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Our thanks to Marian Robson for her excellent work in transcribing letters from the North-East. Evening Mail (Newcastle) Friday January 1st 1915; Press Association release - war general Monday December 28th 1914 Wednesday, December 30th, 1914 Thursday, December 3st 1914 ----- How friend and foe fraternised on Christmas Day was related in an interview by Company-Sergeant Major Frank Naden of the 6th Cheshire Territorials, who has returned to his home in Stockport for a week's leave: "On Christmas Eve as each fireball went up from the German lines our men shouted 'Hurrah' and 'Let's have another'. They also sang Christians Awake and other Christmas hymns. On Christmas Dy onhe of the Germans came out of the trenches and held his hands up. Our fellows immediately got out of theirs, and we met in the middle, and for the rest of the day we fraternised, exchanging food, cigarettes and souvenirs. The Germans gave us some of their sausages, and we gave them some of our stuff. The Scotsmen started the bagpipes and we had a rare old jollification, which included football in which the Germans took part. The Germans expressed themselves as being tired of the war and wished it was over. They greatly admired our equipment and wanted to exchange jack knives and other articles. Next day we got an order that all communication and friendly intercourse with the enemey must cease but we did not fire at all that day, and the Germans did not fire at us." ----- Tuesday, January 5th 1914 (and Newcatle Daily Journal of 6th January). Private Ronald Scott writing to a cousin in Newcastle says: "The chocolates were declared amongst us (my few chums) to be top hole and I heartily agree. I thought I would send you a field service card. By the way you must not think that they are a lazy way of getting out of letter writing, for it is not always possible to write a long letter. At the present moment I am snatching a few minutes from a sentry duty relief to get this away. well, as for what we ahve been dloing I can tell you very little. We arrived in France about four months ago and since then we havebeen over the greater part of France, until we arrived here where we are being billeted out for the first time this winter, and my word it is grand to be living in little cottage with a roof over your head. I can safely say I have enjoyed myself in all the little bits of excitement, to say nothing of the pretty little French ladies. I must say they are tres chic. We spent Christmas very happily here. Of course work went on as usual but in the evening, after we had won the battle with the good old pudding, we had a concert and raked up a surprising amount of talent. Yesterday being New Year's Day, we had a royal time. A very pretty and pleasing custom is the wishi of Bonne Annee (happy new year), which is given with a kiss on either cheek. It was nothing to see Tommy wish a pretty girl Bonnie Annee a dozen times in five minutes! Things were great until my return to billet. My old landlady wanted to make the wish and salute. Oh dear! Yes we have heard of those 1.000,000 fine chaps who are coming out here, and let us all wish that we all may have a speedy return; but eerything seems to be going the same. Saturday, 9th January 1915: Wednesday, January 13th 1915: "Gifts" enemy do not want. From Corporal J Chisholm, of Sacriston, twice wounded and now back in France, to his aunt at Sacriston. We are having very bad weather here; nothing else but rain, and it is very cold for the hands and feet. I did enjoy myself at Christmas. I was in the trenches and we sent the Germans their Christmas boxes and New Year Gifts. I have never given so many New Year gifts and Christmas Boxes as I have done this year. They came over to our trenches for them, and they got them - more than they could carry. Then they wanted to go back and some of them got back. The ones that did get back got their New Year gifts as well as those who remained. They won't come out now they have had plenty of English Christmas boxes. They are so close to us that we have been throwing tins of bully beef at them and they pop their heads up to get the tins we pop them off." Wednesday, January 13th 1915. Germans Getting 'Fly'. From Private R Fleming, 2nd Durham Light Infantry to his brother and sister (Mr and Mrs Rose), Brandon Colliery. It is a bit quiet. The Germans gave us a bit of a surprise last night by firing a few volleys at us. On Wednesday morning we got on top of the trenches and were talking to them. They (the Germans) got on top of theirs as well. They were shouting and waving to us to go over for a drink. They are sick of it; only young lads and old men here. It is not war this. It is who can kill the most in the shortest possible time. I think they won't attack us again. When they did attack us, it seemed as if you could not miss them. They are getting 'fly' now; don't come in crowds." Wednesday, January 13th 1915: Mr Sam Allen of 20 Lord Stret, New Silksworth has received other interesting letter from Nurse Lily Hodgson, who is stated at Dunkirk. The writer states: Isle of Wight Field Hospital, Field Post Office, Dunkirk, France. First part of letter describes a raid at 11am on the morning of the 30th