Christmas provided a brief respite from horrors of war
In a year which has seen us mark 100 years since the end of the Great War, there is much to reflect on and be thankful for this Christmas
AS Christmas approaches and the year draws to a close, there is much to reflect on from a momentous year. In historical terms, 2018 has been dominated by the commemorations and exhibitions marking 100 years since the end of the First World War.
Individual battles and tales have strong resonances with local areas, such as Cecil Wedgwood and his workers setting forth to France to fight for their country – a dramatic account of wartime heroism and dedication which was the subject of a documentary.
Some stories, however, have become woven into the national consciousness – and arguably none are as powerful or emotive as the famous Christmas truce in 1914.
The impromptu moment where British and German soldiers put down their guns has been immortalised in countless re-tellings and, with Staffordshire soldiers among those involved, there are many local twists on the event.
David Gordon is from one of many families whose relatives took part in the truce.
“We’ve always known about old correspondence between the families and family stories from the war, and we know that some of our relatives were involved in the truce,” he said.
“My father and the family have always been very proud about what they did that day. “It’s one of the most famous moments from the whole of the First World War, so to have a direct link is really good.”
David’s family link to the Christmas truce comes from the wartime records of two of his great uncles.
Private Edward Laing Gordon, aged 22 at the time, was part of the 1st Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, in which he served alongside his 19-year-old brother, William Plant Gordon.
The Burslem-born brothers were stationed with the rest of the regiment near Ploegsteert Wood on the Western Front.
As they heard the German soldiers on the other side of no man’s land singing hymns and lighting candles, they became a part of one of the war’s most touching moments of fleeting humanity.
The unusual nature of the truce was borne out by another of David’s great uncles, Samuel Morris, a 25-year-old Fentonian in the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards, who was killed during fighting on Christmas Day while his relatives enjoyed a rare respite from the horrors of war.
Knowing how lucky Edward and William were to take part in the truce fuelled David’s desire to find out more information on the part they played that day.
“We don’t know exactly what Edward and William did in the truce, but we do know they were definitely there,” said David.
“We have a few pictures of their time in service, but they aren’t from this day. It’s always quite difficult to find out this information.”
The task for David and his family to trace through the records and work out William and Edward’s role in the truce was undoubtedly hampered by the tragic ends to their wartime service.
As for most of the soldiers fortunate to witness and take part in that unique coming together, the Christmas truce proved to be a false dawn for William, who was killed on the first day of the Second Battle of Ypres exactly four months later.
Edwin Millward, William’s friend and neighbour back home, died of his wounds the following day, while Edward also did not live to see peace finally break out for good, succumbing to injuries sustained in heavy fighting on December 11, 1916.
William’s wartime record is preserved on the Menin Gate in Ypres, as well as at the Albion Road memorial in Hanley, while Edward is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial in Somme.
Though the loss of his great uncles is still keenly felt a century on from their deaths, David is proud that their memories and legacies live on.
“Both Edward and William never came home from the war, but they have never been forgotten by any of us,” he said.
“Like many of their fellow soldiers, they died in battle and it’s a shame that they didn’t have the chance to come home and see how important the Christmas truce has become.
“I’m sure they would be quite surprised by the impact it’s had since then, and how much it’s still talked about today. I know they would be very proud.”