Do the place names, Jarama, Ebro, Belchite, Lerida mean anything to you, do you know where they are, and the significance to Salford? These were all the sites of battles in Spain where seven men of Salford fell and died in the Spanish Civil War 1936 - 1939. A further 30 men and a woman, from the Salford area Molly Murphy, who went there as a nurse survived this conflict and returned to England safely. Today I was speaking to Barrie Eckford an active member of Salford Trades Council and the International Brigade Memorial Trust which keeps alive the memory and spirit of the men and women who volunteered to defend democracy and fight fascism in Spain. His plan is to have a permanent memorial sited in Salford to remember these people who fought and died in a war that has been by many forgotten and totally ignored by others, those who did travel to Spain to help were threatened with two years imprisonment by the Government such was there concern not to get involved. Barrie told me, "There is now an urgency to have these residents of Salford recognised in order to place them in a safe, public place where the people can reflect on their sacrifice made These men and for now, one woman arrived in Spain, not knowing if they would ever return with seven Salfordian's recorded as being killed in action" I was given a list of names by Barrie of the people from Salford, Eccles. Swinton and Pendlebury known to have served and ideally he would like to know if any of our readers have a relative who left for Spain to support the Republican Government from 1936 -1938 or even later in the campaign to provide, "Aid For Spain" From Eccles there are, William Benson, who went on to stand as Labour candidate for Eccles Borough Council, William Banks who worked at Gardner's Engineering, killed at Ebro in 1936, Thomas Massey and Albert Davies who lived in Patricroft. From Swinton and Pendlebury there are, Eddie Swindells killed at Jarama in 1937, Walter Sproston killed at Belchite in 1937, Arthur Clinton, Arthur Wallace, and Thomas Booth. From Salford, Leo Clarke. Fred E Smith, Karl Boden, Fred Brooks, Sydney Fink who was killed in action, Michael Goodison killed at Ebro in 1937, Robert Goodman killed at Jarama in1937,Fred Newbury killed at Jaarma in 1937, Peter Grimshaw, Thomas Hogg, William Louis McGinley, Sydney Morton, Molly Murphy, Joe Norman, C, Skerrington, Arnold Jeans killed in action1936. These are all of the names known at present and we are certain there are more unrecorded, many who volunteered gave false names to avoid possible arrest on return. We would love to hear from you if any of these names ring a bell or had a relative who went to help there any information will be gratefully received. Please contact me at tony@salford.media or via messenger on Facebook.
