Christmas in the Trenches

Tom phpbb3 · Dec 21, 2006

I pondered whether to post this in a thread on Christmas, but decided that it should be the first of probably few posts I put in this new section.

This e-mail was sent to my by a Marine buddy. It seemed appropriate to share it with you:

A nice little tidbit of history from WWI....

Christmas at the Front

On December 7, 1914, Pope Benedict XV suggested a temporary hiatus of the war for the celebration of Christmas. Though Germany readily agreed, the other powers refused.

Even without a cessation of war for Christmas, family and friends of the soldiers wanted to make their loved ones' Christmas special. They sent packages filled with letters, warm clothing, food, cigarettes, and medications. Yet what especially made Christmas at the front seem like Christmas were the troves of small Christmas trees.

On Christmas Eve, many German soldiers put up their Christmas trees, decorated with candles, on the parapets of their trenches. Hundreds of Christmas trees lighted the German trenches. The British soldiers could see the lights but it took them a few minutes to figure out what they were from. British lookouts reported the anomalies to their superiors. Could this be a trick? British soldiers were ordered not to fire but to watch them closely. Instead of trickery, the British soldiers heard many of the Germans celebrating.

"Time and again during the course of that day, the Eve of Christmas, there were wafted towards us from the trenches opposite the sounds of singing and merry-making, and occasionally the guttural tones of a German were to be heard shouting out lustily, 'A happy Christmas to you Englishmen!' Only too glad to show that the sentiments were reciprocated, back would go the response from a thick-set Clydesider, 'Same to you, Fritz, but dinna o'er eat yourself wi' they sausages!' " Lieutenant Kennedy as quoted in Brown, Christmas Truce

In other areas, the two sides exchanged Christmas carols.

"They finished their carol and we thought that we ought to retaliate in some way, so we sang 'The first Noël', and when we finished that they all began clapping; and then they struck up another favourite of theirs, 'O Tannenbaum'. And so it went on. First the Germans would sing one of their carols and then we would sing one of ours, until when we started up 'O Come All Ye Faithful' the Germans immediately joined in singing the same hymn to the Latin words 'Adeste Fidéles'. And I thought, well, this was really a most extraordinary thing - two nations both singing the same carol in the middle of a war."
Jay Winter and Blaine Baggett, The Great War: And the Shaping of the 20th Century (New York: Penguin Books, 1996) 97

This fraternization on Christmas Eve and again on Christmas was in no way officially sanctified nor organized. Yet, in numerous separate instances down the front line, German soldiers began yelling over to their enemy, "Tommy, you come over and see us!" Still cautious, the British soldiers would rally back, "No, you come here!"

In some parts of the line, representatives of each side would meet in the middle, in No Man's Land.

"We shook hands, wished each other a Merry Xmas, and were soon conversing as if we had known each other for years. We were in front of their wire entanglements and surrounded by Germans - Fritz and I in the centre talking, and Fritz occasionally translating to his friends what I was saying. We stood inside the circle like streetcorner orators. Soon most of our company ('A' Company), hearing that I and some others had gone out, followed us . . . What a sight - little groups of Germans and British extending almost the length of our front! Out of the darkness we could hear laughter and see lighted matches, a German lighting a Scotchman's cigarette and vice versa, exchanging cigarettes and souvenirs. Where they couldn't talk the language they were making themselves understood by signs, and everyone seemed to be getting on nicely. Here we were laughing and chatting to men whom only a few hours before we were trying to kill!".
Corporal John Ferguson as quoted in Brown, Christmas Truce 71.

Some of those who went out to meet the enemy in the middle of No Man's Land on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day negotiated a truce: we won't fire if you won't fire. Some ended the truce at midnight on Christmas night, some extended it until New Year's Day.

