Letters home from the trenches, Christmas Truce, 1914

Letters from the trenches

Western Daily Press, Jan 1st 1915

A member of the City of London Territorials, writes to friends in North Wales :-

"We has a truce with the enemy on Christmas Eve till Boxing Day morning. The Germans started singing and lighting candles about 7.30 on Christmas Eve, and one of them challenged one of us to go across for a bottle of wine, one of our chaps accepted the challenge and took a big Christmas cake to exchange. That started the ball rolling, we went half way to shake hands and exchange greetings. There were 10 dead Germans in the ditch in front of the trenched, we helped to bury them. The Germans were very nice chaps and said they were awfully sick of the war. We were collecting souvenirs nearly all Christmas Day."

Private John ROBB, ex-tramway man who is in France writes to Mr R. S. PILCHER, manager of the Aberdeen Corporation Tramways, latter dated France Christmas Day, 1914 :-

"This being Christmas Day, both the Germans and us ceased firing the whole day, and our chaps left the trenches and went out to the Germans and wished them a marry Christmas. Our chaplain Rev Esslemont ADAMS went up to the firing line and had a talk with the Germans, One of the German majors gave him a cigar as a souvenir and Mr ADAMS gave the Major a small prayer our of his cap in return. He also read the burial service for 17 Germans who were buried today. The Major told him they were quite fed up and wanted to stop."

Aberdeen Daily Journal, Jan 5th, 1915

Writing on Christmas day to a friend at Low Fell, a Gateshead soldier serving with the British Expeditionary Forces writes :-

"Last night the Germans lit up their trenches and started calling across, "Merry Christmas" we responded in the same vein, then started singing songs and carols. We then sang the Austrian national anthem and they responded with "God save the King" after which we cheered lustily, by this time all shooting had stopped.

We walked about the parapets of the trenches and called out to one another, then some of our chaps walked out and met some of the Germans half way, wished each other Merry Christmas, shook hands and said we would not fight today.

We had communion in an old farm house and on our way back we decided to come along the top, although we would be in full view of the enemy. We got back safely and then some of our chaps started kicking a football about outside the trenches. Then the Germans showed themselves, and it finished up with us meeting one another half way, shaking hands, exchanging fags and souvenirs and parting the best of friends. One has given me his address to write to him after the war. They were quite a decent lot of fellows, I am sure if it were left to the men, there would be no war."

Northampton Mercury, Jan 8th 1915

Private W. PENTELOW, 1st Rifle Brigade, writing to his sister, Mrs E. FAIRLEY, 122 Alexandra Rd, Wellingborough says :-

"We had it quiet on Christmas Day, as we did no firing. Plenty of singing in the trenches on Christmas Eve, both carols and songs, sometimes the Germans chimed in and cheered. They had a few instruments and gave us several tunes, "Home sweet Home" was one and anyone who had a home must have thought of it. They also played the National Anthem and afterwards gave three cheers. They also shouted, "Come over you English we will meet you halfway" On Christmas Day we got out of our trenches and met halfway and shook hands and exchanged smokes, I had seven cigars and several cigarettes from them, I also gave a few of them my home address. They are fed up and will be glad when it is over, the same as we shall. But those times are over now we are shooting one another as before. Some of them seem very nice chaps, but some are very old and others quite boys."

Birmingham Gazette, 12th Jan 1915

Private A. GILL, 2nd Monmouth Regiment to his brother at Brettell Lane :-

"We spent Christmas Day in the trenches and came out at night so the mince pies and chocolates had a good innings. On Christmas Day the Germans got out of their trenches, we left ours afterwards and meeting them half way, shook hands and gave them bully beef. The Germans do not get looked after like we do. The one to whom we were talking put out his hands in the way they hold a rifle, and said. "English d-------- good!"

Courier, Jan 15th, 1915

Driver S. WESTOVER, Royal Engineers, son of Mr and Mrs C. WESTOVER, Woodbury Park Rd, Tunbridge Wells, writes home to his mother :-

"We had a truce with the enemy on Christmas Day, we exchanged pipes and cigarettes with them as souvenirs, not only that but we helped them bury their dead and spoke quite freely with them.

The truce is now over, but not much fighting has occurred yet. The Germans are sadly misinformed with regards to the truth of affairs, they believe Russia is beaten and England invaded, and they are only waiting for their troops to come back from Poland. Poor devils! If they only knew the truth they would soon chuck their hand in."

Whitstable Times Jan 16th 1915

Captain J. R. SOMERS SMITH in a letter to his wife says :-

"About 2am dome sort of music started in the German trenches and the whole lot started singing. They sang magnificently, in the deep silence of the frosty night it sounded enchanting. We all stopped work and listened, and when they had finished we all cheered and shouted encore, and they sang "Home sweet Home" in English so beautifully that it positively made me cry.

We chatted with one another, and the conclusion I came to was that they were sick of it and will surrender if vigorously attacked. It is only the officers who keep them up to it, they have been afraid to surrender before because they have been stuffed with extraordinary tales and honestly believe that the English shot all their prisoners.

One of them asked in earnest, how many Germans did it take to capture London, he actually thought it had been captured. They also thought they were only 20 miles from Paris."

15th December 1915

Christmas truces

Last year on December 25th, temporary truces occurred at a large number spots in the fighting line, they were spontaneous and had no official authority, it was as through the Christmas spirit had forced its way into the hearts of the men. People are now wondering whether the same will happen again.

In one case the British planted a sign before their lines, under cover of darkness, when dawn broke the Germans saw, "A Merry Christmas" in their own language. When a daring Tommy jumped upon the parapet and blew a trumpet no one fired, and five minutes later British and German soldiers mingled together with no thought of killing. Thus several poor fellows who had died between the lines and lain there for many days received a decent burial

There was another instance, when a truce occurred there was a rush for a fruit tree which had tantalised the opposing troops for a long while, the tree was stripped bare and never before was Christmas fruit devoured with more enjoyment.

Another instance were a British and German sentry, on outpost duty, arranged not to worry each other on Christmas Day, they instead chatted, smoked their pipes of peace and hoped the war would soon be over. It is suggested that the feeling of enmity has increased so greatly in the last 12 months that these Christmas truces are not likely to occur.