George Drever (31 March 1910 – 1996) was a Scottish communist and volunteer with the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. Early life, education, work, communism Drever was born on 31 March 1910 in Leith, one of eleven children of an Orcadian couple, dock labourer George Drever and his wife Louisa née Balfour. He lived at 41, Ferry Road, Leith was schooled at Leith Academy and passed Scottish Highers in English, Maths, Science (Chemistry & Physics) and became Dux in 1928. Despite his poor home background he was admitted to study pure science at the University of Edinburgh and graduated with a B.Sc in chemistry with First Class Honours and completed a Ph.D. Then he was working for Imperial Chemical Industries in Manchester as a research chemist, before being made redundant, which he claimed was due to his political activism as a communist in 1937. On returning from Spain, he did obtain work as a metallurgist for the English Steel Corporation in Sheffield. He spent some time teaching in the National Council of Labour Colleges. When he first volunteered for overseas service in the cause of anti-fascism, he was declared as 'too important to lose' to the UK communists. Volunteering for the International Brigades Drever was one of around 500 Scottish volunteers who went to Spain in 1937 to fight for the Republicans and the working class struggle against fascism. Although Drever did recognise that a revolution to full communist governance at the same time as a war against the fascists would not be achievable (as proposed by POUM) He had been a working class communist/socialist and although unfit for normal military service was willing to fight for this cause. He had originally volunteered for Abyssinia when invaded by Mussolini but his service was refused. Through the local communist party Drever heard the call for 'our best comrades' to go to Spain, and felt he was one of these 'best' to go. He was given a rail ticket and did not tell his parents or friends. He was 27 years old. His purpose was not just to fight fascism in Spain but to be trained in weapons ready for 'revolution' back at home. Drever was also one of those who were pragmatically aware that the Republican cause was unlikely to succeed, even before he left. He was considered it strange that fellow communist thought he would not need to