and then goes on: I must tell you about Christmas. We had a very happy one. All the beds were full. We filled the men's socks with all sorts of things - pipes, cigarettes, tobacco, sweets, oranges, mittens, mufflers, bootlaces and a lot of little funny things. They did love it. Then we gave them good English dinner - roast mutton etc and plum pudding after which we sang to them. I then left them to take a lot of things up to the men in the firing line. Will you kindly thank the people for their kind gifts to the French and Belgian soldiers and myself - father and mother at Ryhope, Mrs Ehtel Polalrd, Miss J Laider of Silksworth, Mrs Mason of Shincliffe." Thursday, 14th January 1915: The Christmas Truce. Not regarded with favour by British Headquarters. A sergeant major in the 2nd Lincolns, who has been spending a few days' leave from the front with friends at Spalding, states that the Christmas Truce at the front was undoubtedly arranged between private soldiers and subordinate officers in the front line of trenches on either side. Early in the morning of Boxing Day, the 2nd Lincolns, whose trenches lay somewhat at the rear of the ternches to which the Germans had paid a visit were ordered to replace the English troops in the front trenches. The explanation was that headquarters did not consider it advisable for such happenings to take place and that it wmost irregular for opposing troops to indulge in visits to each others' lines. The idea was that such exchanges of visits might result in the divulging of important information to the enemy (states the Manchester Guardian). The 2nd Lincolns went to the front trenches as ordered and declined any overtures of the enemy. They spent all Boxing Day in the trenches but there was no fighting of any kind. Thursday, January 14th 1915: Fed Up With Eternal Mud. From Driver John Gibbling 105th Battery RFA to his sisters, Mrs J Short of Tyne Dock. We had a miserable time of it at Christmas. The only way we knew it was Christmas was we got a piece of pudding. We also got a card from the King and Queen, one from Lady Rawlinson. On Boxing Day every man got a present from Princess Mary. It consisted of a silver-mounted pipe, a box made of brass, with a packet of tobacco one of cigarettes, also her photo and a Christmas Card. When you write again will you try and send me a razor, lather brush and shaving soap for I have nothing to shave with. Of course I can borrow; but I'm getting fed up with that game as I dare say those chaps who have got razors are too! Things round here are still pretty quiet but I expect there will be a big bust-up before so very long. Roll on! Let us get out of it for I'm fed up with this mud which is up to our knees." Wednesday January 20th 1915: From Gunner William Metcalf, of the Royal Field Artillery, to his wife who lives at 9 Albert Row, Consett. Christmas Day here was just like any other day. Weekdays and Sundays are all alike to us. I am sending home a Christmas card I received from the Queen. You can tell father we have killed a few Germans. If I had my way I would finish off the lot; but I hope that they get all they are asking for. It is cold and wet out here and I am getting tired of it. I often have a look at your photo; it makes me long to be back home again, but I hope it won't be long before I see you once more." Friday January 22nd 1915: From Sergeant Weaver, 1st Northumberland Fusiliers, to Miss Edith Hunt at Peases West, Crook. I have been in the trenches four days and have come out for a rest. I have had two narrow escapes so far. Yesterday a bullet passed through my cap, and the day before one went up my sleeve and out at the elbow. Well, you can see I have good luck so far so don't worry for I shall come back safe and sound. We are having a rather bad time, being over our knees in water, but I m keeping my pecker up. I hope you all enjoyed Christmas and New Year; I didn't enjoy mine I can tell you. I think this sort of life suits me for to hear bullets and shells whistling by you is simply great and the excitement is fine." Saturday January 23rd 1915: From Private P Jennings 8314, 1st Northumberland Fusiliers to Mr J Thompson, Waterloo, Blyth. You ask how I spent my Christmas. Well, it was just like any ordinary day. We had a small portion of Christmas pudding and that was all. We cannot expect anything else under the circumstances. Time and again I have no idea what day it is. It is a very trying life while one has it and one never knows when it might be lost. We have to trust in God for a safe return." Tuesday, January 26th 1915: Facing Death Daily. From Private George Minto, Northumberland Fusiliers to his father, ex-Sergeant Minto, of Aynsley Terrace, Consett. First part of letter describes his general experiences and then he writes: It is quite right what the Press is saying. The real warfare will not start until March and then the Germans will get stick.We have some beautiful trenches about where we are now. You don't want to believe half what is being said about concerts going on between the Allies and the Germans. It is all lies. We had a very rough time of it for several weeks. I was in -- before it was shelled, but this place is now in ruins." The letter concludes with a reference to his 'nearest