The Billion Dollar Book

2 January 1915: Herts Territorials Spend Xmas Day in the Trenches.

We gather from letters received this week from members of the 1st Herts Regiment that our county Territorials spent Christmas Day in the trenches. Having benefitted greatly by their month’s sojourn at the “rest camp”, they proceeded to the firing-line, and took to the first line trenches at 6 o’clock on Christmas Eve, remaining there until daybreak on Boxing Day. One correspondent writes: “It was very cold and frosty but we managed to get a fire on to keep ourselves warm. We were within 300 yards of the German trenches and could distinctly see the enemy at work with spade and shovel.

We are officially informed of the following casualities to the Regiment on Christmas Day:-
2301 Lance-Sergt T E Gregory, Watford, killed in action.

2701 Pte. Percy Huggins, “D” Company, killed in action.
The fighting in which the casualties occurred, according to information contained in a letter from the Front, took place at a point where only 20 yards separated the British and German trenches

Saturday 9th January 1915 Extract from letter written home by Rifleman C H Brazier, Queen’s Westminsters of Bishops Stortford:

You will no doubt be surprised to hear that we spent our Christmas in the trenches after all and that Christmas Day was a very happy one. On Christmas Eve the Germans entrenched opposite us began calling out to us ‘Cigarettes’, ‘Pudding’, ‘A Happy Christmas’ and ‘English – means good’, so two of our fellows climbed over the parapet of the trench and went towards the German trenches,. Half-way they were met by four Germans, who said they would not shoot on Christmas Day if we did not. They gave our fellows cigars and a bottle of wine and were given a cake and cigarettes.

When they came back I went out with some more of our fellows and we were met by about 30 Germans, who seemed to be very nice fellows. I got one of them to write his name and address on a postcard as a souvenir. All through the night we sang carols to them and they sang to us and one played ‘God Save the King’ on a mouth organ. On Christmas Day we all got out of the trenches and walked about with the Germans, who, when asked if they were fed up with the war said ‘Yes, rather’. They all believed that London had been captured, and that German sentries were outside Buckingham Palace. They are evidently told a lot of rot. We gave them some of our newspapers to convince them. Some of them could speak English fairly well. Between the trenches there were a lot of dead Germans whom we helped to bury.

In one place where the trenches are only 25 yards apart we could see dead Germans half-buried, their legs and gloved hands sticking out of the ground. The trenches in this position are so close that they are called ‘The Death Trap’, as hundreds have been killed there. A hundred yards or so in the rear of our trenches there were houses that had been shelled. These were explored with some of the regulars and we found old bicycles, top-hats, straw hats, umbrellas etc. We dressed ourselves up in these and went over to the Germans. It seemed so comical to see fellows walking about in top-hats and with umbrellas up. Some rode the bicycles backwards. We had some fine sport and made the Germans laugh. No firing took place on Christmas night and at four the next morning we were relieved by regulars. I managed to get hold of a German ammunition pouch and bayonet but the latter I have thrown away, as it was so awkward to carry. I intend bringing the pouch home with me – when I come home.

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."

posted by Health Smart @ 10:19 AM