Fifty Republican soldiers, including 14 International Brigaders, have been exhumed from a mass grave in La Bisbal de Montsant, Priorat, Catalonia. These individuals died in an improvised hospital within the Santa Llúcia cave during the intense first week of the Battle of the Ebro in July 1938. The exhumation, led by the Directorate General for Democratic Memory, concluded in February 2024, bringing a forgotten chapter of the Spanish Civil War to light.
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The soldiers were among nearly 50 severely wounded individuals who did not survive their injuries at the cave hospital. They were subsequently buried in a communal grave at the local cemetery. Historian Jordi Martí explained the context of their deaths. “When the army crossed the river, other emergency hospitals were created on the other side of the Ebro, and the most seriously wounded were treated elsewhere,” Martí stated.
Archaeologist Izaskun Ambrosio noted the challenges in identification. “There are few things that can identify them, because most were buried without uniform and without boots,” Ambrosio explained. Despite this, forensic teams detected traumatic injuries consistent with bullet impacts. They also documented medical treatments such as plaster casts, splints, amputations, and surgical staples.
A Vital Wartime Hospital
The Santa Llúcia cave, located one kilometre from La Bisbal de Montsant, served as a crucial field hospital. It provided surgical services, blood transfusions, and accommodated approximately 100 beds. The Republican army selected the cave for its size, internal water source, and good road connections. Ambulances could transport casualties directly to the cave’s entrance for triage.
“We have most of the names and surnames, and most were very young,” Martí confirmed. “The Republican army chose Santa Llúcia cave because it was very large and spacious, had an internal water source, and was protected and very well connected by road. Ambulances could reach the foot of the cave, where triage occurred, and then the wounded were taken by stretcher into the cave. Initially, there were six surgical teams, but they were reduced as they moved to the other side of the river.”
Community Efforts for Remembrance
Local resident Enric Masip has championed the remembrance of these soldiers for many years. His father was the village baker, whose oven was requisitioned to bake bread for Republican troops. Masip vividly recalled his mother’s experience during a Francoist bombing on 4 August 1938. “My mother was upstairs and when she heard the bombs she hid under the bed, but then she remembered that my grandfather always told her to stand in the doorway,” Masip recounted. “She always told me how she experienced it, like a cataclysm, with all the black smoke. The soldiers working in the oven and my father ran out and pulled her from under the rubble, and that marked her greatly.”
Masip learned about the cave’s role as a hospital from his uncle in 1948. He has since campaigned for its recognition. The cave was cleaned in 1982, and the local council, the Ajuntament, purchased it in 1991. Information panels now explain its history. In 2000, a moving ceremony took place at the cemetery. Many International Brigaders attended. “It was a very emotional event; some cried, and a great connection between past and present occurred,” Masip stated. A plaque near the mass grave commemorates this event. It also lists three identified soldiers: Ramon Viñeta Soler, Isidre Manyosa Companyó, and Isidre Tella Valls.
Identifying the Fallen
The exhumation work began on 25 June 2023. It involved careful manual excavation due to later burials and challenging weather conditions. Researchers found minimal personal effects with the remains. These included buttons, shoe fragments, fabric, a spoon, a mirror, and a ring bearing the Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) trade union seal. The narrow, 27-metre-long trench where the soldiers were buried showed they had been carefully placed in layers, some individually, others in pairs.
The Directorate General for Democratic Memory aims to identify more soldiers. F. Xavier Menéndez, the director, explained the process. “In many cases we know where they were born and we have contacted the town councils to find a family member,” Menéndez said. Genetic and anthropological analyses are underway at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Data cross-referencing with the DNA Bank will help connect remains with families. Identifying International Brigaders presents a greater challenge due to the passage of time and their often young age without descendants.
A Nurse’s Lasting Legacy
A civil registry list of buried soldiers and a notebook belonging to Dr Miquel Gras Artero, who worked at the Santa Llúcia cave hospital, provide crucial information. Gras documented the names of soldiers he treated, both survivors and casualties. This information is vital for ongoing identification efforts. The Santa Llúcia cave hospital also saw pioneering work in trauma surgery and blood transfusions. An American brigader, John Kozar, installed a generator to provide electricity.
Nurses like Patience Darton, from the British Medical Unit, also served there. Darton’s ashes were scattered in the Santa Llúcia cave, fulfilling her final wish. This act symbolises the enduring connection between the site and those who served. The ongoing work ensures that the sacrifices made during the Battle of the Ebro are not forgotten, honouring the memory of those who fell.
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Originally published by Ara Cat. Read original article.