One of the main reasons Christmas truces were negotiated was in order to bury the dead. Though some had died recently, there were corpses out in No Man's Land that had been there for several months. Along with the revelry that celebrated Christmas was the sad and somber job of burying their fallen comrades. On Christmas day, British and German soldiers appeared on No Man's Land and sorted through the bodies. In just a few rare instances, joint services were held for both the British and German dead.

Yet many soldiers enjoyed meeting the un-seen enemy and were surprised to discover that they were more alike than he had thought. They talked, shared pictures, exchanged items such as buttons for food stuffs. An extreme example of the fraternization was a soccer game played in the middle of No Man's Land between the Bedfordshire Regiment and the Germans. A member of the Bedfordshire Regiment produced a ball and the large group of soldiers played until the ball was deflated when it hit a barbed wire entanglement.

This strange and unofficial truce lasted for several days, much to the dismay of the commanding officers. This amazing showing of Christmas cheer was never again repeated and as World War I progressed, the story of Christmas 1914 at the front became something of a legend.

This experience has been the most practical demonstration I have seen of 'Peace on earth and goodwill towards men.

Oswald Tilley as quoted in Brown, Christmas Truce 97-98.

British commanders Sir John French and Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien vowed that no such truce would be allowed again. (However, both had left command before Christmas 1915.) In all of the following years of the war, artillery bombardments were ordered on Christmas Eve to ensure that there were no further lulls in the combat. Troops were also rotated through various sectors of the front to prevent them from becoming overly familiar with the enemy. Despite those measures, there were a few friendly encounters between enemy soldiers, but on a much smaller scale than the previous year.

"Christmas In The Trenches"
Words & Music by John McCutcheon, c. 1984

My name is Francis Toliver, I come from Liverpool.
Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school.
To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany to here, I fought for King and country I love dear.

'Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung.
The frozen fields of France were still, no Christmas song was sung.
Our families back in England were toasting us that day, Their brave and glorious lads so far away.

I was lying with my messmate on the cold and rocky ground, When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound.
Says I, "Now listen up, me boys!" each soldier strained to hear, As one young German voice sang out so clear.

"He's singing bloody well, you know!" my partner says to me.
Soon, one by one, each German voice joined in harmony.
The cannons rested silent, the gas clouds rolled no more, As Christmas brought us respite from the war.

As soon as they were finished and a reverent pause was spent, "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" struck up some lads from Kent.
The next they sang was "Stille Nacht," "'Tis 'Silent Night,'" says I, And in two tongues one song filled up that sky.

"There's someone coming towards us!" the front line sentry cried.
All sights were fixed on one lone figure trudging from their side.
His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shone on that plain so bright, As he, bravely, strode unarmed into the night.

Soon one by one on either side walked into No Man's Land, With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand.
We shared some secret brandy and wished each other well, And in a flare lit soccer game we gave 'em hell.

We traded chocolates, cigarettes, and photographs from home.
These sons and fathers far away from families of their own.
Young Sanders played his squeezebox and they had a violin, This curious and unlikely band of men.

Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more.
With sad farewells we each prepared to settle back to war.
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wondrous night:
"Whose family have I fixed within my sights?"

'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost, so bitter hung.
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung.
For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war, Had been crumbled and were gone forevermore.

My name is Francis Toliver, in Liverpool I dwell, Each Christmas come since World War I, I've learned its lessons well, That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame, And on each end of the rifle we're the same.
............

Here's the song:

http://labornotes.org/songs/music/christmastrenches.ram
Click to expand...

Merry Christmas, my friends.

Grieg · Dec 21, 2006

Good post and Merry Christmas to you, Tom.

David (Grieg = just a nom de guerre)

Blaster · Dec 21, 2006

Maybe they could disguise grenades as Christmas tree ornaments! And hide important strategic information in fruitcakes! And candy cane pistols!

(Although this would not have been possible in World War I, I still think it's a cool idea).

Ossian phpbb3 · Dec 22, 2006

Blaster said:

Maybe they could disguise grenades as Christmas tree ornaments! And hide important strategic information in fruitcakes! And candy cane pistols!

