Football match & The Christmas Truce 1914

[Chris_Baker]

Beware: Niemann's account was not given until the 1960s.

[Guest]

It is worth considering the impact of the media at the time. The truce would have been a great talking point when accounts started to appear in the popular press. It is possible that men seeing these reports might have been tempted to associate themselves with these alleged games and repeated the stories **substituting** themselves for the alleged players or weaving the alleged events into their own stories. It is interesting to note that a fair amount of the 'evidence' is hearsay.

Few men (as a per cent in theatre) got leave over Christmas 1914 - almost exclusively NCOs and Officers - so the main source of information was probably from letters. There are a few artists' impressions of the game. As we can see in plenty of artists impressions of military events, the artist has free licence. It may be based on an eyewitness account but we might be mindful that it could simply have been artist's licence. The swirling kilt adds movement to a picture and provide little doubt who the British are. It ticks lots of boxes for the romantic school and I suspect was a powerful tool in reinforcing this story and planting a very strong image in the mind's eye. I have no idea when it was painted or which publication it was in, but I suspect it was done fairly soon after the event for an illustrated newspaper such as the Sphere or the Graphic or the ILN. Images such as these were very powerful propaganda tools. There are images of white flag incidents by some of the more prolific artists of the day which helped reinforce stereotypical ideas at the time.

Rather like today, newspapers sell more copies if the stories are sensational and have graphic images. If a journalist had heard the opposite - that the games were not played - I suspect there would be little chance that the counter-story would have got past any commercially minded editor. The story was also probably a novel change from the seemingly endless bad news from the front. MG

[David Ridgus]

It appeared in the Graphic Martin. However it is not a picture of a football match. Its title is 'Christmas Truce in the Trenches : Friend and Foe Join in a Hare Hunt' and you can see the Hare at the extreme right of the picture about a quarter of the way up

David

Edit: I don't think I've even seen a contemporary picture of a football match. There were plenty of photographs of the truce around so I presume there was no real need to have 'artists' impressions'.

I think this is the contemporary drawing most used:

along with Bairnsfather's image

David

[Guest]

It appeared in the Graphic Martin. However it is not a picture of a football match. Its title is 'Christmas Truce in the Trenches : Friend and Foe Join in a Hare Hunt' and you can see the Hare at the extreme right of the picture about a quarter of the way up

David

Thanks David. My mistake. I had noticed the hare an assumed it had been frightened by the score-line.The West Sussex Great War Project has a travelling display touring the county. It shows the picture next to text saying football matches were played. To be fair, it was in the context of the truce and does not specifically claim to be a football match. MG

[ianmccallum]

Hi Guys,

What about this.

At Houplines, two miles east of Armentières, just 100 yards separated the opposing trench lines. 2nd Bn Seaforth Highlanders and 2nd Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were manning that section of the line on Christmas Day. Late on Christmas morning, the Germans requested permission to gather in and bury their dead lying in no man’s land. Local British commanders granted the request and just after lunch, the Germans climbed out of their trenches. Almost immediately British soldiers climbed out of their trenches and joined the Germans in no man’s land. The soldiers met, shook hands and showed each other family photos. They swopped stories, fags, chocolate and cap badges. At some point, the subject of football and the Celtic’s recent continental tour came up in the conversation. It was discovered that one of the Germans, a big sergeant, was a member of the Leipsic team that had toured Britain in 1913 and that had defeated the Celtic by 1–0 last summer. He expressed great regret that the war had spoiled his football career. In his autobiography, Footslogger, Lieutenant Colonel Graham Seton Hutchison, then a lowly lieutenant with the 2nd Argylls noted the incident: ‘In the afternoon we advanced across our trenches to chat with the German. Most amusing, can this be war? Some played football against Glasgow Celtic.’

