Memorial to the men of Renton who volunteered to fight fascism in the Spanish Civil War.

It was a great day for the Renton on 27 August 2011. Not only was the community centre re-opened as Ma Centre, but a memorial to some great representatives of humanity was unveiled. It has taken 70 years to happen – but a special tribute was finally unveiled to five brave Renton volunteers who fought against fascism.

The five,made their way to Spain to join the International Brigade to combat General Franco’s fascist uprising against the country’s elected Republican government. The heroic efforts of brothers Patrick Joseph, Tommy and Daniel Gibbons, along with James Arnott and Patrick Curley was recognised at the ceremony when an iron statue in the shape of a Spanish bull was unveiled.

Danny was wounded in the Battle of Jarama in February 1937, and was allowed to return home – but he made his way back to Spain again, distressed that his brother Tommy had been killed in the battle for Brunete in July that same year. He was eventually captured by Franco’s troops at the battle of Calaceite in March 1938. Kept in filthy conditions in a concentration camp, he and a handful of others secretly combined to keep up the morale of their fellow prisoners. They were eventually exchanged, in February 1939, for Italian and German prisoners.

Patrick Joseph – ‘Joe’ – the third brother, who volunteered as part of a Chicago-based battalion in Spain, was on a Barcelona-based ship that was torpedoed by an Italian submarine. Two hundred other volunteers were lost at sea, but Joe bravely kept two colleagues, neither of whom could swim, afloat for hours in the water until they could all be rescued. He went on to fight the fascists in numerous battles during the Civil War. He was wounded in the arm after a tank belonging to the fascist forces opened fire.

Of the Renton five, James Arnott was repatriated and Patrick Curley was killed at Jarama – the same battle in which Danny Gibbons was wounded.

The memorial is the idea of the Renton Community Development Trust and Strathleven Artizans are proud to have been part of the tribute when the stutue was unveiled by Archie Thomson and Rev Ian Miller in the presence of descendants of the brave volunteers.

Tommy Crocket