"On Christmas Eve we got the order to go into the trenches. The day before we had celebrated Christmas in our rest quarters with the civilian people and children who were presented with chocolate, bonbons and cake. It was all in good humour.

Then at darkness we marched forward to the trenches like Father Christmas with parcels hanging from us. All was quiet. No shooting. Little snow. We posted a tiny Christmas tree in our dugout - the company commander, myself the lieutenant, and the two orderlies. We placed a second lighted tree on the breastwork.

Then we began to sing our old Christmas songs: 'Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht' and 'O du Fröhliche' . . . "

Citation taken from: Malcolm Brown and Shirley Seaton, Christmas Truce: The Western Front December 1914 (London, Leo Cooper, 1984), pg. 56. Photo Courtesy of: Imperial War Museum, London