The incident was later reported in the Morning Post and in Glasgow, the Man in the Know picked up the story. Writing in the Catholic Observer, he commented that he thought he remembered the character. He was the big Leipsic fullback who had pulverised McMenemy and the other Celtic forwards as they attempted to push the ball through some very long grass. He recalled that the game in Leipsic was one that the Celtic players and officials unfortunate enough to have had a hand in it, would not soon forget. It was a joke that after having made the enthusiasts of Budapest, Berlin and Vienna crazy with their skill they would then go on to be beaten, literally beaten, at Leipsic. He thought the Celts had experienced German Kultur that day and no mistake. According to the German version of the Christmas football match at Houplines, the football game was between the German 133rd Royal Saxon Regiment and the Seaforth Highlanders. ‘While swapping photos and fags, a Scottish soldier suddenly produced a football, teams were picked, caps were used as goalposts and a football game ensued.’ Play was described as ‘enthusiastic’ but conditions were difficult in the hard frozen ground. At this stage in the war, the land between the trench lines was not the tortured, shell-scared wasteland it would later become. The game, which lasted about an hour, was played strictly by the rules despite there being no officials. The Germans roared with laughter when they spotted that the Jocks did not wear drawers under their kilts. According to their version, they won 3–2.

The Seaforths were not the only Highlanders playing football in that section of the line on Christmas Day. Although no football game was mentioned in Footslogger, according to a sergeant in young Joe McAree’s 2nd Bn Argylls, the battalion was involved in a football match with the Germans. He wrote a letter home that was published in the Glasgow News in which he mentions the game. In his version, the Jocks won 4–1. Although both the 2nd Bn Seaforth Highlanders’ and the 2nd Bn Argyll’s war diaries record the truce and the Argyll’s diary states that the opposing forces were the 133rd and 134th Saxon Regiments, neither record the playing of any game of football, nor do they mention the degree of fraternisation spoken of in Footslogger. The battalion adjutants, who were responsible for maintaining the war diaries, were perhaps nervous of the reaction of the general staff when they heard of the truce and simply downplayed the incident. When news of the unofficial truce got back to both the British and German High Commands, the generals were less than amused. Fraternisation was not to be tolerated under any circumstances and the men were ordered back into their trenches. According to the Argyll sergeant, a replay had been arranged for the following day, but the general staff would not allow it. After a few shots were fired into the air by both sides, common humanity was again forgotten and things went back to what at the time passed as normal. However, it was a reminder that despite the horrors and atrocities that opponents inflict upon each other, a man’s a man fur aw that! At around 1100 hrs on Boxing Day, a German shell screamed through the house that the Argylls were using as an orderly room and the truce in the Houplines Sector was well and truly broken. The 2nd Bn Argylls were relieved late on Boxing Day by the Sherwood Foresters and moved back into billets at Armentières. The battalion remained out of the line for the next week and spent a peaceful New Year in Armentières.

[Guest]

Interesting Ian, Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette - Monday 04 January 1915

Mike

[Anneca]

My goodness Ian, your fingers must be sore after typing that post. Very interesting indeed!

Anne

[Ghazala]

..

[Muerrisch]

no discussion can be complete without reading:

http://www.christmastruce.co.uk/frelinghien.html

HJ Krijnen is a scrupulous, competent, diligent and published historian of the Great War whose work includes co-editing the definitive Frank Richards biographies.

Incidentally there are three accounts of the truce in front of 2nd RWF ....... a lot of collateral. No football involved, however!

[IanA]

My tuppence-worth - "There has been practically no shooting today as some of our boys (the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders) visited the Germans in their trenches.....They also had a football match between the two lines of trenches and exchanged gifts of cigars and chocolate." A sergeant in the 5th Scottish Rifles writing to his home in Langside.

"The day after Christmas they cried across if we would play them at a game of football, but as no football was forthcoming there was no match." Pte Edward Duncan, E Company, 6th Bn Gordon Highlanders.

Taken from letters published by The Scotsman.

