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A Christmas truce in the trenches

  • 25th December 2014

Christmas is upon and in the season of good will we bring you evidence of how the same sentiments we value at this time of year still rang true even amongst those fighting in the trenches during the First World War.

An extract from the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment War Diary  for Christmas Day 1914 gives evidence of a truce that was agreed between the two sides…

‘The 2nd Northamptonshire Regt had arranged an unofficial armistice with the Germans till 12 midnight, which we kept. There was a certain amount of shouting remarks between the Germans and ourselves, and the Germans sang English and German songs most of the night, which were applauded by our men.’

This is a delightful extract to read and is a small comfort to think of the troops away from home to have a small piece of mind if only for one night. The following sentence shows, however, that they didn’t drop their guards completely…

‘In spite of the armistice our sentries were kept as much on the alert as usual’.

With thanks to the Trustees of the Mercian Regiment Museum (Worcestershire) for allowing us to use the above extract. 

We would like to wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year, from Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service. 

One response to “A Christmas truce in the trenches”

  1. Rita says:

    I hope you all had a very Merry Xmas and wishing you all at Worcester Archaeology the very best for the coming New Year 2015 From Rita Roberts. Especially Simon and Derek those who will remember me once working there with them.

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