escape'. North Mail Tuesday January 5th 1915 (also in Newcastle Daily Journal, Wednesday 6th January 1915): Yuletide Truce. English and Germans shake hands Another interesting description of how the British and Germans celebrated Christmas Day by an informal truce during which they exchanged friendly greetings and handshakes, is given in a letter which Mr and Mrs Renton, Fireburn Mill, Coldstream, have received from their son, Corporal Robert Renton, Seaforth Highlanders: I never thought we would spend Christmas Day the way we did. On Christmas Eve, the Germans were in front of us started singing what appeared to be hymns. We were shouting out for encores - their trenches are only about 150 yardsin front of us.They kept the singing up all night. On Christmas Day some of them started to shout across to us to come over for a drink. It started with one or two going over halfway and meeting the Germans between the two lines of trenches. Then it got that there was a big crowd of Germans and British all standing together shaking hands and wishing each other a merry Christmas. They were giving us cigars and cheroots in exchange for cigarettes, and some of them had bottles of whisky. They seemed to be a decent crowd, those in front of us. They were all fairly well dressed and the majority could speak broken English. Some of them could speak it as well as I can myself. They said they were not going to fire for three days. They kept their word too. There was not rifle fire for two days after Christmas. There were two dead Frenchmen between our lines and we could never get out to bury them until that day. The Germans helped us to dig the graves. One of their officers held a service over one of the graves. It was a sight worth seeing and not easily forgotten - both Germans and British paying respects to the French dead." Tuesday January 7th 1915 Writing to Mr Andrew Davidson, West Coates, Berwick, with whom he was employed as a groom until war broke out, a private in the Seaforth Highlanders, states that he had a rather curious Christmas: We left our trenches, went half way, the Germans doing the same, and had a Christmas greeting, getting cigars, cigarettes and all sorts of presents. They think the British a very brave lot and fairly gave us a good clapping on the back. They said they were going to keep up the truce for three days and they were as good as their word; there was not a single shot exchanged. We could knock about just the same as if peace was declared; in fact some of our fellows were playing football along the firing line - rather a curious affair after such revengeful attacks on one another." Wednesday January 6th 1915: Foes Exchange Greetings. Subaltern's Story of Christmas Day Truce. Burial Service. The Press Association has received the following letter from a subaltern at the Front: - December 31st 1914: A truce had been arranged for the few hours of daylight on Christmas Day for the burial fo the dead on both sides who had been lying out in the open since the fierce night-fighting of a week earlier. When I got out I found a large crowd of officers and men, English and German, grouped around the bodies, which had already been gathered together and laid out in rows. I went along those dreadful ranks and scanned the faces, fearing at every step to recognise one I knew. It was a ghastly sight. They lay stiffly in contorted attitudes, dirty with frozen mud and powdered with rime. The digging parties were already busy on the two big common graves but the ground was hard and work slow and laborious. In the intervals of superintending it, we chatted with the Germans, most of whom were quite affable. If one could not exactly call them friendly, which, indeed was neither to be expected nor desired. We exchanged confidences about the weather and the diametrically opposite news from East Prussia. The way they maintained the truth of their marvellous victories becasue they were official (with bated breath) was positively pathetic. They had no doubt of the issue in the east, and professed to regard the position in the west as a definite stalemate. It was most amusing to observe the bland innocence with which they put questions, a truthful answer to which might have had unexpected consequences in the future. One charming lieutenant of artillery was most anxious to know just where my dug-out, The Cormorants, was situated. No doubt he wanted to shoot his card, tied to a 'Whistling Willie'. I waved my hand airily over the next company's line giving him the choice of various mangel heaps in the rear. They spoke of a bottle of champagne. We raised our wistful eyes in hopeless longing. They expressed astonishment and said how pleased they would have been had they only known to have sent to Lille for some. "A charming town, Lille. Do you know it?" "Not yet" we assured them. Their laughter was quite frank that time. Meanwhile time drew on, and it was obvious that the burying would not be half finished with the expiration of armistice agreed upon, so we decided to renew it the following morning. They left us alone that night to enjoy a peaceful Christmas. I forgot to say that the previous night (Christmas Eve) their trenches were a blaze of Christmas trees, and our sentries were regaled for hours with