THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE

A story in verse from the trenches of World War I and the part played by the carol Silent Night

It was like any other night. We knew we had a war to fight. Each soldier with his loaded gun; One aim in mind – to kill the Hun.

Like us, in trenches just ahead, Were German troops who wished us dead.

Their fire-power we already knew; Their orders were to kill us, too.

We huddled close and tried to sleep. Our sentries had their watch to keep For any noise in no-man’s-land,

In case a night attack was planned.

Tomorrow some of us would die. We had to fight; not reason why. It was not easy to believe

That this was truly Christmas Eve.

Then, in the darkness, soft but clear, Some Germans singing we could hear; A hymn about God’s greatest act: “Stille Nacht. Heilige Nacht”.

We sang in English with them then; A bond which joined together men

Whom war had roughly torn apart. Each one condemned war in his heart.

Dawn came at last; the early light Revealing an amazing sight;

Men waving to us, calling, too, “A merry Christmas, boys, to you!”

Out into no-man’s-land one came, And, slowly, others did the same. Their weapons they had left behind. This was their moment to be kind.

We plucked up courage, quite unplanned,

Went forward, shook them by the hand, Joined them as friends in every way.

Yes, this was truly Christmas Day!

To add yet more to this good cheer They rolled across a cask of beer, Produced a football, soon in use To celebrate our Christmas truce.

The no-man’s-land they would not yield Had now become a football field!

On it we played, though rough and wet, The strangest international yet!

We laughed and joked and had some fun,

And well before the day was done

We’d come to understand each other – It was as if we’d found a brother.

It could not last. It had to end. We sadly watched the night descend; And back in our own trenches then Resumed our roles as fighting men.

For us the war continued still.

We left behind that, “Peace, goodwill”. Our battles in the days ahead

Left some alive, but many dead.

We still looked back upon that day Which brought our friendships into play; That peace along the Western Front, A goal that all the world should hunt.

And in our hearts, as we pressed on, Were memories of everyone

Who’d shown us how, when warfare ends,

Our enemies can be our friends.