Dave Springhall

Born in Kensal Green, Springhall joined the Royal Navy at the age of fifteen, during World War I.

In 1920, he wrote "Discontent on the Lower Deck", an article for the communist publication Workers' Dreadnought, leading to his dismissal from the Navy for "associating with extremists".

Springhall later admitted he was glad the Irish group had left, but he was blamed by many senior communist figures for a "grave political mistake".

[9] General Secretary Harry Pollitt opposed this and was removed, Springhall working as National Organiser to lead the party alongside Rust and Rajani Palme Dutt.

[1] The British government were concerned in early 1940 having seen copies of secret lecture notes by Springhall urging comrades in the armed forces to "initiate all effective actions against the war".

[10] MI5 reported that Springhall was a "dangerous type of Communist agitator" and exempted from military service as he would "certainly constitute a serious menance to morale and discipline" in the armed forces.

After his arrest and interrogation by MI5, he was found guilty under the Official Secrets Act on 28 July 1943 of obtaining "for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the State information which might be useful to the enemy".