the traditional Christmas songs of the Fatherland. Their officers even expressed annoyance the next day that some of these trees had been fired on, insisting that they were part almost of a sacred rite. On Boxing Day at the agreed hour, on a prearranged signal being given, we turned out again. The output of officers of higher rank on their side was more marked, and the proceedings were more formal in consequence. But while the gruesome business of burying went forward there was still a certain interchange of pleasantries. The German soldiers seemed a good tempered, aimiable lot, mostly peasants from the look of them. One remarkable exception, who wore the Iron Cross, and addressed us in slow but faultess English, told us he was Professor of Early German and English students at a Westphalian University. He had a wonderfully fine head. They distributed cigars and cigarettes freely among our digging party who were much impressed by the cigars. I hope they were not disillusioned when they came to smoke them. Meanwhile the officers were amusing themselves by taking photographs of mixed groups. The Germans brought us copies to send to the English illustrated papers, as they received them regularly. The digging completed, the shallow graves were filled in and the German officers remained to pay their tribute of respect while our chaplain read a short service. It was one of the most impressive thigns I have ever witnessed. Friend and foe stood side by side, bare-headed, watching the full, grave figure of the padre outlined against the frosty landscape as he blessed the poor broken bodies at his feet. Then, with more formal salutes, we turned and made our way back to our respective ruts. Elsewhere along the line I hear our fellows played the Germans at football on Christmas Day. Our own pet enemies remarked that they would like a game but as the ground in our part is all root crops and much cut up by ditches, and as moreover, we had not got a football, we had to call it off. I returned to the scenes of what was low comedy in comparison. That night the frost turned abruptly to rain. The trenches melted like butter on the fire and all was slime and water instead of good hard surface. A shuffle of company lines has now given me a captain as stable companion at 'The Cormorants', a gay young soul with a penchant for building improvements. He constructed a top-hole fireplace inside with a real chimney and an up-to-date sloping fireback and utilised the last hour of the armistice to make the roof seaworthy with an ingenious arrangement of derelict waterproof sheets. We had a homely evening and towards midnight were blissfully rejoicing in our dry spot amid the welter of mud, he asleep on his bunk, I perusing The Times by the light of candle. Suddenly a horrible crackling like two or three clips of cartridges firing off made both of us jump out of our skins. It was not a German infernal machine, as our first intuition told us, but merely a centre prop of the dugout and the beam it supported had given way. The roof sagged threateningly three inches from our heads. A hasty retreat with a few valuables was beaten and a digging party put on to clear off the earth to save a complete collapse. Tuesday January 19th 1915: Interview with Sergt JP Anslow, No 5 Platoon, B Company, Durham Light Infantry. Returned on leave after four months of fighting. Interviewed at his house, Brussels Street, Gateshead. Refers to many aspects of the war and the performance of the miners in the 2nd Durhams on the Aisne and then at Chapelle and Armentieres: Everywhere the water and mud are up past your knees" added Sergt Anslow. "You cannot sleep there. The water freezes round a man if he tries to sleep with his head on the side of the trench." The trenches were so close to each other that it was possible to talk to the enemy. The Durhams were asked during the New Year Day truce why they continued fighting now that the British Navy had been defeated! Letter concludes on a patriotic note of how well the Durhams were doing, the need for more men and his determination to return to the fighting following a neck wound for which he refused hospital treatment. Saturday January 23rd 1915: Lance Corporal G Teasdale, of the Coldstreams, in a letter to his wife: I saw a brave deed on Christmas Day. There was a British soldier out near the German lines wounded. He was lying there for two nights and two days int he rain and snow --- and he was shouting for his regiment. I asked a Corporal to come out with me to fetch him in but we saw an Indian officer rush out to the man. Just as he was going to put the man on his back, a German fired and hit the officer. One of the privates in the same regiment ran out and got one on his back and the other in his arms and carried them to safety. I think it was the best bit of work I ever saw." Thursday January 14th 1915: Armistice Not Respected. Germans Pay Dearly For Not Keeping Promises. Petrograd January 13. It is learned that the Germans in the Masurian Lakes district sent a message to the Russians proposing an armistice on Christmas Eve of both styles. The Russians agreed. At four o'clock on the German Christmas morning, the Russians were surprised at seeing two German battalions, with rifles, advancing. The