Advent Devotion~The Christmas Truce of 1914 (Day 10)

During World War I, an event happened that has almost become a Christmas legend, a myth, but the story is based on truth, even as difficult as it seems to believe. During WWI, right on the front and in the trenches a truce was offered, gifts were exchanged, carols sung, and even a game of soccer/football was played. I am posting some letters from the front so you enjoy some of the first hand accounts.

"I hope you all had a merry Christmas; let me tell you how I spent mine. My company happened to be in the firing line on Christmas eve, and it was my turn - with a non-commissioned officer and four others - to go into a ruined house and remain there until 6.30 on Christmas morning. During the early part of the morning the Germans started singing and shouting, all in good English. They shouted out: "Are you the Rifle Brigade; have you a spare bottle; if so we will come half way and you come the other half." At 4 a.m part of their Band played some Christmas carols and "God save the King", and "Home Sweet Home." You could guess our feelings. Later on in the day they came towards us, and our chaps went out to meet them. Of course neither of us had any rifles. I shook hands with some of them, and they gave us cigarettes and cigars. We did not fire that day, and everything was so quiet that it seemed like a dream. We took advantage of the quiet day and brought our dead in." Rifleman J Reading

"You need not have pitied us on Christmas day; I have seldom spent a more entertaining one despite the curious conditions. We were in the trenches and the Germans began to make merry on Christmas Eve shouting at us to come out and meet them. They sang songs (very well); our men answered by singingWho were you with last night? and of course, Tipperary (very badly). I was horrified at discovering some of our men had actually gone out imbued more with the idea of seeing the German trenches than anything else; they met halfway and there ensued the giving of cigarettes and receiving of cigars and they arranged (the private soldiers of one army and the private soldiers of the other) a 48 hours armistice. It was all most irregular but the Peninsular and other wars will furnish many such exploits; eventually both sides were induced to their respective trenches but the enemy sang all night and during my watch they played Home Sweet Home and God Save the King at 2.30am. It was rather wonderful: the night was clear, cold and frosty and across to our lines at this unusually miserable hour of need came the sound of such tunes very well played, especially by a man with a cornet who is probably well known. Christmas day was very misty and out came these Germans to wish us “a happy day”; we went out told them we were at war with them and that really they must play the game and pretend to fight; they went back but again attempted to come towards us so we fired over their heads; they fired a shot back to show they understood and the rest of the day passed quietly in this part of the line, but in others a deal of fraternising went on. So there you are; all this talk of hate, all this firing at each other that has raged since the beginning of the war quelled and stayed by the magic of Christmas. Indeed one German said “But you are of the same religion as us and today is the day of peace! It is really a great triumph for the church. It is a great hope for future peace when two great nations hating each other as foes have seldom hated, one side vowing eternal hate and vengeance and setting their venom to music, should on Christmas day and for all that the word implies, lay down their arms, exchange smokes and wish each other happiness." a Highland officer



From an Advent sermon by Richard Leonard:
"Peace comes to us when the Prince of Peace comes to us. Of Jesus Christ, the apostle Paul said, “He is our peace.” During this Advent season we prepare to receive him afresh into our troubled world, into our church, into our families, into our own hearts. But the Prince of Peace is here now. For he said to us, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:19). There is peace in our midst, for Jesus is here — here in the proclamation of his word; here in our sharing of his gifts, the loaf and the cup; here in the loving touch of those who know him as Savior and Lord. He who is our peace is in our midst. Therefore, as we gather around his table we greet one another with those ancient words, so full of both solemnity and hope: “The peace of the Lord be with you.”"

The sad truth is that the Christmas Truce was a rare gem of an occurrence in a world too rarely peaceful, but I praise God for that peace among men on that day, and for the peace that will reign when the Prince of Peace returns. But as we are reminded in the sermon, we have Jesus within us, and so the Prince of Peace is here. May Christmas be a day of peace for you and your family.

Please remember our veterans and our troops and their families in your prayers.