Six of the ten International Brigaders were killed in action in Spain.
Oldham Council has installed a digital kiosk and other audio-visual facilities at its new ground-floor archive premises, giving visitors access to material about the town’s history dating back to 1597.
The exhibition includes images and information about the ten Oldham volunteers, researched and compiled by IBMT North-West member Graham Briggs.
A short film produced by Rob Hargreaves will also be available. It features music by folk group the Oldham Tinkers, including their song Ten Men from Oldham.
IBMT North-West has worked with Oldham Council in recent years through presentations, talks and film shows during the council’s annual history festival.
The memorial to Oldham volunteers who died in Spain has also been re-dedicated and is now displayed in the refurbished civic centre.
Council heritage officer Sean Bagguley and archivist Jan Hicks have prepared the permanent digital exhibition. Archive staff will be available to help visitors use the digital displays.
The six Oldham volunteers listed as having been killed in action are Harry Heap, also known as Harry Rawson, at Lopera in December 1936, Clem Beckett at Jarama in February 1937, Joe Lees at Brunete in July 1937, Clifford Wolstencroft at Belchite in September 1937, Ken Bradbury at Teruel in January 1938 and William Jackson at Gandesa in April 1938.
Charlie Armitage, Joe Buckley, Albert Charlesworth and Charles Hanson survived.
Their stories are covered through images, historical information and the film included in the exhibition.
Graham Briggs said: “It shows what can be done through persistence, and patient explanation of our case. What we are putting out there is the unvarnished truth, and our job is to see that it is never forgotten.”