Russians fired on them at a distance of 300 metres, bringing some of them down. This German attack, however, would seem to have been a drunken freak. But on the Russian Christmas night the Germans attacked the Russian trenches in dead earnest and were repulsed with heavy loss. Press Association War Special. Friday January 1st 1915: Press Association release - war general. "So far as we could see, the enemy made no attempt to disturb the feast play. A hostile aviator, it is true, flew over our positions in Flanders at a great height, but threw no bombs, and, indeed, seemed to be principally occupied in discovering how we Germans were spending the day. Wherever it was possible, festivities appropriate to the d were held, but throughout the line fully half the men were on duty." Correspondent of a German newspaper writing from West Flanders on December 25th. Monday December 28th 1914: Writing to a friend at Coxhoe, Gunner W. Furness of Hylton, who has been out since the beginning of the war says: "We are resting, but will be in action for Christmas. We will have a warm and enjoyable one, won't we?" Wednesday, December 30th, 1914: Gunner Jefferson of the 8th Siege Battery RGA. "I don't think there will be many men out here who will grumble about not having a merry Christmas, as it is all in a good cause, and we know that what we miss this year we are helping thousands in the world to have next year." Thursday, December 3st 1914: Writing from the front to friends at Jarrow under date December 26th, a soldier describes Christmas Day on the battlefield. He writes: "Things have been remarkably quiet during Christmas, and the infantry had gone so far as to come out of the trenches. On Christmas Eve an infantryman went into the German trenches at midnight and made himself comfortable. They gave him drinks and smokes, and a German soldier accompanied him halfway back to his own trench. While in the German trenches, a British soldier made an arrangement that a truce of 24 hours would be called between his company and the Germans. On Christmas Day soldiers on both sides left the trenches and exchanged greetings, cigars, cigarettes and so on. Where possible the men conversed with each other and exchanged names and addresses." ----- ----- Tuesday, January 5th 1914 (and Newcatle Daily Journal of 6th January). Mr Oswald Blunden, an officer in the Honourable Artillery Corps, writes as follows to Mr Noble, of the Broomhill Collieries: "Boxing Day: Your parcel of chocs reached me in the firing line this evening, and the contents and the good wishes enclosed have already cheered my heart. We are now having a spell of six days in the trenches, and the weather has decided to be seasonable. Christmas Day was cold and gray and a glorious change from what we have had. All today it has been snowing hard. It's a wee bit 'parky' now and again, especially about four or five in the morning. It's nice to get up, but taking it all round, the cold knocks the mud into a cocked hat. At the moment I've got four hours watch on, and have to post sentries and see that they are alert every now and again. One must not sleep during this time and so in between the rounds I am knocking off a few ??. Perhaps you have heard how we spent our Christmas Day. It was the most extraordinary thing possible - mixing up and holding long talks with the enemy out in the open and not a shot fired on either side. I got a jolly good German helmet which I am going to try and send home when we get back to billet. There are two of us in my dug-out in the trench and the way I have to twist myself into knots all the time is a sight for the gods. Now is the time when I would like to be 2ft 6in and not 6ft 2in. Expect you will have heard all the news." Private Ronald Scott writing to a cousin in Newcastle says: "The chocolates were declared amongst us (my few chums) to be top hole and I heartily agree. I thought I would send you a field service card. By the way you must not think that they are a lazy way of getting out of letter writing, for it is not always possible to write a long letter. At the present moment I am snatching a few minutes from a sentry duty relief to get this away. Well, as for what we have been doing I can tell you very little. We arrived in France about four months ago and since then we have been over the greater part of France, until we arrived here where we are being billeted out for the first time this winter, and my word it is grand to be living in a little cottage with a roof over your head. I can safely say I have enjoyed myself in all the little bits of excitement, to say nothing of the pretty little French ladies. I must say they are tres chic. We spent Christmas very happily here. Of course work went on as usual but in the evening, after we had won the battle with the good old pudding, we had a concert and raked up a surprising amount of talent. Yesterday being New Year's Day, we had a royal time. A very pretty and pleasing custom is the wishing of Bonne Annee (happy new year), which is given with a kiss on either cheek. It was nothing to see Tommy wish a pretty girl Bonne Annee a dozen times in five minutes! Things were great until my return to billet. My old landlady wanted to make the wish and salute. Oh dear! Yes