ww1

[greendog]

Can anyone remember the incident in WW1 when there was a ceasefire in the trenches and the soldiers from both sides met in the middle for a short while and exchanged family photos etc.?  What was it called?

[senga-marie]

Christmas day

[simms]

Incidents like this occurred at a variety of times and places along the western front, but all seem to occur at Christmas

[greendog]

thanx folks.  found what i was looking for.  here's a link if your interested: http://members.shaw.ca/stgeorgesucweb/christmaseve.htm

[Kingaroo]

There's a lovely song about it by John McCutcheon -- do a lyric search.

[Big_Mike]

There is a great song by Garth Brooks Called Belleau Wood.  tells the whole story wonderfully

[JohnPPotts]

"The Pipes of Peace" by Paul McCartney is also based on the event.

[trilobite]

I understand it only happened for one Christmas, in 1914. When accounts of the events reached senior Officers (ie those comfortably well behind the lines) they huffed and puffed indignantly about 'disgrace' and 'fraternising with enemy' and vowed it would not re-occur.

In the days before Christmas 1915, both soldiers and officers alike who served on the front-line were reminded that any re-occurrence of the previous year's events would be viewed as desertion or some similar military offence, meaning that transgressors were liable to be shot - as were the immediate officers in charge.

This passing of the threats and responsibility down the ranks very effectively put paid to any repeats of the previous year's events, which were never to be repeated throughout the rest of the war.

[BrumBob]

Urban Myth  Probably th eearliest example of same