[Guest]

My tuppence-worth - "There has been practically no shooting today as some of our boys (the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders) visited the Germans in their trenches.....They also had a football match between the two lines of trenches and exchanged gifts of cigars and chocolate." A sergeant in the 5th Scottish Rifles writing to his home in Langside.

Taken from letters published by The Scotsman.

1/5th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 25th Dec 1914 was attached to 19th Inf Bde at the time. The War Diary, which one might reasonably assume not to be a work of fiction:

" Very little sniping. Almost an undertaking not to fire but one man killed by a sniper"

Personally I find it difficult to resolve the idea that the A&SH were kicking a football around at the same time snipers were knocking men over in the same Brigade. Interestingly the 1st Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) - part of 19th Bde also had a man shot (wounded) on Christmas day. One might also assume this is not a work of fiction. 1st Middlesex were in billets and the 2nd Bn RWF and 2nd Bn A&SH (the other battalions of 19th Inf Bde) record the truce and allowing the Germans to bury their dead. MG

Edit. It would be interesting to see if the history of the A&SH mentioned the event. MG

[Guest]

The only casualty I can see for the 1/5th Scottish Rifles between the 24th and 26th December is this man on the 26th.

SMITH, WALTER SINCLAIR Rank: Corporal Service No: 6179 Date of Death: 26/12/1914 Age: 20 Regiment/Service: Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 5th Bn. Grave Reference IX. B. 33. Cemetery CITE BONJEAN MILITARY CEMETERY, ARMENTIERES

Mike

[Guest]

The only casualty I can see for the 1/5th Scottish Rifles between the 24th and 26th December is this man on the 26th.

SMITH, WALTER SINCLAIR Rank: Corporal Service No: 6179 Date of Death: 26/12/1914 Age: 20 Regiment/Service: Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 5th Bn. Grave Reference IX. B. 33. Cemetery CITE BONJEAN MILITARY CEMETERY, ARMENTIERES

Mike

On the 26th they were relieved in the trenches by the Queen's Westminster Rifles which was attached to 18th Inf Bde.

[Guest]

OK Martin, so killed on the 25th but reported on the 26th. I too tend to doubt there ever was a football match, but it's interesting trying to prove it either way.

Mike

[Guest]

OK Martin, so killed on the 25th but reported on the 26th. I too tend to doubt there ever was a football match, but it's interesting trying to prove it either way.

Mike

It is quite possible it happened but other than a number of letters reported in newspapers I don't see much hard evidence. I don't accept the arguments that Adjutants were afraid of reporting it. Why record fraternisation, exchange of gifts, cigars,drink, barrels of beer, sing-songs, etc and not a kick-around? I am not sure why a football match would be such a dangerous thing to report in the context of other events, and indeed one adjutant did report an alleged game with the caveat that it was hearsay.The story has all the hallmarks of a myth - reported speech, inconsistencies between accounts, recycled stories, the media etc..and it is easy to see how it was assembled as it very closely adheres to what is indisputably known. It only takes a very small step - a letter or two by a few men embellishing - to bridge the gap. Journalists were never keen on letting facts get in the way of a good story. It also has the classic hallmarks of heuristic biases that many journalists fall into; anchoring, availability cascade and in particular - confirmation bias.

I would be delighted to see the hard evidence but years of trawling through primary material has made me extremely cautious of tales such as these. Ultimately people will believe in what they want to believe and I respect differences of opinion. The most recent example is a journalist recycling a letter of a man who claims the game happened in a different unit of the same Brigade. In my mind there are more than a few chances here of embellishment. Note it does not state 'I saw'... It also raises the question if the Officers were so fearful of reporting the incident, why were the letters not censored of the same content? Again another inconsistency. I remain open minded but skepitcal. MG

Edit. The nearest I have seen that comes anywhere close is the report in the History of the Lancashire Fusiliers Vol I page 36 that relates A Coy of the 2nd Bn playing football with an old tin with the Germans on Christmas Day.

[Guest]

The only casualty I can see for the 1/5th Scottish Rifles between the 24th and 26th December is this man on the 26th.

SMITH, WALTER SINCLAIR Rank: Corporal Service No: 6179 Date of Death: 26/12/1914 Age: 20 Regiment/Service: Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 5th Bn. Grave Reference IX. B. 33. Cemetery CITE BONJEAN MILITARY CEMETERY, ARMENTIERES

Mike

From the Fifth battalion the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 1914-1919 edited by Maj D Martin OBE published in 1936.

"For roughly twenty-four hours Christmas Eve to late afternoon on Christmas Day they ceased firing at us and we reciprocated. An attempt at fraternisation took place on Christmas day, "Jerry" leaving his trench unarmed. Certain souvenirs were exchanged and if it had been left to the soldiery on both sides the war would have been declared there and then a draw. But towards late afternoon on Christmas day a stray shot from our front right hit one of ours, No.6179 Cpl W S Smith, No.2 Company (from which he died the next day). The Saxons opposite us were at pains to let us know it was a Prussian who had fired the shot which killed Smith. This broke the spell however and the war was resumed after a tacit truce of twenty-four hours".

[funfly]

Bill Clarke, a correspondent for the Daily Mail who had managed to smuggle himself into the Flanders battle zone despite a government ban on all reporters at the front, reported:

‘The Germans came down upon the countryside in a fury of hate, their fiercest onslaught of the week they reserved for Christmas Day ... the guns thumped, the machine guns tapped, and the rifles cracked. That was the music of Christmas.’

[Guest]

Bill Clarke, a correspondent for the Daily Mail who had managed to smuggle himself into the Flanders battle zone despite a government ban on all reporters at the front, reported:

‘The Germans came down upon the countryside in a fury of hate, their fiercest onslaught of the week they reserved for Christmas Day ... the guns thumped, the machine guns tapped, and the rifles cracked. That was the music of Christmas.’

Any idea where he was on the front? I have yet to see any war diary that describes anything close to Clarke's version of events. MG

[Chris_Baker]

Well, it was the Daily Mail.

[Guest]

Plus ca change...

[Guest]

Not quite the Christmas truce, but here is a translation of a German proposal for a truce to bury the dead on 31st Dec 1914. The original German and the British translation is in the 1st Bn Rifle Bde war diary appendices. WO 95/1496/1 (pages 131-134). It follows a truce on Christmas day described in the diary as follows;

25th: Everything extraordinarily quiet. German's came out of their trenches and met our people halfway; all friendly and helped collect each other's dead, no shooting. 133rd and 134th REGTS XIX SAXON CORPS are opposed to us.

26th: Princess Mary's gifts distributed. All still very quiet. Germans continue to show signs of friendliness. No sniping.

27th:Still hostilities have not been properly resumed, though, finding their advances rather coldly received and not encouraged, the enemy do not walk about quite as much but peace still reigns. We got to such terms that they sent over to warn us that hostilities were to recommence and we several times walked out to tell their patrols to keep further away, instead of warning them in ruder fashion.

Here is the translation of the truce proposal on 30th Dec 1914:

30/12/14

The acting general command has issued orders (as follows)

1) An armistice for the purpose of burying the dead will take place from on (sic) 31/12/14 from 10 am until 2 pm (German time) if a written assent to the undermentioned conditions is previously here given by the acting (competent) English Commanders.

2) A boundary-line to be determined by the German and English Officers is to be fixed, which may in no circumstances be crossed. All ranks of the English Army are to avoid coming over to this (German) side of the line. The dead are to be carried over by German soldiers where necessary.

3) During this period neither side is to fire on the whole front comprising the East edge of the Bois de Ploegsteert from St Yves - Le Gheer, nor is the artillery (to fire) into any of the ground behind the lines including the ground East of the Lys)

4) The officer in command of the Infantry and artillery in the sector in question must declare his assent to these conditions in writing, have it sent back again to the (German) officer who sent it over originally.

5) if this statement of agreement is not back in possession of the German officer by 8 am 31/12/14 (German time) the truce on 31/12/14 cannot be observed.

Sgd. Colonel

despatched 4:20 pm.

[Ghazala]

In The Sunday Times today...

A Christmas miracle beating Germany 4-1

Nicholas Hellen Social Affairs Editor Published: 19 October 2014

The Christmas truce of 1914 has gone down in history as a rare outbreak of humanity in the carnage of the First World War, when rank-and-file soldiers laid down their weapons, shared a drink and broke into a spontaneous football match.

New research has now established that at least 15 separate matches were played in no mans land along the then 20-mile British stretch of the western front and that one of the kickabouts ended in a 4-1 victory for the British troops.

The account of a British victory has emerged in the handwritten diary of Harold Douglas Bryan, 22, a sergeant in the 1st Battalion the Scots Guards, who was wounded three times but survived to serve for the duration of the war. He was, uniquely, one of six brothers to serve in frontline fighting.

The result is the only victory recorded among 15 documented games, some played with tin cans and shin guards made of sand bags. Three ended in a 3-2 defeat to the Germans and another in a draw. The results of the remaining games are unknown, according to analysis by Pehr Thermaenius, author of The Christmas Match: Football in No Mans Land 1914, to be published next month by Uniform Press. His book covers a different match between Scots and Saxons.

Bryan, who had returned to the trenches near Ypres on December 19 after seven weeks convalescence in Rouen from a foot injury, described how, after his unit lost 45 men in half an hour on the night of December 23, the most strange thing happened on Xmas day.

Harold Bryan describes a match between the British and Germans

It began with the sound of German carols floating over the trenches, and after breakfast, as his comrades enjoyed a smoke, a German officer and two men approached waving a white flag. A British officer jumped out of the trench to meet them and after an exchange of cigars agreed to keep up Xmas day with them. The two sides met halfway between the trenches and exchanged lager and bully beef and biscuits. Plenty of them had lived in London and so spoke English perfectly, wrote Bryan.

For entertainment they began by staging a boxing tournament. This was great fun in which I took no part, not wishing to be knocked about by a big Prussian guard, he added. The best match was between one of our men measured 6ft 5½in and a huge Prussian guard of about the same height. These two hammered each other and would not give in until stopped by us owing to their faces being smashed up so badly.

Then our man suggested that each should be given a rifle and only one bullet, stand or lay at 100 yards from each other and on this word being given, fire. But this we would not allow seeing that we had called a truce for this day.

For dinner that night we made a hugh [sic] bully stew and all sat round a big fire to dinner. After dinner we sent a cyclist back to find a football [and] on his return we played them a match winning easily by 4-1. This ended the day.

The truce continued into Boxing Day but the respite was not to last. Bryan wrote: Of course this couldnt go on for ever so the following morning our artillery opened on their trenches and so we started war again. On Monday the 28 we captured another of their advanced trenches. Two sentences later and his account, which is held in the archives of the Imperial War Museum, comes to a tantalising close.

His daughter, Patricia Newman, 76, who lives on the Isle of Skye, revealed that he wrote a further two volumes, but threw them all on a fire after he was discharged in April 1919, having served for more than eight years. Her mother managed to rescue only the first one, which covers the period from August 15, 1914, when he set off for France, declaring confidently that Germany . . . has bitten much more this time than she can chew. She said her fathers account in the diary tallied with the snippets he had told her about the Great War. Just about the only thing he told me about was that there was a truce on Christmas Day when they played football, and when he was away from the front he borrowed a kilt from a friend because the French girls loved a man in a kilt, she said.

