Christmas in the Trenches

Askari

Perhaps the most difficult time for our servicemen and women is Christmas, when they not only cannot be with the ones they love -- and for whom they are fighting -- all the while cognizant that one stray shot may serve as a one-way ticket to an eternal home. Although our modern philosophers say God is dead and Christianity is often blamed for so many of our society's ills, it nonetheless is the one faith that holds out hope for all mankind and only because of Jesus' teachings could something so unusual occur in No Man's Land in 1914 at Christmastime. This recent song captures that awesome miracle in the fields of death and I offer it as tribute, this Christmas, to our soldiers, sailors and airmen serving around the world to protect us until the world can be made a better place where deadly skills such as theirs are no longer required. God bless you all, wherever you may be!!
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Christmas in the Trenches

(John McCutcheon)


My name is Francis Tolliver, I come from Liverpool.
Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school.
To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany to here
I fought for King and country I love dear.

'Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung,
The frozen fields of France were still, no Christmas song was sung
Our families back in England were toasting us that day
Their brave and glorious lads so far away.

I was lying with my messmate on the cold and rocky ground
When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound
Says I, "Now listen up, me boys!" each soldier strained to hear
As one young German voice sang out so clear.

"He's singing bloody well, you know!'' my partner says to me
Soon, one by one, each German voice joined in harmony
The cannons rested silent, the gas clouds rolled no more
As Christmas brought us respite from the war.

As soon as they were finished and a reverent pause was spent
"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen'' struck up some lads from Kent
The next they sang was "Stille Nacht.'' "Tis 'Silent Night','' says I
And in two tongues one song filled up that sky.

"There's someone coming toward us!'' the front line sentry cried
All sights were fixed on one lone figure trudging from their side
His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shown on that plain so bright
As he, bravely, strode unarmed into the night.

Soon one by one on either side walked into No Man's Land
With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand
We shared some secret brandy and we wished each other well
And in a flare-lit soccer game we gave 'em hell.

We traded chocolates, cigarettes, and photographs from home
These sons and fathers far away from families of their own
Young Sanders played his squeezebox and they had a violin
This curious and unlikely band of men.

Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more
With sad farewells we each prepared to settle back to war
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wonderous night
"Whose family have I fixed within my sights?''

'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost, so bitter hung
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung
For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war
Had been crumbled and were gone forevermore.

My name is Francis Tolliver, in Liverpool I dwell
Each Christmas come since World War I, I've learned its lessons well
That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame
And on each end of the rifle we're the same.

LucyBop

Bunch of brave Hepcats!!!!!!! Lucille sends many hugs and kisses!

mrpaseo

Thanks Askari, I enjoyed that.

Truth be it known, Holidays have become a bit numb to me, I've missed so many, was upset so many times, that I have really become numb to them. The one that suffers now is my Daughter.

MacCrimmon

God Speed, Mr. Paseo! May He protect you and all your comrades.

1jester

That story always brings tears to my eyes. Askari, thanks for sharing it and reminding us all of the true meaning of Christmas--the hope in Jesus Christ of all mankind.

ccrdragon

Here is another that I like as well - don't know if the story is true or not, but it does hold true:

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE WAS THERE ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOUSE DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOUSE OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan. The following is his
request. I think it is reasonable..... PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of
sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some
credit is due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate
these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe.
Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves
for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.

Bruce

I wish the best for all of the troops and their families now, and every day!

ajaan

The really sad part of the true incident during WWI is the generals and military 'minds' were not pleased with the informal Christmas truce. Once you get to see your enemy as human beings it is more difficult to kill them the next morning. In fact, many of the soldiers involved were transfered out of the trenches soon after Christmas because many of them were 'shooting over the heads' of the enemy in order to do no harm.

WWI was one of the most senseless wars IMO. There was no great evil like Hitler or the rape of Nanking. If only the Christmas truce lead to peace, many millions of men would have been saved.

OK, I'll get offmy soap box now.

Askari

And, ironically to our modern sentiments, it was the Germans who initiated it. The soldier who crossed No Man's Land with a lantern and Christmas tree was from a Saxon regiment and, as the song observes, it was a brave deed. To the best of my knowledge, his identity has been lost to history.

spoon

I like that story There's a new book out by a German historian on this, with new details.. here's a review: A cry of: waiter! And the fighting stopped

Also, the Imperial War Museum has a roundup of info on Christmas at War

Askari

Thanks for the links! I always pick up whatever I come across on the subject. It's simply fascinating and I know of no other similar event in military history. Although there has indeed been fraternization, nothing like this in scale or purpose.