OUR thanks to Helen Carlile for finding these examples..

Grimsby Daily Telegraph

January 3rd, 1915: Colonel's challenge a New Year Day's Match: A colonel of an infantry regiment writing home to his wife gives some interesting details of the truce that was arranged with the enemy during Christmas. He says:- "This morning (Christmas Day) I went up to the trenches and wished every man a happy Christmas and went all round them. As I was coming away at noon there was a sudden hurrah and rush and our men and the Germans both started running to one another and met half way and shook hands. I did not like it at first and ordered my men back but was told they wanted a truce for the day to bury their dead, so I agreed with that. After ordering half the men to keep a smart look out in the trenches with their rifles ready I went forward and joined the crows. I met a Saxon who talked English well and who interpreted for me while I held a court of admiring men and NCOs. For an hour I stood there and two subalterns came up but I had left and did not see them. I said if they would have an armistice on New Year's Day we would play them at football between our lines-so that remains to be seen. A lot of their dead were lying about in front of our trenches which they thanked us for allowing them to bury. All the German dead were collected and buried and their Captain read a burial service over them in German and in English as many our men were looking on. At two p.m. he blew a whistle and all the Germans bolted back to their trenches. In the afternoon at three p.m. our doctor thought he would go and see the Germans, so boldly walked down the road to their trenches and talked to them. They were very full of the football idea of mine on New Year's Day. I said if they would like another armistice then I would turn out a team and play them among the shell holes, and they were quite keen. Happily there won't be any obstacles like dead Germans lying about unless they try on another attack before then. I wonder if it will come off. These Saxons are the same crowd we have always opposite to us and most of them are quite young, 18-25. Their trenches that our men went into are up to the knee in water so they are far worse of than our men are."

Grimsby Daily Telegraph

January 3rd 1915: Singing In The Trenches - a Boston Soldier's Story. An interesting letter from the front has been received from Private M Rivett of C Company, Lincolnshire Regiment, by his wife who resides in Orchard Street, Boston. It was written on Christmas Day and describes how a "quote mutual armistice" led to an exchange of greetings with the enemy between the trenches. The writer says:- "This is Christmas and we are having a nice day; quite enjoying ourselves. Not a shot is being fired, so far as we can hear. It is a mutual armistice and our battalion is out of the trenches for a short spell. I suppose the Germans are quite as pleased as us to have a quiet day. In fact, it was told us this morning by several of our officers, who had been in the trenches that our men met the Germans half way between the trenches, exchanged greetings, gave them cigarettes etc and had quite a friendly meeting. The Germans sang their national anthem and our men responded with "Rule Britannia" which was encored by the Germans and sung again. A German said to one of our officers "You will only be here a few days now; we have crushed the Russians" Our officer replied "But I can tell you a different tale. The German Army has been badly beaten by the Russians" Said the German "Why should I believe you any more than you believe me?" So you see they are still confident, and not yet beaten. The truth of this is vouched for by several of our officers. Tonight we are having a concert round the camp-fire, in fact, they have just started. During the day we had football matches with a new ball sent by some kind friends. So you see it takes a good lot to upset our men or make us forget Christmas. But what a change tomorrow! Our battalion will be in the trenches. Peace and goodwill forgotten. Each man will be trying his best to pick off one or more of the enemy.

Grimsby Daily Telegraph

December 29th 1914: Plum Puddings For the Lincolnshires - Mrs Foster Fraser's Fund. To the Editor of The Grimsby Daily Telegraph: Sir,- Will you permit me to trespass upon a little of your space in order to thank all those good Lincolnshire people who so generously contributed to my fund to supply the Lincolnshire Regiment at the front with plum puddings on Christmas Day. The response was far beyond what I expected. Though I received some cheques and excellent donations in gold, the most pleasing feature was the way in which many hundreds of working people and school children sent their shillings and sixpences, often anonymously so that I could not even give them an acknowledgement. If they read this I hope they will believe I am just as grateful to them as to those who sent larger sums. The total contributed to my fund was £36 19s 6d. (NEEDS CHECKING) With this I have been able to send 3,000lb weight of plum pudding to the Lincolnshire Battalions serving with the Expeditionary Force. The puddings were in specially made tin cases and were forwarded on December 1st (NEEDS CHECKING) in strict accordance with War Office regulations. In addition I have sent 550lbs of chocolate and 780lbs of peppermints to the brave men of the County Regiment. It may be of some interest that all the plum puddings were made in
Lincolnshire, and the other articles were purchased in various Lincolnshire towns. - Yours etc, Helen Mary Fraser, 35 Regent's Park Road, London NW

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