widavies Posted 24 December , 2011 Share Posted 24 December , 2011 Hi All, What happened on any Christamas Eve during the 1914-1918 war for the regiment that you are interested in. On Christmas Eve 1914 the Germans in the trenches opposite "A" Company, 2nd Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers, had been shouting across, but on the morning of Christmas Day everything was quiet. One of the Fusiliers, Pioneer Sergeant J.J. "Nobby" Hall, stuck up a board with "A Merry Christmas" on it and the enemy stuck up a similar one. Then, around noon, a German was seen coming out of the fog along the tow-path, his hands in the air. Private Ike Sawyer went out to meet him. The two shook hands, and Sawyer was offered a box of cigars. Regards Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 24 December , 2011 Share Posted 24 December , 2011 The site of the 1914 Christmas Truce near Plugstreet Wood, Flanders, Belgium. with the church of Messines on the skyline. Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fair Posted 24 December , 2011 Share Posted 24 December , 2011 I posted an account here a few years ago: My grandfather's Christmas, 1917. I have an account of his from 1915 in which they were in the Hohenzollern Redoubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 24 December , 2011 Share Posted 24 December , 2011 Might be the time to spend a good hour on the couch and watch the movie "Joyeux Noël" all over again !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithrouse Posted 26 December , 2011 Share Posted 26 December , 2011 There are many reports of humane gentlemanly actions on this first Christmas of the Great War. Not much hope of such things with Hitlers mob in WW11, I would have thought. !! Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Tucker Posted 27 December , 2011 Share Posted 27 December , 2011 THE WARWICKS AND THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE 1914 (part) The 1st battalion war diary only provides the barest detail of the events of Christmas Day 1914 which Bairnsfather called ‘a little human punctuation mark in our lives of cold and humid hate’. However, several Warwicks’ participants have left their personal testimony. Private Tapp’s diary evidence of December 8 suggests that the feelings of Christmas can be pre-dated….. ”….the trenches have their bright side, for instance the Germans in their trenches have just sung our national anthem and then shouted ‘hurrah’ and then several boos so then we give them a song and a cheer. Sometimes one of our fellows shouts ‘waiter’ ‘sausages’ and then sends five rounds rapid over. The Germans seem to know who we are for they shout ‘Good old Warwicks’ and our officer always tells us to give them a song back, I think we shall be pals by Xmas” He was correct. According to the war diary… “25 December Xmas Day. A local truce. British and Germans intermingle in the trenches. Dead in front of trenches buried. No shot fired all day. No casualties. 26 December Truce ended owing to our opening fire. German light guns reply on ‘D’ company trenches. 2 wounded. No sniping all day on either side. In the evening German star shells show large party of ‘B’ company putting up wire. No shots were fired. December 27 No sniping. A little shell fire from light guns over D company”. Captain Hamilton described what happened after setting off for the front line at 6.30 p.m. on Christmas Eve… “The Dubs told us as we relieved them that the Germans wanted to talk to us. When we were settled down we heard them shouting, ‘Are you the Warwicks?’ To which our men replied ‘Come and see’. They said ‘you come half way and we will come half way and bring you some cigars’. (Kaiser’s gift to the troops – ed) This went on for some time when Pte Gregory, Double Ginger, my late servant (sacked by Hamilton on December 4 because he could not make decent tea) came and asked if he might go out half way. I said ‘yes, at your own risk’. Pte Gregory stepped over the parapet and got half way and was heard saying ‘Well, here I am, where are you?’. ‘Come half way’ they said, so on went Gregory until he came upon two unarmed Germans, and one fully armed, lying down just behind, with his rifle pointed at him, typically german. Gregory was unarmed and alone. Typically British. He got his cigar and spun them some magnificent yarns about the strength of his company, which amused us all very much when he told us later. They wanted me to meet their officer and, after a great deal of shouting across, I said I would meet him at dawn, unarmed”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tipperary Posted 27 December , 2011 Share Posted 27 December , 2011 The 1st Bat Irish Guards.From Kipling's book The christmas truce of 1914 reached the battalion in severeley modified form. They lay among a network of trenches, already many times fought over, with communications that led directly into the enemys lines a couple of hundred yards away.So they spent christmas day under occasional bombardment of heavy artillery, in exploring and establising themselves as well they might among