Source: File:
German and British soldiers fraternize - Christmas 1914.jpg. THE HERITAGE OF
THE GREAT WAR.The various impacts of a short peace on the minds of soldiers
Demystifying the Christmas Truce By Thomas Löwe. [online] Available
at:<http://www.greatwar.nl/frames/default-christmastruce.html> Accessed:
25 December 2014].
Source: File: Negative
No.92436.jpg. 'A friendly chat with the enemy', Christmas Truce, 1914. [online]
Available at:<http://prints.national-army-museum.ac.uk/image/378979/a-friendly-chat-with-the-enemy-christmas-truce-1914>
Accessed: 25 December 2014].
Darkness fell on Christmas Eve
And across the border of lines
Of trench’s - the land
sparkled
White - with hard frost on frost -
Voices singing could be heard
And Christmas trees were seen
That marked home of German’s
Entrenched in their trenches.
The varied trees of Christmas
Glimmered - Lit by lanterns,
And paper decorations -
While men far from home sang,
As other men far from home,
On guard in the cold, listened.
Voices took the place of guns,
As sounds of Christmas songs
Evoked an absent fatherland.
Not to be outdone the English
Sang back with varied carols,
In exchange of peaceful wishes -
War then may seemed absent,
For how long? Living apart,
In long ditches, two nations
Kept each other happy company.
A silence fell - in that haunting
Stillness, of awaited anticipation
Of a Christmas celebration.
With dawn of 25 December
Both sides’ expectations,
Held a vow of Christmas Eve -
Instead of morning Stand-To
Bright voices were raised,
In pockets down the line.
One, Private Cunningham,
Of the 5th
Scottish Rifles,
Recounts how, with dawn
Each side raised their eyes
Above the parapet and waved.
Up went such shouts ‘Hello
Is that the rifle brigade?’
‘Aye mate that it is.’
‘Gutten morgen,’ a man stood
In German grey, a lifted hand
Signalled the special day.
A hundred yards separated
Them but sounds were clear.
Looking up with surprise,
Cunningham saw two more
Germans, as they rolled two
Barrels of beer – knowing
That a nearby brewery had
Been occupied by Germans.
At a halfway point the Germen
Gestured them to come across.
Three British soldiers went out,
To wish them a merry Christmas.
with a reply, 'Frohe Weihnachten.'
They took the barrels to the British
Side, amid a mass of cheers -
The signal of peace declared.
From the Queen’s Westminster's,
Rifleman Brazier saw similar
Events - in agreements of no shots
Cigars and wine given as cake
And cigarettes were received.
Thirty Germans gathered about -
All 'very nice fellows.' At
nightfall
They sang to each other - even
One German played on a mouth
Organ 'God save the King.'
Formalities of war could not
Be completely ignored - even
To agree when the ceasefire truce
Was to end - in whatever part
The officials sought to play down,
Such events of peace took place.
Even officers gave consent,
Not to fire unless a German
Did - while a story controversy
Was bred, over whether or not
Football games were played.
As an opportunity was given
For the solemn collection
Of their dead, across the field -
Bodies frozen - like the living
Seeking warmth - starting
Perhaps with a need to move.
As in an idea of asking a Saxon
Do you have a 'plum pudding?'
No but we do have a football -
Then from somewhere a leather
Ball appeared, promptly kicked
Out to the centre of the field.
In sudden, open organisation,
Makeshift goals were made,
And the kick about ensued -
With roughly either side,
Made up of a hundred men
They kicked with clumsy boots.
With yells and calls without tally
Or referee, to form a melee.
So if wars end, had been decided
Then - the rough score of 3-2
To Germany
- would make odd
Peace - yet German admission
Confessed a wish for war's end.
Elsewhere sniping went on the same,
And shells fell as snow - in a tune
Of hostilities - a Christmas horror
Story - with warnings sent home,
Not to believe what the papers say.
As all good things that come to end,
The day ended back in the trenches -
But with reluctance to fire again
From either side - now German shouts
Of 'keep your head down!' with official
Orders to resume a return to fire.
Yet the legacy did not fade but made
Legend, in stories, songs and images,
Of one cold Christmas day.
by Jamie Mann.
Source:
File: Christmas Truce 1914 Operation Plum Puddings: A general overview. [online] Available
at: < http://www.christmastruce.co.uk/article.html> Accessed: 25 December 2014].
Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 25 December 2014).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary
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