People Australia

Samuel (Sam) Aarons (1895-1971), radical activist and communist

Born: 21 October 1895 at Prahan, Melbourne, Victoria. Son of Louis Aarons, boot repairer and Jane nee Hyam. Married: Dorian Lilian Thomas, separated in 1924. They had two sons, Laurie and Eric. He later married Annette Elizabeth Moore and they had one son, Gerald, in 1949. Died: 10 January 1971 in Perth, W.A. Religion: Jewish.

• Parents active in Victorian Socialist Party and founder members of Communist Party of Australia.
• Socialist since youth and anti-conscriptionist in WWI, batoned by police during 2000 strong march to Parliament House, Melbourne, 1916, serving gaol sentence.
• Joined CPA 1929 following failure of shoe repair shop.
• Arrested and charged for using insulting words in regard to policeman/spy, 1931.
• Secretary Friends of Soviet Union (FOSU) 1930s and led second workers’ delegation to USSR, 1932.
• National organiser, CPA;
• member International Brigade as transport driver, Spain, 1936, participating in fierce battles at Tereul and the Ebro, and speaker/fundraiser for Spanish Relief Committee upon return for subsistence wage of £2 per week.
• House raided by security in WWII. Independent Socialist candidate. Granville, 1941.
• During 1940s and 1950s member of Central Committee, CPA and Secretary Western Australian State Committee, CPA.
• Described by Macintyre as ‘blunt’ and ‘aggressive, by son Eric as ‘a charming, sophisticated and sensual man, enormously attractive to women’.

Sources
Tribune, 13 Jan. 1971; Australian Worker, 8 July 1931; Newcastle Morning Herald, 11 January 1971; John Playford, Doctrinal and strategic problems of the Communist Party of Australia, 1945-1962, PhD thesis, ANU, 1962, Macintyre, 1998. Inglis, Australians in the Spanish Civil War, 1987. Eric Aarons, What’s Left. Information from J. Damousi, 1991.