Dates:
War Service:
The Spanish Civil War began on 18 July 1936 as a military coup in which the Nationalist forces under General Francisco Franco soon gained control of sizeable areas of the country from the elected Republican government. In London a Spanish Medical Aid Committee was set up and following an appeal in the British Medical Journal of 15 August 1936 a British Medical Unit was sent in support of the Republicans. It was while serving with this unit as an ambulance driver that Halcrow Verstage was killed at the battle of Brunete in July 1937.
Location of Memorial:
He is remembered on the Spanish Civil War memorial in Catford.
Details:
Halcrow Verstage was born in the summer of 1914. His family lived in Horniman Drive, Forest Hill. He was the son of Arthur Halcrow Versage (1875 – 1969) architect, amateur archaeologist and member of the Arts and Crafts Movement and known, among other things, for designing the first ‘blue plaques’. Halcrow Verstage was educated at Alleyn’s in Dulwich and intended to became an architect.
Source:
Spanish Civil war Casualty List shows Verstage, Halcrow A dying 24 Feb 1937 at Chinchon, a SE Suburb of Madrid. Not sure where the date of July 1937 originated from? Notes from LHAC findings on Find My Past 2015.
Contributed By: Andy Pepper
Do you have more information on this person or the memorial they are commemorated on? If so click here to contribute information.
by Local History and Archives Centre, Lewisham and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence