Published: Thursday, 7th May, 2009 6:00am

Letter: Retro - 'Always a compelling read'

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David Cliffe's piece in Retro (Spanish History Lesson, Chronicle April 30) was of particular interest to me personally.

I have been involved, with other enthusiasts in Reading, in keeping alive the memory of the brave volunteers from our town who fought and died in the ranks of the legendary International Brigades, fighting Fascism in the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939.

David states that three of Reading's heroes died in that conflict. He is correct in that three Reading men sacrificed their lives for liberty, and have their names inscribed on the striking monument outside the Civic Offices which is dedicated to their memory.

However, in recent years, further research has revealed another name from Reading who gave his life in that monumental struggle: John Beale. Little is known about Beale other than he came from Reading, and that he was reported missing on November 16, 1936.

My co-author of We Cannot Park on Both Sides, - a brief history of the Reading volunteers in the Spanish Civil war - Mike Cooper, has informed me that Foreign Office and International Brigade records show that one of the names on the Monument, George Middleton, was killed in battle sometime between November 10 and 16, 1936, in the Casa de Campo area of Madrid, but the records also contained reference to John Beale, also from Reading.

Mike Cooper also says that information sent to him shows that Beale was in the same "Centuria" as George Middleton. But unlike Middleton there is no record of his death. But intriguingly, as Mike Cooper says: "We don't know if he (John Beale) and Middleton went to Spain together, although the coincidence is striking".

We would like to thank David Cliffe for his fascinating article on a remarkable period of Reading's proud history, and The Chronicle for its Retro series. Always a compelling read.

Ray Parkes