kathleen donaldson Posted 14 December , 2014 Share Posted 14 December , 2014 Private J. Dumphy, of the Lancashire Fusiliers, writes to his family in Liverpool December 29:-I received your letter in the trenches on Christmas day. We had our Christmas in the trenches as we left our billets on Christmas Eve to relieve the King's Own for their rest.I will not forget Christmas Eve for a long time to come, for during the night it was freezing terribly, and even the scarfs around our necks were cover with white. When daybreak broke the battlefield would make you believe it was Christmas, as everything was white with the frost.About four o'clock on Christmas morning the Germans shouted over to us that if we did not fire they would not, so it was quiet in the position we held. About twelve o'clock they called over to us to come over to them, and we did the same to them.So one German came over to our trenches to ask to bury their dead, but it was hard lines for him, as we had to make him a prisoner, as he had seen what our trench was like.So we made him write on some paper to tell the others they could bury their dead, so it was thrown over to them wrapped around a stone.Both sides were out of the trenches, and when the men met half way between their lines and ours they shook hands and then went back.Private John Dumphy, Lancashire Fusiliers Regimental number 4016Private John Dumphy/Dunphy Died of wounds.Name: John DunphyBirth Place: LiverpoolDeath Date: 24 May 1915Death Location: France & FlandersEnlistment Location: LiverpoolRank: PrivateRegiment: Lancashire FusiliersBattalion: 2nd BattalionNumber: 4016Type of Casualty: Died of woundsTheatre of War: Western European TheatreHis Medal card records his surname as Dumphy and on the CWGC his surname is recorded as DunphyWe will remember them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradley Posted 16 December , 2014 Share Posted 16 December , 2014 thanks kath,good readingjd r.i.p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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