CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2371, 29 January 1915, Page 5

CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES

"CAROLS AND FOOTBALL. i J. F. Hirst writes, enclosing the following interesting cutting from a let:ter sent Home by a private in .the Queen's Westminster's. The letter was jcabled from London by Renter's Agency Ho the Transvaal dailies, from which Mr. (Hirst has taken it: — ■ That Christmas in the trenches was mot ali fighting appears from a letter rsent home by a private in the Queen's The writer says: ,-'"Christmas in the trenches was the tfuimiest thing 1. ever struck. Our (Runs.shelled l the German trenches till Mt o'clock on Christmas Eve, and then Ithere was a little rifle fire till dark, rwhen wo started singing carols and . .songs and chaffing the enemy. As : things were apparently going very well, ffour of us got on top of a parapet and ■struck matches. The enemy cheered, so we all got out and held a concert and dance in the open. . We bailed the enemy, met a few half-way, shook hands :iand exchanged cigarettes. They are jolly good sports. We had football on (Christmas Day, and asked the Germans ito send a team, but they declined' the challenge. Anyhow, we had a friendly ithat. One of the.Germans produced a • ; camera and photographed a group of 'twelve Westminsters and twelve Gerjmans. I smoked German cigars all fday and ate German chocolates all might while on guard, so did not do so iadly."