A Fife minister has been left surprised to learn a great-uncle he thought had been killed in the Spanish Civil War actually survived.
The Rev Stanley Brook, of Newport Church, was discussing the war with a Spanish student who has been coming to his church but was unaware of what had happened to his relative Alexander Edwards.
Mr Brook said: “One of my congregation, Miguel, is from Madrid and is in Dundee studying water management. I told him my great-uncle had fought in the Spanish Civil War and he did some research.
“I only knew a family story that he fought in the International Brigade. He was apparently a very passionate man with strong principles but I knew nothing of what happened to him.”
Miguel was able to chart Alexander’s experiences in the war, which tore the country apart in the 1930s.
“He was able to look on Spanish websites and he said Alexander was reported dead on July 26 1938, killed at the Battle of Ebro. His obituary then appeared in The Courier on August 27 1938.”
The Courier story read: “Alexander Edwards, who was 27 years of age, went to Spain about six months ago. He is survived by his wife and young family.”
When Mr Brook reported Miguel’s findings to his mother, he was quickly told Alexander had not been killed at all but died several years later.
“She said he came home from the war,” he said.
“She said he hadn’t been killed but we think he had been captured. People in Dundee thought he was dead.”
Mike Arnott, a Dundee trustee of the International Brigade Memorial Trust, said: “There were over 60 went out from Dundee and we had 16 died.
“The British battalion had been in retreat since February 1938. For a couple of months during that time lots of them were detained and it was hard to piece together information.
“The Courier eventually ran an article on December 13 1938 which mentioned him coming back to Dundee.”
Mr Brook is now keen to hear from other relatives of Alexander. His number is 01382 540009.