As part of the Advanced level Spanish course, pupils study the impact of the Spanish Civil War on Spain’s social, economic and political life during the Franco dictatorship and Spain’s eventual transition to democracy. One or both ‘cultural’ topics are also chosen to coincide with this period – ‘Las bicicletas son para el verano’, a play set in the besieged city of Madrid during the Civil War and ‘El laberinto del fauno’, a film directed by Guillermo del Toro and set during the period immediately after the war’s end as Franco’s soldiers hunt down the remaining Republican forces now fighting a guerrilla war from the mountains.

To bring this period of history to life Mr Stephenson brought in a watch with a very interesting personal story.

The watch belonged to a Civil Guard soldier who remained loyal to the democratically elected Republic in 1936, called Joaquin Trigueros. He was a career soldier and served nine years, reaching the position of lieutenant (teniente). The watch had belonged to his father and had therefore been handed down, and was worn by Joaquin throughout the war, perhaps – who knows – for good luck? Joaquin operated in a small group of forward observers who gave enemy positions to the rest of the force. Life was hard and the small group would scavenge for peaches and chickens in farms. Sometimes soldiers at this time would shoot themselves in the foot so that food and other replacement supplies would arrive along with medical care.

It was at the famous Battle of the Ebro (1938), the longest and largest battle of the Civil War, that the story really starts. During this intense battle a bullet aimed at Joaquin hit his padded combat jacket and leather strap around his chest which softened the impact, before finally hitting his watch which was held in his upper inside pocket on a chain. Though it made a clear impact in the watch, the outer padding and eventually the metal back-casing of the watch were enough for the bullet to fall off him. The watch, you could say, possibly saved his life. Joaquin was taken prisoner and held at San Marcos de León awaiting a sentence to be shot, but during his imprisonment he convinced the Nationalists that he owned a block of flats which had been handed down by his grandmother and that this would contribute to local regeneration and so he was pardoned. The others in his small team were local and knew that this was not true, but they supported him and by lying and he managed to gain his release. He managed to live the rest of his life in peace and finally obtained a pension after Spain’s return to democracy following the death of Franco in 1975.

Joaquin rarely spoke of the war, and many of the objects that belonged to him were boxed up and kept in the room of one of his children. Over time these items were sold off and this is the last remaining item, sold by his son – also called Joaquin – and acquired by Mr Stephenson.

Mr Stephenson would also like to thank Mr Parra for helping him research this fascinating story.