The official war diaries of the 1st and 2nd Battalions the Scots Guards report the Christmas truce, but state it began on the night of December 24 and do not mention the football match. Other discrepancies identified by Thermaenius between the official accounts and Bryans version are puzzling, but may be explained if he joined a different unit on his return from injury. An estimated 59 British units fraternised during the truce.

Bryan, who was born in Chertsey, Surrey, later became a sports master at St Aubyns, a prep school in Rottingdean, East Sussex. He moved his family to the Midlands to avoid bombing raids during the Second World War and died in 1961.

[Chris_Baker]

Bryan's papers are at the IWM. I am afraid that I had to dismiss them as unreliable and could not be used in my recent book on the truce. Anyone interested should take a look and judge for themselves.

As for "at least 15 football matches", we are in the realms of fantasy.

[beestonboxer]

I am fairly sure a friend of mine has some documentation from his Grandfather regarding the mention of this subject, I will try and get a look at it to confirm what exactly he writes.

[Guest]

There are a few discrepancies between Bryan's account and some of the know facts. His disemabarkation date (13th Aug 1914) coincides with the 1st Bn Scots Guards. It is possible on his return from injury/wound on 18th Dec he was sent to the 2nd Bn Scots Guards. It is worth considering:

1. Neither battalion recorded 45 casualties on 23rd Dec. CWGC data shows one fatal casualty on 23rd and four on 25th Dec 1914 (presumably 2 DOW). Both diaries recorded wounded throughout the period.

2. Neither battalion was involved in an attack on 28th Dec or the capture of a trench. Cross-referencing with other diaries in the Brigades (1st Guards Bde and 20th Infantry Bde) and Brigade HQ diaries corroborate this.

3. On 23rd Dec 1st Battalion was in billets and Brigade Reserve, perhaps suggesting he was by then with 2nd Bn....

4. It is worth noting the 2nd Bn had an extremely hard day on 18th Dec. There is a very detailed account by the only Officer to remain unscathed - Capt G H Loder - stating 50% casualties and 180 killed or wounded. (CWGC confirms 102 killed on 18th-19th Dec) It would seem a reasonable assumption that the 2nd Bn required men after this action.

5. 2nd Battalion diary is very detailed on the days in question and mentions everything except a football match. The men opposite were 158th IR who I think were not Prussians

1st Bn Scots Guards

23rd Dec 1914. B Coy go out at 10:15 pm. At 1:00 am told we might have to send more at 2:00 am. The CO and Brig went off to see ground, and found out what was happening. They ascertained that gap had been filled so they all return at 4:00 am. Billeted at CUINCHY 2 miles W of LA BASSÉE in canal. Village in bits but habitable in places. 2 Coys in trenches where dugouts were. 2 Lt R S DORMER posted to RF to take command temporarily.

The Battalion was in Brigade reserve tonight and machine guns have gone back to 1st Bn BLACK WATCH to relieve 1/1st LONDON SCOTTISH guns there - quiet night.

24th Dec 1914. Billeted at CUINCHY. Men occupied in cleaning rifles and billets. Our machine guns relieved - they had two shoots (a) at a party of 20 early morning, knocked over 6 - range 800 yards, and ( b ) in the evening knocked over a brazier and some men round it. Frosty, cold night.

25th Dec 1914. At 7:00 pm right half Bn went off to trenches at a farm, and NW of it, on the N side of GIVENCHY village. A bad place - some of the men having to be in the farm building (nasty if shelled) and the trench in prolongation of it very narrow and shallow. No casualties during evening.

2nd Bn Scots Guards.

23rd Dec 1914. Billets SAILLY. One man killed going into trenches.

RF Coy from left of 8th DIV to tall Poplar trees.

LF Coy from tall Poplar trees to FROMELLE - SAILLY road.

G Coy from SAILLY -FROMELLE road to South Easterly end of new 1st Bn GRENADIER GUARDS communication trench.

24th Dec 1914. In trenches. Fine and frosty. 2 men killed.

