CHRISTMAS, 1914

New Zealand Listener, Volume 12, Issue 292, 26 January 1945, Page 5

CHRISTMAS, 1914

. Sir,-I was very much interested in reading the account of the "truce in 1914" written for The Listener" by Harold Miller. I was an eye-witness of that truce, but it commenced some hours earlier. The Germans of those days were "very religious, and on Christmas Eve they started to place lighted candles on the parapet of their trenches. We immediately started to snipe them out and, as we were a sharpshooting regiment, we were very successful. At the time we were holding a position at Chapelle. d’Armentiers and the enemy was only 80 yards from us. It was a most peculiar sight to see the candles burning, and there was a band in the front line playing carols. I might mention that the Germans were much more up-to-date than we were. They had a motor pump working all the time to keep their trenches dry, while we had one old manual pump, which kept the water to a little above our knees. We received all the water the Germans pumped out. So they were in comparative comfort. But they did not like us sniping their candles out. After some time, one German called out "come over and have some bread and cheese, Tommy.’ Now our sergeantmajor’s batman had found the rum issue, and had imbibed very freely. He heard the offer to "come over," and before anyone could stop him, he was "over the top." To our surprise, a German soldier came over half-way, and we saw them shake hands. Word was passed along to stop firing at the candles, and in less than no time, the

whole battalion was. over and shaking hands. The Germans were Saxons, and they said to us "we are Saxons, you are Anglo-Saxons, we are friends." They brought over cigars, chocolate and other loot, which was enjoyed by all, and we helped them to bury a number of their dead who had lain between the lines for some time. We offered them a game of football, but a German staff officer came over and smilingly told us that that could not be allowed, but told us that we could play behind our own lines. He also warned us not to go near their wire entanglements or we would be taken prisoner. He was rather a sport, for the day before his red cap could be seen, and one of our snipers had hit the sniping ‘plate through which this officer was observing 15 times with as many shots. He congratulated the man on his shooting. At midnight we all moved back to our own trenches, but before dawn on Christmas Day we were together again. Even the brigadier-general came up, but he had an artillery man’s cap and jacket on. We had a game of football behind our lines and altogether "a good time was had by all." , The next day was different. Before dawn, a call came over "keep down, Tommy." We did, but one young officer climbed on top and started whistling a German tune. A call came over "get down, Tommy." He took no notice. Several shots were fired at his feet to warn him. He was too young to take warning. Eventually, one shot hit him in the groin. He was dragged in then. And so ended our wonderful Christmas truce. For the regiment on our right, though, the truce carried on for six weeks, and then only ended when our machine-gun officer threatened to fire on both sides. They were actually using the same farm to draw their water--

S.

McDONALD

(President. Wellincton

branch Old Contemptibles Association).