Celebrating Christmas

On Christmas Eve 1914, at various points along the Western Front, German soldiers asked their allied counterparts not to fight them while they put up Tannenbaums, (the traditional German candle-lit Christmas tree). At other points on the Front, the Germans sneaked Christmas food into British lines as presents. At other points, allied troops were astonished to hear the Germans singing "Stille Nacht“ and they joined in with the English version "Silent Night". This was the beginning of an informal armistice or ceasefire right along the Front. By Christmas Day, football games were taking place in No Man's Land between soldiers from both countries. Soldiers exchanged gifts and souvenirs, and discovered that really there were a lot of similarities between British and German troops after all. By Boxing Day, men on both sides wanted to stretch the truce to New Year's Day, but on December 26th generals ordered artillery bombardments to interrupt the gatherings in No Man's Land and restart the fighting.

The accidental Christmas peace was over.  It didn’t happen again.

Christmas Day 1914

In 1916 some people in Hackney put up a shrine in the street to remember their families and friends who were away at the War. Soon the idea spread all over the country and even Queen Mary went to visit the shrines in the East End of London.

A chaplain leads a service of worship for nurses and soldiers aboard a troop ship.

Church Army Hut at Poperinge 1918

Toc H

An army chaplain takes the personal belongings from the bodies of the dead soldiers to be sent home to their families. Each Battalion in the British Army had a chaplain.

They would also undertake practical tasks, such as writing letters for wounded men and to the next of kin of the soldiers who had been killed.

An Army chaplain tending a soldier's grave. Carnoy Valley, July 1916.

Army chaplains conducted services of worship for troops wherever they could – this one is leading a service from the cockpit of an airplane.

“it has just fallen to my lot to prepare a deserter for his death. That meant breaking the news to him; helping him with his last letters; passing the night with him on the straw of his cell and trying to prepare his soul for meeting God; witnessing the execution and burying him immediately.”

Chaplain Guy Rogers

On average, one soldier was shot by firing squad for every week of the War.

Soldiers gather together for a thanksgiving service in the ruins of the cathedral in Chambrai after they have taken the town.

A British Chaplain prays with a badly wounded German prisoner.

An American Army chaplain helps a young German prisoner-of-war As Germany ran out of fit soldiers in 1918, they had to send very young soldiers to battle.

Senior Jewish Chaplain with the British Troops - Michael Alder

Le Pelerin was a weekly French Catholic magazine.

French priests were called up to fight just like other men. The French Government did not give them any special role, but the priests acted as unofficial chaplains for those who wanted help. Here a priest-soldier prays for a dead soldier.

Australian Chaplain wearing a “small box respirator”

All the different countries armies had their own chaplains - this is a Greek Orthodox Christian Chaplain of the II Infantry Division in World War One called Father Eleutherios Nuphrákes.

Chaplains with the German Army

The popular pastor Division Kapuzienerpater Norbert Stumpf, the "great sin cannon" .

German Troops in Africa

German Soldiers in World war One all wore a belt buckle with the motto “Gott Mit Uns” which means “God Is With Us”.

Chaplain Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy 'Woodbine Willy'

 There's a soul in the Eternal,Standing stiff before the King.There's a little English maiden

Sorrowing.There's a proud and tearless woman,

Seeing pictures in the fire.There's a broken battered body

On the wire.

Waste of Muscle, waste of Brain,Waste of Patience, waste of Pain,

Waste of Manhood, waste of Health,Waste of Beauty, waste of Wealth,

Waste of Blood, and waste of Tears,Waste of Youth’s most precious years,

Waste of ways the Saints have trod,Waste of Glory, waste of God -

              War!

When fighting in Europe British soldiers were impressed by the number of wayside crosses all over the countryside – this gave people the idea that every British village should have its own monument to remember those who died in the War.

Neuve Chapelle

“The Christ of the Trenches”

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Cambridge

March

Haddenham

Gallipoli

Amiens

The Cenotaph in London, 11th November,1920King George V laid the first wreath in honour of those who didn’t come home