Centenary of 1914 Christmas Truce

Discussion in 'Prewar' started by ritsonvaljos, Nov 23, 2014.

  1. ritsonvaljos

    ritsonvaljos Senior Member

    December 2014 is the centenary of the 1914 Christmas truce on the Western Front. Over time it has become an almost legendary happening, although exactly what did take place on 24 and 25 December 1914 has long been a matter of debate.

    Recently, I attended a presentation about the 1914 Christmas Truce, given by Alan Cleaver and Lesley Park (editors of the website "Christmas Truce 1914: Operation Plum Puddings". The presentation was largely based upon the letters home by soldiers who took part in the truce which have been transcribed by volunteers a team of volunteers.

    This is a link to this website:
    http://www.christmastruce.co.uk/

    In 2014 a British supermarket chain commissioned an advert featuring the 1914 Christmas truce. This is another link about the making of the above advert (which includes a contribution by Alan Cleaver):
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s1YvnfcFVs&feature=youtu.be
     

    Attached Files:

    CL1 likes this.
  2. Brian Smith

    Brian Smith Junior Member

    Thank you for posting this - I will be reading through the website with interest.

    There seems to have been some controversy over the use of the truce as the basis for a Christmas advert. I have only seen the advert once on TV and personally think it shows an amount of innocence and humanity from both sides. A good advert for Christmas and a good cause for money raised from sales of the chocolate.

    Brian
     
  3. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    I saw the advert for the first time last night, it does have some touching moments; all for a good cause at the end of the day.
     
  4. lionboxer

    lionboxer Member

    I'll check out the website...I wonder if there's mention about those that were taken prisoner instead of playing football?! A distant cousin of mine (third or fourth removed) spent the rest of the war as a pow when he was taken on Christmas Eve.
    Lionboxer
     
  5. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Did anyone see this young lad, Spencer Turner on BBC News this morning?

    Prince William hails 'lasting memorial' to WW1 Christmas truce
    The Football Remembers memorial was designed by a schoolboy after a UK-wide competition.
    Ten year old Spencer Turner's design was selected following a competition involving 30,000 schools.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30444024
     
  6. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Yup , saw him & thought what a lovely lad.
    Liked his idea too.
     
  7. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    This has been on my bookshelf for a few years.
     

    Attached Files:

  8. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Whilst reading the Regimental History of the Faughs the other day (written in the early 1920s), I spotted this from Dec 1914:

    "...At Christmas, there had been rumours that the enemy were attempting to fraternise with the British.
    On the morning of 31st December, the enemy opposed to the Battalion got up on to their parapets and made friendly signals.
    The Battalion stood to arms and Captain GVW Hill, having first divested himself of all identity markings, was sent out into No Man’s Land to warn them that he would shoot if they did not desist.

    He allowed two men to approach him, from whom he learnt that there was a dead British soldier in front of their trenches.

    He asked them to bury him and to bring his identity disc. They returned shortly, bringing papers and letters from the body of an Inniskilling Fusilier.

    The identity disc was recovered soon afterwards by Captain Bull, on night patrol – No 9162, Private R Boyd..."

    http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/874814/BOYD,%20ROBERT

    BOYD, ROBERT


    Rank: Private
    Service No: 9162
    Date of Death: 01/11/1914
    Regiment/Service: Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 2nd Bn.
    Panel Reference: Panel 5.
    Memorial: PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL
     
  9. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

  10. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

    Indeed; I can't help feeling there's far too little being made of the underlaying fact that (on the British side definitely) they were raising a manly two fingers to their supposed "betters" and their discipline and orders by stepping up and into the snow...

    That aspect of it doesn't seem to be getting much of a mention at all...
     
  11. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

  12. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    British Army beat the Bundeswehr 1-0.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30536404

    The British and German army football teams have played a match to commemorate 100 years since the World War One Christmas truce.
     
  13. Bernard85

    Bernard85 WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    good day smudger jnr.15th dec.2014.02:49 pm.re:christmas truce football statu unveiled in liverpool.what a great gesture to the memory of those long lost hero's.you can only hope some of the men survived the next day. it was a harsh and bitter war.with no quaters given.god bless them all.regards bernard85
     
  14. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    As that statue in Liverpool is named ''All together now'' seems apt to post this.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7MwXniOD44
     
  15. ritsonvaljos

    ritsonvaljos Senior Member

    So no dodgy 'dives', extra time or penalties. Do they think it's all over? It is now!"
     
