Garcia, Benigno Andrade, 1908-1952

Benigno Andrade Garcia
Born 22nd Ocober La Coruna - Spain, died 26 July 1952 - La Coruna, Spain

Benigno was known as Foucellas after the village in La Coruna where he was born on 22nd October 1908. In 1936 before the start of the civil war he was working with a locksmith in Mesia and was member of the anarcho-syndicalist union the CNT.

Come the fascist uprising, which succeeded in Galicia, and after fighting the forces of repression in Cambruy, he joined the rural guerrillas (Negreiro's group in the mountainous Chamarde district).

With the end of the war, he carried on with his guerrilla activities alongside an autonomous band based in the Bacelo hills, fighting in the area around Betanzos, Ordenes, Guitiriz and Arzua, with forays into La Corunna and El Ferrol (in 1948), striking fear into the fascists.

Early in 1952, he was ambushed in Betanzos as a result of treachery and was wounded and arrested. He was executed in La Corunna on 26 July 1952.

Of average height, well-built, full of energy and shrewd, he was the most feared of the Galician guerrillas, the undisputed leader of the guerrillas in Central Galicia. He achieved considerable popularity, so much so that the name Foucellas was used as a synonym for guerrilla.

From the Kate Sharpley Library
Additions ( birthdate, photo) by Nick Heath