(Although this would not have been possible in World War I, I still think it's a cool idea).
Click to expand...

Sounds like another of Baldrick's cunning plans! :roll:

Wibble!

Grieg · Dec 22, 2006

Blaster said:

Maybe they could disguise grenades as Christmas tree ornaments! And hide important strategic information in fruitcakes! And candy cane pistols!

(Although this would not have been possible in World War I, I still think it's a cool idea).
Click to expand...

You are very young Blaster so maybe the implications escape you but the point is that war is a terrible business that men should not engage in and hopefully one day will disappear from the earth. Men who are enemies can find common ground and realize that they don't hate one another and question why they are trying to kill each other.

Tom phpbb3 · Dec 22, 2006

Grieg said:

Men who are enemies can find common ground and realize that they don't hate one another and question why they are trying to kill each other.
Click to expand...

Wake up, yer dreamin' again.

Would that it were so. Once we do away with the armies of the world, then maybe me can spend the next millenia working on eliminating the need for cops.

Hey, it's Christmas. Miracles can happen!

jeaguer · Dec 22, 2006

.

there was a lovely "south park " episode about xmas

.

Roel · Dec 22, 2006

Last year they made a movie about the Christmas Truce of 1914, called Joyeux Noël ("Merry Christmas" in French). I regret to say I haven't seen it yet.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424205/

It's still an incredible moment in history, very touching.

majorwoody10 · Dec 23, 2006

i just watched it a few nights ago. i give it a thumbs up...merry christmas all of you...

sinissa · Dec 23, 2006

Merry xmas guys,my xmas is in few weks

When u look percentage of civilian casulties in WWI and WWII u can notice that WWI was allmost pure military war,with 5% civilian losses (wwII around 60% civilian losses) so there was still dignity and profesionalism in armys.

Roel · Dec 23, 2006

"Still"? As if there is a linear development towards a higher percentage of civilian casualties in wartime. I think World War I was one of the wars that saw the least amount of civilians hurt in some way or other, considering the war's scale - compared to wars both before it and since. Still, it was hardly a gentlemen's war, wouldn't you say?

Canadian_Super_Patriot · Dec 23, 2006

jeaguer said:

.

there was a lovely "south park " episode about xmas

.
Click to expand...

They've made a few. At the end of one , all the townspeople are like "christamas is about presents, not loving each other and being with loved ones" lol

McRis · Dec 24, 2006

Still, it was hardly a gentlemen's war, wouldn't you say?
Click to expand...

Agreed, but during the early stages there was some kind of respect, especially among airmen.
I've read story about Navarre during his early career. He was on a reckon mission but also carried a rifle on his plane. Suddenly, he saw a German pilot--flying by--saluting him. Then Navarre started firing his weapon but with no results. When back to base, he reported the event to the squadron leader only to be reprimanded for "unprofessional behavior"...

smeghead phpbb3 · Dec 24, 2006

Yes, there were lots of instances of chivalry in the air...
Even in the final months of the war, A German Ace (I think it was Ernst Udet?) spent almost an hour dogfighting with a single British Camel... The two were very evenly matched and Udet took off his hat to him... The Brit banked away, and Udet let him pull up along side him, they then flew above the line of trenches side by side...

There were also many instances of fighter pilots downing aircraft, then landing to offer assistance to the crashed pilots...

sinissa · Dec 25, 2006

I compared WWI and WWII,and that is only for Germany.Serbia got highest losses in WWI (30% of population) militaty and ciwilian losses allso,but they made by Hungary and Bulgaria (Bulgaria rewenge for kicking ass in BWII)

merlin phpbb3 · Dec 26, 2006

christmas

A postcard painting by one of my sons, some years ago, titled,
"Christmas in the Trenches".

BMG phpbb3 · Dec 31, 2006

i've heard of some places were they even played soccer (football) during christmas

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