A Teesside commemoration will bring local history back into focus this autumn, remembering the men and women from the North East who supported the Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War.
North East Volunteers for Liberty is organising a gathering at The Moline Cross in Norton on Saturday 10 October. The event will mark two anniversaries: 90 years since the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War and the formation of the International Brigades, and 40 years since a major reunion dinner held in Billingham in 1986.
The group has already held commemorative events in Billingham, Stockton and Sunderland this year, with descendants of volunteers sharing stories about their relatives.
Teesside has a strong connection to the history. Local organiser George Short helped recruit volunteers from the area before later becoming a prominent campaigner for pensioners’ rights. The 1986 reunion brought together surviving volunteers, families and supporters and linked that history with the work of the Teesside Pensioners .
The October event aims to preserve those local stories and pass them on to a new generation. Further details and booking information are available from North East Volunteers for Liberty through the contact details in the original .