  16. ritsonvaljos

    ritsonvaljos Senior Member

    BBC News featured some reports about the centenary of the 1914 Christmas truce. This is a link to one of them based largely around letters by the people who were there (broadcast Dec 2014):
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-30594544
     
  17. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    A transcript of the 2nd Bn.,Border Regiment war diary Christmas Day 1914.

    December 1914

    25th - 2nd Lieut AVH Wood and 130 Other Ranks joined the Battalion. Captain S.H.Worrall took over command of the Battalion from Captain N.F.Jenkins who proceeded to England. In the morning the enemy in front of A and B Companies trench signalled for an officer. One went over to their trench and an armistice was signed for the purpose of burying the dead lying between the trenches from he night of the 18th Decr. There was no firing on either side on this day and the bodies were buried near the trenches.

    Transcript courtesy of Paul Bramham.
     
    CL1 likes this.
  18. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    2 Wilts war diary for 25-12-14.
    http://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/research/war-diaries/detail/11128
    Christmas Day No Firing. An unofficial armistice took place and troops of both sides met and buried the dead. The Battalion fixed up a board with " a merry xmas" written on it in German midway between the trenches and was evidently much appreciated by the enemy.

    1st Bn Wilts had casualties.
    http://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/research/war-diaries/detail/9885
    In trenches. A thick fog all day. Practically no shelling on either side, but a little sniping in the trenches. The same system was in vogue in the trenches i.e. one Coy in the fire trenches, one in support, one in reserve. Owing to moonlight a good deal of difficulty in relieving fire trenches. Cold. 2 killed, 1 wounded, 1 missing.
     
  19. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Here is the list thanks to Geoff's search engine of the men from the 2nd Bn.,Border Regiment who possibly died on the battle of the 18th December.


    001

    ALDCROFT

    J

    11050

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    002

    ATKINSON

    F

    8847

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    003

    BARRINGTON

    ES

    7064

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    004

    BURROWS

    C

    8386

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    005

    CARR

    T

    10708

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    006

    COLLINS

    AW

    8612

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    007

    COLLINS

    JWW

    10521

    A COY 2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    008

    CONNELL

    J

    8619

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    009

    CRUDDAS

    J

    8850

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    010

    DENVER

    R

    3834

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    011

    DORAN

    W

    4369

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    012

    DUNNING

    WE

    6417

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    013

    FORBES

    A

    4846

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    014

    FOSTER

    W

    4330

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    015

    GOODMAN

    G

    4676

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    016

    GREGORY

    J

    4310

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    017

    GRIFFIN

    A

    8627

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    018

    GRUNDY

    S

    4557

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    019

    HARRISON

    C

    6017

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    020

    HARRISON

    M

    10658

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    021

    HENDREN

    A

    4417

    D COY 2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    022

    HEPPELL

    J

    4162

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    023

    JOHNSTON

    D

    3847

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    024

    KAY

    W

    4553

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    025

    MARSH

    J

    7605

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    026

    MARSHALL

    CH

    6726

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    027

    MCALLISTER

    T

    4279

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    028

    MCKENZIE

    WG

    5516

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    029

    MEINEN

    AE

    11096

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    030

    MILLER

    G

    4574

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    031

    MORGAN

    AV

    4332

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    032

    MOULD

    J

    6333

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    033

    ORCHARD

    W

    10638

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    034

    ORMEROD

    JT

    11028

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    035

    PATTINSON

    W

    4755

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    036

    POYNTER

    RS

    10673

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    037

    RANKIN

    JW

    4530

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    038

    REID

    WJ

    6105

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    039

    REYNOLDS

    W

    7932

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    040

    SETTER

    AA

    8139

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT


    041

    STOREY

    J

    8923

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    042

    THOMPSON

    FW

    7427

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT

    043

    WOOLGER

    CA

    4747

    2ND BN

    18/12/1914

    BORDER REGIMENT
     

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