we have heard of those 1,000,000 fine chaps who are coming out here, and let us all wish that we all may have a speedy return; but everything seems to be going the same. Saturday, 9th January 1915: The following extracts are taken from a letter received by Miss Ella Hindle, of 2 John Street West, Deptford, Sunderland, from her brother Henry, driver in the ammunition section of the RFA: We had a very quiet Christmas. We went in reserve two days before Christmas and everything we got was regimental except a little tin of Christmas pudding. Our rations consisted of 12oz of bully beef, half a pound of bread and two biscuits, a little bacon and cheese, and a tin of jam between four men. You will see we were not overfed. We had a church parade and were given a Christmas card from the King and Queen, and the 4th Division had a bath. We had one before Christmas - that is the second since coming up from this district. My captain has just returned from England; been on leave for 10 days. I think they are going to give us leave when Kitchener's Army comes out. I got Princess Mary's Box on Boxing Day. Very nice. The same thing they got in South Africa, with cigarettes and tobacco. Well, taking everything into consideration, it was a very dull day and it was the same all along the line. They even considered sending them 'coal boxes' over. I think they must have made it up to keep quiet for Christmas Day. We had three games of football, or I should call it mudlarking as there are very few fields around here that are not like a ploughed field; but never mind it does for us. The officers join in too. We are creeping yard by yard all along the line. Spies have been again after our transports." Wednesday, January 13th 1915. Germans Getting 'Fly'. From Private R Fleming, 2nd Durham Light Infantry to his brother and sister (Mr and Mrs Rose), Brandon Colliery. It is a bit quiet. The Germans gave us a bit of a surprise last night by firing a few volleys at us. On Wednesday morning we got on top of the trenches and were talking to them. They (the Germans) got on top of theirs as well. They were shouting and waving to us to go over for a drink. They are sick of it; only young lads and old men here. It is not war this. It is who can kill the most in the shortest possible time. I think they won't attack us again. When they did attack us, it seemed as if you could not miss them. They are getting 'fly' now; don't come in crowds." Thursday, 14th January 1915. The Christmas Truce. Not regarded with favour by British Headquarters. A sergeant major in the 2nd Lincolns, who has been spending a few days' leave from the front with friends at Spalding, states that the Christmas Truce at the front was undoubtedly arranged between private soldiers and subordinate officers in the front line of trenches on either side. Early in the morning of Boxing Day, the 2nd Lincolns, whose trenches lay somewhat at the rear of the trenches to which the Germans had paid a visit were ordered to replace the English troops in the front trenches. The explanation was that headquarters did not consider it advisable for such happenings to take place and that it was most irregular for opposing troops to indulge in visits to each others' lines. The idea was hat such exchanges of visits might result in the divulging of important information to the enemy (states the Manchester Guardian). The 2nd Lincolns went to the front trenches as ordered and declined any overtures of the enemy. They spent all Boxing Day in the trenches but there was no fighting of any kind. Saturday January 23rd 1915: From Private P Jennings 8314, 1st Northumberland Fusiliers to Mr J Thompson, Waterloo, Blyth. You ask how I spent my Christmas. Well, it was just like any ordinary day. We had a small portion of Christmas pudding and that was all. We cannot expect anything else under the circumstances. Time and again I have no idea what day it is. It is a very trying life while one has it and one never knows when it might be lost. We have to trust in God for a safe return." Wednesday, January 13th 1915. Mr Sam Allen of 20 Lord Street, New Silksworth has received another interesting letter from Nurse Lily Hodgson, who is stationed at Dunkirk. The writer states: Isle of Wight Field Hospital, Field Post Office, Dunkirk, France. First part of letter describes a raid at 11am on the morning of the 30th and then goes on: I must tell you about Christmas. We had a very happy one. All the beds were full. We filled the men's socks with all sorts of things - pipes, cigarettes, tobacco, sweets, oranges, mittens, mufflers, bootlaces and a lot of little funny things. They did love it. Then we gave them good English dinner - roast mutton etc and plum pudding after which we sang to them. I then left them to take a lot of things up to the men in the firing line. Will you kindly thank the people for their kind gifts to the French and Belgian soldiers and myself - father and mother at Ryhope, Mrs Ethel Pollard, Miss J Laider of Silksworth, Mrs Mason of Shincliffe." If you would like to take part in this project by helping to transcribe such letters from your local archives, send an email to info@christmastruce.co.uk to register your interest. |
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