Cryodon Advertiser and Surrey County Reporter

2nd January 1915: Celebrating Christmas in the Trenches - On Boxing Day Private Rands (Private C Rands of B Company, 2nd Northants Regiment, writing to his mother at Croydon) again writes home and in this he describes how he spent Christmas in the trenches in the following words: "I am in the best of health and still keep smiling. We are having a descent time in the trenches - us and the Germans are having fine time together. They shouted over to our trenches and told us they were not going to fire at us as it was Christmas and they were going to have two days rest. It would have done your eyesight good to have seen us walking out to their trenches and the coming over to ours and sitting on top of the trenches. One came who had been a waiter in London. He said: "Me get the Iron Cross for this" and then put a roar of laughter. We were exchanging cigarettes for their cigars and they smoked very well. We had a Christmas Tree. The Germans dressed up a Christmas Tree with lights and they were singing songs to us. We returned the compliment with "It's A Long Way To Tipperary" and "Get Down and Get Under". Everything has gone off very well these last two days. If you were all out here you would never think we were at war, but still it wont be like this for long, only over the holidays. They even started to shoot on Christmas morning but before they started they told us to bob down because they were going to shoot. They told us they were fed up with it. We were walking about out of our trenches just as if we were on furlough. The war is jolly fine if it's like this all the time but I expect by the time you get this we shall be shooting at them again for all we are worth."
(Private Rands previously wrote, "They cannot shoot straight for nuts. Keep a stout heart. I am all right and very happy. You would not think we were at war if you could see us. We are singing, laughing and joking about all day. Bullets and Big Bens flying around us all the time.")

Croydon Cricketer's Experiences - Rifleman Ollis, No 2157, II Company of the Queen Westminster Rifle, 16th Batt, London Regiment, now serving with the Expeditionary Force, a well known member of the Croydon Cricket Club, who joined the colours directly war was declared, writing home from the Trenches on Christmas Day, says: "What an extraordinary effect Christmas has on the world. Peace and goodwill amongst men during peace time one can quite understand but peace and goodwill amongst men who have been murdering one another for the past five months is incredible and if I had not seen for myself the effects of Christmas on these two lines of trenches I should never have believed them. All day yesterday the German snipers were busy and unfortunately to some effect...(censored)..progressing well. That is by the way. The point is that when darkness fell all firing ceased. The Germans sang and shouted and cheered, and we sang and cheered. We called Merry Christmas across to one another. The German lines were lit up with huge flares and we could see each other plainly. A few hours before we were jolly careful to keep our heads below the parapet and now we were sitting on it, throwing cigarettes and tobacco to our enemies who wandered out into the middle of the lines. In some places we are only about 100 yards from them and we kept up conversation all night. By the way they offered to play us at football. I shall be able to tell you heaps more about the wonderful change that has come over with the dawn of Christmas when I get back. Today not a shot has been fired and the frost is still thick on the ground. Quite a welcome change after the wet. We are quite happy and hope you are the same. Your ever-loving 'Terrier' Billy."

January 9th 1915: Fraternising with the Germans

Pte E. W. Fairs, London Rifle Brigade, in a letter to his parents who reside in Beaconsfield-road, Croydon, addressed from 'My Little Dug Out in the Trench' says I have had a very funny Christmas. We had an armistice with the Germas and even exchged cigarettes with them. One gave me a cigar. We went halfway and they went halfway - past dead Germans and all sorts of souvenirs. Funny talking to our foes and walking about in front of the trenches. On Christmas Eve they sang carols right into the night and you could hear the bands playing. Today we are still having a truce - no firing on either side and only one or two sehlls on both sides early this morning. Our menu for breakfast was sardines, biscuits, butter and jam and for dinner tinned meat and Christmas pudding (given by the Territorial Association), two being divided between three of us. Our second battalion has sent us welcome Christmas parcels and I have sent my card sent by the Queen home separately. Yesterday was an experience for me and I was glad to have been in the firing line and to see a real live German and talk to him. The enemy's dead were being buried. A German officer read the service and then a whistle went. We 'hopped' it - quick too. Dinner is now ready so here goes - tinned beef, carrot and potatoes. Cheer O! We do see life.

January 30th, 1915: Christmas In The Trenches

Gunner Masterton of Penge has written the following interesting letter giving a description of Christmas with the Germans at the front. Christmas Eve saw everyone merry, the only firing going on was from snipers now and again. Being a foggy morning, three of the Buffs (East Kent Regiment) left their trenches to mend some wire. Just as they had finished, very unluckily for them, the fog lifted. It was only a matter of seconds but enough time for the German snipers to shoot the three of them. Almost at the same time the fog covered again. We had our own back by shelling their trenches later. So the day wore on. No firing after twelve o'clock. Everything still except the singing. All Christmastide songs were sung. Several Germans from the other side's trench also took up the refrain. It seemed so strange. After the singing we wished each other a happy Christmas. Several jokes were given on both sides. Our fellows struck up Let's All Go Down The Strand and I may tell you several Germans knew the place very well but instead of waiting at table they wait to put a bullet in you now. One fellow paid very dearly for his devilment. He said "Here goes, I'm going to shake hands with them." But he soon fell again with five bullets in him. Aftwards they tried to tell us they did not know the poor chap's intention and asked us to come halfway for their OC had given orders not to fire again without orders until ten o'clock pm. We soon came up to them. About 30 could speak English. One fellow wanted a letter posted to his sweetheart in London. Of course you may know that a German soldier is now allowed proper news like the British army. Several said we were fools to carry on the war: why don't we chuck it? Look at what we have done to Russia.We have nearly smashed them up. We have nearly broken up your navy &c. I said to him, "What a hope you have got." We explained some of our victories to them and they were surprised at the news and admitted afterwards that the only news they got is what officers tell them (which since I have been out here I know for a fact anything but the truth). Really you would hardly have thought we were at war. Here we were, enemy talking to enemy. They like ourselves with mothers, with sweethearts, with wives waiting to welcome us home again. And to think within a few hours we shall be firing at each other again. They tell us some awful tales about their officers and I admit myself their German officers are to blame for all the terrible crime that has taken place during the past five months. An army that has officers that cannot control the men is not much use and any amount of Germans have proved themselves cowards by hiding themselves until they can give themselves up. Several have been captured in this way.

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