In recent hours, a moving video on TikTok has managed to move thousands of people. The Sevillian influencer known as La Pelo has used her platform to help her grandfather in a special mission: to meet in Malaga one of his former military colleagues in Melilla.
La Pelo and her grandfather’s call on TikTok
TikTok is not just about sharing dances or viral challenges. In this social network, there is also a place for human stories, like that of La Pelo and her grandfather. In the video, the young woman appears with her grandfather, who nostalgically remembers the years in which he did his military service in Melilla. “We were in Melilla in 1962, in Regulares 2, in Cabrerizas Altas”. It seems that he has fond memories of his military colleagues, since he went looking for them: “I would like to get back in touch with them,” he explains.
Specifically, one of these colleagues is from Malaga. He is Jose Heredia Garcia and should be around 82 to 85 years old. “I lived at 45 Cruz Verde Street,” explains the influencer’s grandfather. However, La Pelo points out that the neighborhood has changed a lot “and we can’t find it.”
@lapelo.oficial 🔎We are looking for my grandfather’s military colleagues 👴🏻⠀ ⠀ He served in the army in 1962, in Melilla, regular 2 Cabreriza alta⠀ ⠀ We are looking for:⠀ ⠀ 🔺 José Heredia García, lived in Málaga, in the old Calle Cruz Green number 45⠀ ⠀ 🔺 Roberto García, originally from a Canary Island, my grandfather thinks he was from Gran Canaria, but we are not 100 × 100 sure⠀ ⠀ 🔺 Tomás Rebolleda from Santo Domingo, lived in Madrid and served in the seventh company⠀ ⠀ Yes Can someone put me in touch, please write me an email at lapelo.oficial@gmail.com⠀ ⠀ My grandfather would be extremely excited to have contact with them again
♬ original sound – La Pelo
Indelible memories of the military in Melilla
Melilla was a very common destination for young people doing military service when it was compulsory. La Pelo’s grandfather was stationed in the North African city in 1962, serving for the Melilla Indigenous Regular Forces Group No. 2. After the disappearance of the Alhucemas Group No. 5 in 1985, this group was renamed the Motorized Infantry Regiment “Regular Forces of Melilla No. 52”, as it is known today.
In the early 1960s, military service was not only an obligation, but also a stage of maturity and learning. During their military service, many young people accomplished forming friendships that, in some cases, lasted a lifetime. La Pelo’s grandfather remembers those days in Melilla with affection and nostalgia and now wants to see his military companions again. “They were very kind to me,” he explains enthusiastically in the video.
“I was in the band and I played the cornet,” explains La Pelo’s grandfather. The Regulares Nuba are a very characteristic military musical formation. As this force was originally made up of Moroccan natives – hence the name Regulares – the band’s musicians also used Moroccan instruments, such as shawlswhich give a very particular sound to the Regulares nubas.
How can we help La Pelo’s grandfather find his companions?
La Pelo’s appeal has generated a wave of solidarity on the Internet. In this sense, If you know anyone from Malaga who served in the regular force in Melilla in 1962or if you have a contact who can help you locate La Pelo’s grandfather’s former colleagues, you can join this search by sharing the video or contacting the influencer directly through her social networks.
Additionally, TikTok comments are full of suggestions, recommendations, and messages of support. Some users have even started searching for historical archives, military records, and even regular veterans groups on Facebook to help you with this task. This search, which began with a simple video, has transformed into a community effort to realize La Pelo’s grandfather’s dream.
