honoured. In fact, they have been officially ignored.

The Spanish Civil War began on 17 July 1936, 90 years ago this week, with a military coup against the democratically elected government of the Spanish Republic. Hitler and Mussolini sent troops to assist the rebels; a faltering coup turned into the Spanish Civil War. Stalin sent some aid to the Republic but the Western democracies stood aside and, as they would with Czechoslovakia, allowed a European democracy to be destroyed by fascists.

Supporting the Spanish Republic became a global cause. About 70 Australians went to fight with the........

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