25th Dec 1914. Fine and frosty. One man wounded.

On the night of Christmas Eve, the German trenches opposite those occupied by the Battalion at FROMELLE were lit up with lanterns and there were sounds of singing. We got into conversation with the Germans who were anxious to arrange an armistice during Xmas. A scout named F MINKER [?] went out and met a German patrol and was given a glass of whisky and some cigars and a message was sent back saying that if we didn't fire at them, they would not fire at us. There was no firing during the night.

Early on Xmas morning a party of Germans 158 Regt came over to our wire fence and a party from our trenches went out to meet them. They appeared to be most amicable and exchanged souvenirs, cap stars, badges etc.

Our men gave them plum puddings which they much appreciated. Further down the line we were able to make arrangements to bury the dead who had been killed on 18th Dec and 19th Dec and were still lying between the trenches.

The Germans brought the bodies to a halfway line and we buried them.

Detachments of British and Germans formed in line and a German and English chaplain read some prayers alternately. The whole of this was done in great solemnity and reverence. It was heartrending to see some of the chaps one knew so well and who had started out in such good spirits on 18th Dec lying there dead. Some with terrible wounds due to the explosive action of the high velocity bullets at short range. Capt H TAYLOR's body was found amongst them. His body was carried to the RUE PETILLION where we buried him in our little cemetery.

I talked to several Officers and men, one Officer a middle aged man, tall, well set up and good looking, told me that Lt Hon F HANBURY-TRACEY had been taken into their trenches very severely wounded. He died after two days in the local hospital and was buried in the Germans cemetery at FROMELLE. He also said that another young Officer had been buried. He was fair. We think this would be Lt R F R NUGENT who was reported missing. Capt G C B PAYNTER gave this Officer a scarfe (sic) and in exchange an orderly presented him with a pair of gloves and wished to thank him for his kindness.

The other Officers were rather inclined to be stand offish and of the burghers class. Another Officer who could not speak English or French appeared to want to express his feelings, point to the dead and reverently said "Les Braves", which shows that the Germans do think something of the British Army.

The men I spoke to were less reticent. They appeared generally tired of fighting and wanted to get back to their previous employments. Some lived in ENGLAND. One man told me he had been seven years in ENGLAND and was married last March. Another said he had a girl who lived in SUFFOLK and said it had been impossible to communicate with her through GERMANY since war began.

Their general opinion of the war was as follows, FRANCE is on her last legs and will soon have to give up. RUSSIA has had a tremendous defeat in POLAND and will soon be ready to make terms of peace. ENGLAND is the nut which still has to be cracked but with FRANCE and RUSSIA out of the way, she, GERMANY, would be too powerful. The war, they thought, might be over by the end of January, this shows what lies are circulated amongst the German troops and the hatred which exists between GERMANY and ENGLAND.

Discipline in the German Army is of the most rigid character, the men seemed to hate their Officers but nonetheless are afraid of them. A photo was taken by Lt SWINTON of a group of German and English. Both sides have played the game and I know that this Regiment anyhow has learnt to trust an Englishman's word. They appeared to be a smart looking lot of men, possibly only the best were allowed to come out of the trenches. As far as I could see, the Officers don't wear any distinguishing badge of rank.

The author speculates without any proof that the discrepancies could be explained away if he had joined another unit - which seems to be clutching at straws. Given the 2nd Bn had just suffered about 50% casualties, one really has to question why the Scots Guards would be sending recovered wounded/injured to other Regiments. Given the context I think it highly unlikely Scots Guardsmen were being diverted elsewhere. To be clear I can not prove he did re-join the Scots Guards on 18th Dec 1914, but I think it extremely likely he did.

The author seems to be susceptible to 'confirmation bias' and appears to be discarding rather a lot of conflicting evidence. It will be interesting to see if the Prussians/Saxons/Lotharingians can be sorted out too.