these wet and dreary works. In this duty Lieutenant G.P.Gough and Lieutenant F.H.Witts and six men were wounded. Earl Kitchener, their Colnel, sent them christmas wishes and the King and Queens christmas cards were distributed. Their comfort was that christmas night was frosty so that the men at least kept dry. Boxing day was quite, too, and only four men were wounded as they dug in the hard ground to improve their communications with the 2nd Coldstream on their left. Then the frost broke in rain, the clay stuck to the spade, the trenches began to fill, and a deserter brought news of an impending attack which turned out to be nothing more serious than a bombing affair which was duly "attended too." Some of our own shells bursting short killed one man and wounded six. Princess Mary's gifts of pipes, tobbaco and christmas cards were distributed and duly appreciated. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 27 December , 2011 Share Posted 27 December , 2011 An extract from a Newspaper article found by Forum Member,John Duncan. "Lance Corporal Felix Macnamara,E Coy,8th Royal Scots,writing from France on December 30th(1914),states that his Company were at the time resting at a farm.On Christmas Eve they went into the trenches,where they remained for four days.The trenches were only 250 yards distant from the enemy,and they could hear the Germans singing.On Christmas Day shouts of "A Merry Christmas" could be heard coming from the German lines.The Royal Scots returned the greeting,and some of them went out and met a party of Germans half-way between the trenches and shook hands with them.As soon as they returned to their respective lines,fighting went on as usual". George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 27 December , 2011 Share Posted 27 December , 2011 McNAMARA, FELIX Initials: F Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Serjeant Regiment/Service: Royal Scots Unit Text: 8th Bn. Age: 31 Date of Death: 11/04/1918 Service No: 330023 Awards: M M Additional information: Son of Patrick and Mary McNamara, of Lothian Terrace, Dalkeith, Midlothian. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 10 to 13. Memorial: LOOS MEMORIAL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike n Posted 8 January , 2012 Share Posted 8 January , 2012 I dont know which unit they were from but 3 english troops spent xmas day in a german trench enjoying the hospitality of the germans. Unfortunatley they were not allowed to return to our lines and spent the duration as prisoners of war. two of the three were decorated afterwards as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrrip Posted 9 January , 2012 Share Posted 9 January , 2012 5th Londons; on of several accounts; ‘And so on Christmas Eve we settled down to our normal watch keeping without relaxation and without any idea of what the immediate future was to bring. It soon became clear however by the sounds of activity coming from the opposite trenches that the Germans were celebrating Christmas Eve in their customary manner. They had brought up a band into their front line trenches and as we listened to hymns and tunes common to both nations, quite understandably a wave of nostalgia passed over us. When it became quite dark the light from an electric pocket lamp appeared on the German parapet. Normally this would have drawn a hail of bullets and soon these lights were outlining the trenches as far as the eye could see and no sounds of hostile activity could be heard. When the lights were doused we waited in the stillness of a beautiful night, ( nevertheless the usual sentries posted and fully alert ) for the dawn of the most remarkable Christmas Day that any of us was ever likely to see. As dawn was breaking a voice from the German trenches was heard ‘ We good we no shoot’ and so was born an unofficial armistice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 9 January , 2012 Share Posted 9 January , 2012 Extract from 4th Btn Royal Fusiliers War Diaries 1915 25th Dec.............. "Splendid day. Very quiet, hardly any shelling from either side. Snipers caught enemy fixing Xmas tree in parapet, result -3 Germans." Not much Goodwiill in their section then. Eddie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Gower Posted 2 May , 2013 Share Posted 2 May , 2013 Can anybody please tell me exactly where the photo of the Christmas memorial was taken? Are there direction signs? Also, Adam Hochschild in "To End All Wars" (p 375, paperback) writes 'A few miles outside Ypres ... a one-lane country lane from a brick barn ... a homemade cross... in memory of the soldiers from both sides who took part in the Christmas Truce ... Any ideas where this may be? Thanks for any help, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 2 May , 2013 Share Posted 2 May , 2013 Can anybody please tell me exactly where the photo of the Christmas memorial was taken? Are there direction signs? Also, Adam Hochschild in "To End All Wars" (p 375, paperback) writes 'A few miles outside Ypres ... a one-lane country lane from a brick barn ... a homemade cross... in memory of the soldiers from both sides who took part in the Christmas Truce ... Any ideas where this may be? Thanks for any help, Peter http://www.ww1battlefields.co.uk/flanders/plugstreet.html http://wikimapia.org/19472449/Khaki-Chums-Christmas-Truce-cross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Gower Posted 2 May , 2013 Share Posted 2 May , 2013 Many thanks for that complete and swift response. I have to ask: are there any other known memorials? Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john jerome mcmanus Posted 4 May , 2013 Share Posted 4 May , 2013 2nd Battalion AIF in the line at Gueudecourt 1916: "Some of the companies relieved each other after dark that night. The enemy evidently anticipated this would happen for, at 8.30 pm, without any warning, our front line was heavily shelled for about half an hour. Being Christmas Eve, we half expected an enemy attack to follow this bombardment. . . . . . Our artillery replied when the German fire eased down. There certainly was not much of the Christmas spirit in the air that night. (from "Over the Top" by H. G. Hartnett). Among the wounded of that day was my grandfather Pte 3892 J. McManus. Regards Pop. Pop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
draperju Posted 4 May , 2013 Share Posted 4 May , 2013 The 2nd Battalion Scots Guards were in the Front Line trenches near Sailly for most of the early months of the war. On 18 December a serious attack (for the time) was planned by the Scots Guards on the trenches opposite, along with elements of the Border Regiments. The attack led by Captain Loder used ‘F’ (Lieutenant Sir F FitzWygram) and ‘LF’ (Captain Taylor) companies. The attack started at 6pm, but unfortunately the troops of the Border Regiment did not leave the trenches to support their attack. The Scots Guards managed to reach the German trenches before the enemy was able to open fire (there was no barbed wire as yet on this sector of the Front). Although in places the enemy trenches were captured by 3am on 19 December, later the position of the Scots Guards became untenable and they were forced to retreat to their starting trenches. During this attack it was reported that Captain Hugh Taylor was killed by shrapnel, on the parapet of the German Trenches. For his courage during this action he was mentioned posthumously for gallant and distinguished conduct in Field-Marshall Sir John French’s despatch, dated 14 January 1915. On the next day the battalion was withdrawn to Divisional Reserve near Sailly, returning to the Front on 23 December [5,6]. On 25 December it appears that the fighting drew to a halt and a number of unarmed Germans walked into no-mans land to wish their enemy a Happy Christmas, an informal truce which was condemned by the high command of both sides even though the event has captured peoples hearts ever since. During this poignant lull in the fighting, Hugh’s body, which had been lying near the German trenches, was brought over to the British lines by Saxon soldiers, their heads bared in respect. He was laid to rest in a British military graveyard. Captain Hugh Taylor, aged 33 2nd Battalion Scots Guards Here is something abut the Scots Guards The 2nd Battalion Scots Guards were in the Front Line trenches near Sailly for most of the early months of the war. On 18 December a serious attack (for the time) was planned by the Scots Guards on the trenches opposite, along with elements of the Border Regiments. The attack led by Captain Loder used ‘F’ (Lieutenant Sir F FitzWygram) and ‘LF’ (Captain Taylor) companies. The attack started at 6pm, but unfortunately the troops of the Border Regiment did not leave the trenches to support their attack. The Scots Guards managed to reach the German trenches before the enemy was able to open fire (there was no barbed wire as yet on this sector of the Front). Although in places the enemy trenches were captured by 3am on 19 December, later the position of the Scots Guards became untenable and they were forced to retreat to their starting trenches. During this attack it was reported that Captain Hugh Taylor was killed by shrapnel, on the parapet of the German Trenches. For his courage during this action he was mentioned posthumously for gallant and distinguished conduct in Field-Marshall Sir John French’s despatch, dated 14 January 1915. On the next day the battalion was withdrawn to Divisional Reserve near Sailly, returning to the Front on 23 December [5,6]. On 25 December it appears that the fighting drew to a halt and a number of unarmed Germans walked into no-mans land to wish their enemy a Happy Christmas, an informal truce which was condemned by the high command of both sides even though the event has captured peoples hearts ever since. During this poignant lull in the fighting, Hugh’s body, which had been lying near the German trenches, was brought over to the British lines by Saxon soldiers, their heads bared in respect. He was laid to rest in a British military graveyard. Draperju Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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