What did your dad etc do in the war. Some fantastic stories most of which ring true. Give it a butchers http://www.westhamonline.net/forum_flat.php?3615746||1|| (Tho my favourite is the guy who said his dad escaped from prison camp 3 times Before leaving England!)
Stomper going to pick your brains here. My families history is on that thread. Not being as wise or old as Norway its only as i have been told. My dad's father was decorated for bravery as i said. The only thing i ever remember him telling me was about the Christmas truce and the football match. I was very young and remember him telling me about liking the German's and loosing at football to them. The following day they got back in their trench's and started fighting again. I read recently that there was no proof that the game took place, although many soldiers told of it happening. I believe the score was said to be 3-2 to the German's. As a historian do you have any knowledge of the truce. I am also trying to trace my family military history. p.s don't tell Norway what i said.
The Christmas "truce" (c&p) Carlisle Journal January 8, 1915 Extraordinary scenes on Christmas Day. Football match between British and German troops The following is a copy of a letter received by Mr Harry Penfold, Brampton, from a friend in London who received it from an officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps at the front, whose wedding he attended shortly before the outbreak of war:- This has been a strange Christmas. All has been peaceful except for some occasional sniping on our right but none on our front. The most extraordinary scenes took place between the trenches. In front of our bit our men and the Germans got out of their trenches and mixed together talking, exchanging cigarettes etc. Some of our people actually went in to their trenches and stayed for some time being entertained by the enemy! The Colonel and the Adjutant of the 107th Saxon Regiment came out and talked to our people in a very friendly manner. All joined together in a sing-song each side taking it in turns to sing a song and finally they ended up with “God Save the King” in which the Saxons sang most heartily. This is absolutely true. One of our men was given a bottle of wine in which to drink the King’s health. The regiment actually had a football match with the Germans who beat them 3-2. These people said they would not shoot our men but warned them against those on their (Saxons) left. Some men of one of our regiments opposite them then went out of their trenches just as the others had done, but the enemy - now thought to be Prussians - told them to go back and fired on them before they had regained their trenches. The Saxons and our people opposite them have arranged a sing-song for tonight having mutually agreed not to reopen hostilities before midnight. The men in the trenches were singing carols last night. All the chickens in the countryside have been bought up for their Christmas dinner and yesterday I saw a machine gun wagon going through laden with barrels of beer! After all this has been almost a happy though strange Christmas.
There you go. Thank you Claret it was a horrific example of what the brass called 'live and let live' and i believe the troops involved were moved down the line very soon afterwards
Thanks for that Brian. It goes with the historical account i was told. Stomper my grandfather was moved to a different front line i believe. I would love to know the truth behind some of these things that happened.