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One man's traumatic experience of the Spanish Civil War and how it forged extraordinary friendships and a love that endured for over seventy year.Based on the true story of my late grandfather, "Manolo" tells the tale of a young man's experience as a Republican fighting for democracy, and against fascism, in a brutal civil war which destroyed everything he had ever known. Forced to flee his home in Gijon when he was only sixteen, my grandfather never saw either of his parents again in his life. But after a tumultuous adventure across war-torn Spain and evacuation from Gibraltar during World War II, he formed a new life in England. This book is my tribute to him. In parts an exciting war story, and in other parts an emotional and heartfelt story about love and friendships, this story contains messages which are clearly relevant to the present day including those about the horrors of civil war, the dangers of resurgent nationalism, refugee crises, and post-traumatic stress disorders.