In 1914 on Christmas Day, British and German forces had been in the trenches for months on end endearing some of the worst conditions of modern war over the last 5 months. The winter night was cold and morals were not high. When through the cold dark night, a faint sound came from the German trenchline. It was soft, but grew in an audible sound as they sung Silent Night in German over the silence of their guns. Not long after the British troops began singing as well. Across the small area of the Frontline men from both sides sung into the long night. The next morning, one of British Brigadier-General Walter Congreve's men stepped up out of his trench line with his hands raised to the German trench line. Weapons were drawn on both sides to the immediacy of the situation as some soldiers had just awaken from their exhaustion. Only neither side fired their weapons, and slowly, one by one, hands raised high into the air both sides crossed through the barbed wire they had placed and came together in No Man's Land. Officers shook hands and soldiers traded everything they had with each other. Games, food, equipment, medals, alcohol and tobacco were some of the items. Even items such as guns were given to one another. For hours they played games such as chess and card games with one another. But the biggest was the football (Soccer) match between the British and German sides. No one is sure who won the match between the two sides though some sources suggest it may have been the Germans who won. Eventually, they returned to their trenches and the next day the killing ensued on the Western Front. Only, most didn't kill each other. Most men who had been a part of the truce refused to act upon the orders of their higher ups. Both sides had their men switched out with new soldiers and the killing started again over the next couple days. This is a commercial for the British Royal Legion and Sansbury that came out in 2014. Merry Christmas everyone, may you be happy upon this day.
