▁staff . ▁However , ▁such ▁an ▁act ▁was ▁never ▁a ▁real ▁possibility ; ▁upon ▁de br ief ing ▁Phil by ▁in ▁London ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁May ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁Mal y ▁wrote ▁to ▁the ▁NK VD , ▁" Th ough ▁devoted ▁and ▁ready ▁to ▁sacrifice ▁himself , ▁[ Ph il by ] ▁does ▁not ▁possess ▁the ▁physical ▁courage ▁and ▁other ▁qual ities ▁necessary ▁for ▁this ▁[ ass ass ination ] ▁attempt ." ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ter uel , ▁a ▁Republican ▁shell ▁hit ▁just ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁car ▁in ▁which ▁Phil by ▁was ▁trav elling ▁with ▁the ▁correspond ents ▁Edward ▁J . ▁Neil ▁of ▁the ▁Associ ated ▁Press , ▁Brad ish ▁Johnson ▁of ▁News week , ▁and ▁Ernest ▁She eps h anks ▁of ▁Re ut ers . ▁Johnson ▁was ▁killed ▁out right , ▁and ▁Neil ▁and ▁She eps h anks ▁soon ▁died ▁of ▁their ▁inj uries . ▁Phil by ▁suffered ▁only ▁a ▁minor ▁head ▁w ound . ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁this ▁accident , ▁Phil by , ▁who ▁was ▁well - lik ed ▁by ▁the ▁National ist ▁forces ▁whose ▁vict ories ▁he ▁tr ump et ed , ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Red ▁Cross ▁of ▁Military ▁Mer it ▁by ▁Franco ▁on ▁ 2 ▁March ▁ 1 9 3 8 . ▁Phil by ▁found ▁that ▁the ▁award ▁proved ▁helpful ▁in ▁obtain ing ▁access ▁to ▁fasc ist ▁circles : ▁ ▁" Before ▁then ," ▁he ▁later ▁wrote , ▁" there ▁had ▁been ▁a