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
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
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.
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
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
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
The first documented unofficial truce was recorded in the War Diary of the 2nd Essex Regiment on 11th December – 2 weeks before the more famous Christmas Truce http://www.thelistlove.com/10-facts-you-need-to-know-about-the-christmas-truce/ Kyle
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...
Christmas truce football statue unveiled in Liverpool. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-30479608 Regards Tom
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.
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
As that statue in Liverpool is named ''All together now'' seems apt to post this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7MwXniOD44
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
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.
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.
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