Northamptonshire Daily Echo

1st January, 1915: Irchester Man's Pleasing Experience: Private J W Moulton of the 6th Cyclist Platoon, 8th Division, writing on the 28th to his parents (Mr and Mrs W. Moulton), Farndish-road, Irchester, says: I hope you had a merry Christmas at home. We did not have a very agreeable time here. We had bully beef and biscuits for Christmas dinner and we did not relish that. After dinner our officers took us up to the trenches to have a look round. There wasn't any firing going on so it was quite safe. Both sides came to agreement to cease fire for Christmas Day. The Germans kept Christmas the same as us. Our chaps went over to the German lines and exchanged cigarettes and eatables with them. They have been told by their officers that they are winning all along the line and they will have a shock when they know the truth. Some of them can speak English as well as us. One chap said he had been living in England for the last seven years and would like to be back there again. Our chap got a lot of buttons and a cap badge off them for souvenirs. It's hard to believe that they are firing to kill one day and then going up to one another to have a talk.

4th January 1915: The Christmas Truce - how Germans and British Fraternised: Gunner Herbert Smart, an Aston Villa football player, now in France with the 5th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, writes home concerning the interchange of courtesies between British and Germans on Christmas Day. The Germans, he writes, had a Christmas tree in the trenches and Chinese lanterns along the top of a parapet. "Come over," said one German soldier "I want to speak to you." We didn't know how to take it at first but one of the nuts went over and as no harm befell him others followed. But our Commanding officer would not allow more than three at a time to go. I went out myself on Christmas Day and exchanged some cigarettes for cigars. The German I met had been a waiter in London and could use our language a little. He says they do not want to fight. "Fancy a German shaking your flapper as though he was trying to smash your fingers and then a few days later trying to plug you! I hardly know what to think but I fancy they are working up a big scheme. But our chaps are prepared."

German urges our men to "Be British" - Sergeant H A Barrs of the Cyclists Corps, a prominent Reading swimmer, in the course of a letter written from the front on Boxing Day to his parents, says: "On Christmas Eve both troops were singing to one another and on Christmas morning after sunrise shouted conversation across the open space between the trenches, a German shouted: 'Be British and come half-way' and out goes one of our officers. He shook hands and exchanged cigars and cigarettes with the German officer. The German suggested "You no shoot, we no shoot". That started the ball rolling and they all came out and had a spate exchanging souvenirs and autographs. After sixteen shells which the Germans had sent out in the morning, there wasn't a shot fired all day."

The Christmas Truce in the Trenches - Pte W. Pentelow, 1st Rifle Brigade, writing to his sister, Mrs E. Fairey, 122 Alexandra-road, Wellingborough, says: We had it quiet on Christmas day and we didn't do any firing. Plenty of singing in the trenches on Christmas Eve, both carols and songs. Sometimes the Germans chimed in and also cheered. They had a few instruments and gave us several tunes. Home Sweet Home was one which was very good and anyone who had a home must have thought of it. They also played our national anthem and afterwards gave three cheers. They also shouted "Come over you English people, we will meet you half way" and several other jokes were passed. Well, on Christmas Day we were out of our trenches and we met halfway and shook hands and exchanged smokes. I had seven cigars and several cigarettes from them. I also gave a few of them my home address. They are about fed up and will be glad when it is over. The same as we shall. But those times are over now. We are shooting one another as before. Some of them seemed very nice chaps but some were very old and others were quite boys."

9th January 1915

Writing to a member of staff of the Northampton Daily Echo and Northampton Mercury, Rifleman E. E. Meadley of the Queen's Westminsters tells of a friendly gathering of Egnlish and German between the trenches on Christmas Day. He says: "You will be very much surprised to hear I had one of the best Christmas Days I have had for years. On Christmas Eve I went to the trenches and the Germans were singing carols to our men and we were singing to them. They then shouted to us 'A Merry Christmas, British comrades. You English are fine singers." After that some of our men went out and met some of the Germans halfway. One of our chaps gave a German a Christmas pudding and the Germans in return gave hima bottle of wine and some cigars. Then they arranged that there should be no shooting on either side till after midnight on Christmas Dy they kept to their promise. I must say the Germans were very sporty and wanted to arrange a football match with us for the Christmas afternoon which, however, when the time came fell through. On Christmas Day our men were walking about in front of the trenches and talking in a friendly way with the Germans and asking them how long they thought the war would last and also exchanging souvenirs. I myself was not in the front line but was engaged in carrying rations up to the trenches in the evening. At ordinary times this is a danger as you are fully exposed but as there was no shooting then it w all right. That night we had a bed each for the first time since July and for dinner we had a roast fowl and I managed to make a tolerably good Christmas pudding. These were followed by champagne and cigars. The people we were billeted with then brought out a gramaphone which we had on the go all afternoon. I really had a very happy Christmas."

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