Esmond Romilly (1918-1941) was Winston Churchill's nephew and even rumoured to be his illegitimate son. Already notorious as a teenage runaway from Wellington College, Romilly was among the first British volunteers to join the International Brigade in Spain, cycling across France to fight on the side of the Spanish Republic against Franco's insurrection. He saw intensive front line action in defence of Madrid, culminating in the battle of Boadilla del Monte in December 1936. He subsequently eloped with Jessica Mitford, marrying her in France in 1937. The couple later moved to the USA. With the outbreak of war Romilly signed up with the Royal Canadian Airforce. He died when his plane was shot down over the Atlantic in 1941.