The Christmas Truce

[michaelmaltby]

Mom's oldest brother, Dick, having just graduated from high school, was off in the wilds of northwestern Ontario surveying the railroad when the war broke out in August, 1914. He came straight away back to Toronto and enlisted as a private in the Queen's York Rangers ** and was overseas by 1915 -- not in time for the "Truce" but nonetheless the experiences he related from time to time left a deep impression on me. He was a harmonica player and would often strike up a tune at night, and when the trenches were close, sometimes he would be joined from the other side.

He returned, Lt. Colonel Richard Dinsmore, in 1918 - mentioned in dispatches, decorated, and altered forever by that war.

** http://qyrang.ca/about/history/

The Truce is an historical event that some have sought to sentimentalize and dramatize over the years. I offer the following link not to do that but rather to remind us all that there are times when the required response is realism, not patriotism:

The Heritage of the Great War / First World War 1914 - 1918

Seasons Greetings, all

MM
Grateful Canadian

And this:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ar-One-Christmas-Day-truce-1914-revealed.html

 

[TheMustangRider]

Michael, thank you so much for that great article you posted. I find every story about WWI extremely fascinating and that famous Christmas truce of 1914 is not exception.

 

[nuuumannn]

There is a great movie made about Christmas day in no-man's land called Joyeux Noel. It was made in 2005, so is relatively recent. If you can get hold of it, I'd highly recommend you watch it - very well done.

 

[buffnut453]

The book "Silent Night" is also highly recommended - excellent coverage of the Christmas Truce of 1914.

 

[Lucky13]

Great stuff!!

 

[hedge hopper]

Lovely card there Lucky 13, I now only have one of those left, too good to post away, so I think I'll frame it !!

 

[Gnomey]

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Vassili Zaitzev]

I hope no one minds if I update the thread. I had a letter to the editor for a newspaper in Vermont published regarding the Truce. Should have uploaded earlier, but it slipped my mind.

 

[TheMustangRider]

Great article Vassili, very well resumed by its author. I wish more articles like this would make it to newspapers and magazines to enhance a bit more awareness for the average reader about important events in both world wars.

 

[Vassili Zaitzev]

Great article Vassili, very well resumed by its author. I wish more articles like this would make it to newspapers and magazines to enhance a bit more awareness for the average reader about important events in both world wars.

Thank you Mustang. I have sent a good number of letters to the editor since June, all concerning history. They've been to the Journal Inquirer of CT, and the Caledonian Record of VT. I've only done half a dozen, with four to WWII, one to WWI, and one concerning the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. I initially started this to commerate the 70th anniversary of Midway, to help contribute to society. That, and I was getting tired of letters being nothing more than political pieces. Thanks for the positive feedback, that help motivates me to write more. I think that's enough about me.

 

[michaelmaltby]

Historic football match between British and German troops at Christmas to be recreated in 2014 to mark the centenary of First World War | Mail Online

MM