Born in Eynsham in the outskirts of Oxford, Charlie Hutchison was raised in foster care and then an orphanage. Despite these difficult beginnings, he went on to lead a remarkable life: as a young man, he became involved in politics and trade unions and fought against the British Union of Fascists at the 1936 Battle of Cable Street.

Later that year, Charlie enlisted as a volunteer in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the anti-fascist forces, joining approximately 2,500 volunteers from the British Isles. He returned to the UK in 1939. During the Second World War, he served across Britain, the Middle East, and in mainland Europe with a unit delivering life-saving supplies to Nazi concentration camp survivors.

Charlie later started a family and lived the rest of his life in the south of England, rarely talking about his wartime experiences. It is only in recent years that information about his remarkable life has been rediscovered, with research and school projects dedicated to preserving Charlie’s memory and honouring his legacy. MOX awarded a Peter McQuitty Bursary to local historian Dan Poole to carry out research on Charlie’s life, and the Museum of Oxford is excited to welcome Dan back to hear about his latest findings.

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