Spanish pilots in russia

[GMichalski]

Antonio Arias Arias

Born in Madrid on April 29, 1915. He participated in the October 1934 revolution, for which he was incarcerated but pardoned after the elections of February 1936. When civil war broke out he joined the armed militias that caused the failure of the military uprising in Madrid, after participating in the fighting in the Sierra de Madrid.

In November, aims to participate in a pilot course, still recovering from wounds suffered in combat in Madrid. Past evidence is part of the first group of students trained in Kirovabad, returning to Spain in June, conducts training in the Carmolí. In August 1937, is intended for the 1st Squadron is being reorganized in Liria. In November he joined the 4th Squadron sent Manuel Zarauza, squadron command passing in July 1938, reaching the rank of captain, and going to France in February 1939.

Interned by the French in the concentration camps of Argeles and Gurs, emigrated to the USSR in August 1939. There he worked as a mechanic at the Kharkov tractor factory. World War II surprised where he was studying in Moscow, joining the Soviet Army with another group of Spanish. Participates in the defense of Moscow as a pilot of the Air Brigade. In June 1942 passed a regiment located in the city of Vologda, which would fight as squadron leader until the end of the war.

In 1948 he was discharged from the army and goes to live in Minsk, returning to Spain in 1990.