for the Spain they believed to be better: in Pàndols
Monument a la Pau / Monument to Peace “La Lleva del Biberó” was made up of young soldiers, aged between 17 and 19, called up in late April 1938 to fight for the Republic during the Spanish Civil War. Between 27,000 and 35,000 were enlisted in a desperate attempt by the army to turn a war they were losing. The term (something like “baby’s bottle draft” in English) was supposedly coined by the Anarchist leader Frederica Montseny in reference to their tender age. Many of those not killed were to spend their early twenties in Franco’s concentration camps. In 1983 about 307 survivors and 412 relatives founded the Agrupació de Supervivents de la Lleva del Biberó-41. According to Espais de Memoria / Memorial Democràtic and COMEBE “on 25th July 1938 the Republican forces that had crossed near Ginestar occupied the main heights of the Pàndols mountain range. They posed a threat for the Nationalist troops in the villages of Prat de Compte, Bot and Gandesa. Despite this advantage, it proved impossible for the Republicans to take any of these villages. At the beginning of August, the Nationalist army was getting ready to expel the Republicans from the Pàndols mountain range and divert the front from this point. For ten days between 9th-19th August they the two armies were fighting from hill to hill in almost impossible conditions, without water or proper paths on which to advance. Nationalist troops finally managed to push the Republicans out of Gandesa and the rest of the villages, but they did not manage to expel them from the mountain range. Republican forces remained there until 3rd November almost until their final retreat to the other side of the river Ebro.” The ridge's highest point of the Serra de Pàndols was known as Hill 705 (Cota 705) during the Battle of the Ebro, the bloodiest and most protracted series of combats in the Spanish Civil War . The Battle was also the last action of the International Bridages, who were withdrawn midway through it. Close to the peak stands the Monument to Peace, a monument to those who died in the battles. Hill 705 was a key position to control the Serra de Pàndols range at the time of the Battle of the Ebro. The summit lies within the Pinell de Brai municipal term. Every 25 July survivors and relatives of La Lleva del Biberó meet at the Monument to Peace so as to commemorate the beginning of the Battle of the Ebro and to remember those who died during the Spanish Civil War. These photos were taken in August 2019 and show some images of the Monument to Peace. More information: Caralt, Andreu: "3.669 biberons : Agrupació de Supervivents de la Lleva del Biberó-41", 2017 ttp://memoria.gencat.cat/ca/que-fem/publicacions/detall/publicacio/3.669-biberons.-Agrupacio-de-Supervivents-de-la-Lleva-del-Bibero-41