On Christmas Eve night in 1914, soldiers of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) heard the Germans singing Christmas carols from their trenches, and saw that they had adorned their trenches with lanterns and fir trees.
Both sides stopped shooting at each other. Messages began to be shouted between the trenches. The following day, British and German soldiers met in No Man's Land, shook hands, exchanged gifts, took photographs and showed photos to each other of their loved ones. There was even a football match between the two sides, which the Germans won 3-2 (although the English would get revenge in 1966).
The high commands of both armies were unhappy with the truce - and soon both sides would be ordered to continue killing each other.
On 24th August next year, as the 100th anniversary of the match closes in, a British and a German football team will recreate it on the spot where it was originally played.
Newark Town FC, from Nottinghamshire, has been awarded more than £8,000 to finance an under-21s match against German twin town Emmendingen at the site near Ypres.
A local historian came up with the idea after reading letters sent home by Private William Setchfield from Newark.
The soldier wrote about witnessing a match during the unofficial 1914 truce.
World War One Christmas truce football match to be recreated
13 December 2013
BBC News
The truce saw British and German soldiers along the Western Front put down their guns at Christmas to fraternise with the enemy for the day and even play football against each other (above)
A football club is to play a "Christmas truce" match at the spot where one of the famous World War One games is thought to have taken place.
Newark Town FC has been awarded more than £8,000 to finance an under-21s match against German twin town Emmendingen at the site near Ypres.
A local historian came up with the idea after reading letters sent home by Private William Setchfield from Newark.
The soldier wrote about witnessing a match during the unofficial 1914 truce.
'Celebration of love'
Newark historian Francis Towndrow led the Heritage Lottery Fund bid on behalf of the football club.
Mr Towndrow explained that Pte Setchfield's Royal Warwickshire Regiment had been fighting the 134 Saxon Regiment around Christmas time
He said the soldier wrote to his brother in Newark about a football match, although the military - who frowned upon the unofficial ceasefire - censored further information.
German records also suggest the two sides had ceased hostilities to play a football game.
Mr Towndrow said soldier Kurt Zehmisch, from the 134 Saxon Regiment, wrote in his diary: "The English brought a football from the trenches and pretty soon a lively game ensued.
"This Christmas, the celebration of love managed to bring mortal enemies together as friends for a time."
The match against FC Emmendingen will be played near the original site in St Yvon, close to Ypres, on 24 August.
In addition, some of the money will be used to create a memorial garden at Sconce and Devon Park in Newark, Nottinghamshire.
The famous "Christmas truce" of 1914
Late on Christmas Eve 1914, men of the British Expeditionary Force heard the Germans singing carols and patriotic songs and saw lanterns and small fir trees along their trenches.
Messages began to be shouted between the trenches. The following day, British and German soldiers met in No Man's Land and exchanged gifts, took photographs and some played football. They also buried casualties and repaired trenches and dugouts.
Some officers viewed the truce as a chance to improve living conditions in the trenches, while others worried that such unwarlike behaviour would undermine fighting spirit.
The High Commands on both sides took measures to ensure such fraternisation would not happen again, and the 1914 Christmas Truce remained a unique event on the Western Front.
Source: Imperial War Museum
BBC News - World War One Christmas truce football match to be recreated
Both sides stopped shooting at each other. Messages began to be shouted between the trenches. The following day, British and German soldiers met in No Man's Land, shook hands, exchanged gifts, took photographs and showed photos to each other of their loved ones. There was even a football match between the two sides, which the Germans won 3-2 (although the English would get revenge in 1966).
The high commands of both armies were unhappy with the truce - and soon both sides would be ordered to continue killing each other.
On 24th August next year, as the 100th anniversary of the match closes in, a British and a German football team will recreate it on the spot where it was originally played.
Newark Town FC, from Nottinghamshire, has been awarded more than £8,000 to finance an under-21s match against German twin town Emmendingen at the site near Ypres.
A local historian came up with the idea after reading letters sent home by Private William Setchfield from Newark.
The soldier wrote about witnessing a match during the unofficial 1914 truce.
World War One Christmas truce football match to be recreated
13 December 2013
BBC News
The truce saw British and German soldiers along the Western Front put down their guns at Christmas to fraternise with the enemy for the day and even play football against each other (above)
A football club is to play a "Christmas truce" match at the spot where one of the famous World War One games is thought to have taken place.
Newark Town FC has been awarded more than £8,000 to finance an under-21s match against German twin town Emmendingen at the site near Ypres.
A local historian came up with the idea after reading letters sent home by Private William Setchfield from Newark.
The soldier wrote about witnessing a match during the unofficial 1914 truce.
'Celebration of love'
Newark historian Francis Towndrow led the Heritage Lottery Fund bid on behalf of the football club.
Mr Towndrow explained that Pte Setchfield's Royal Warwickshire Regiment had been fighting the 134 Saxon Regiment around Christmas time
He said the soldier wrote to his brother in Newark about a football match, although the military - who frowned upon the unofficial ceasefire - censored further information.
German records also suggest the two sides had ceased hostilities to play a football game.
Mr Towndrow said soldier Kurt Zehmisch, from the 134 Saxon Regiment, wrote in his diary: "The English brought a football from the trenches and pretty soon a lively game ensued.
"This Christmas, the celebration of love managed to bring mortal enemies together as friends for a time."
The match against FC Emmendingen will be played near the original site in St Yvon, close to Ypres, on 24 August.
In addition, some of the money will be used to create a memorial garden at Sconce and Devon Park in Newark, Nottinghamshire.
The famous "Christmas truce" of 1914
Late on Christmas Eve 1914, men of the British Expeditionary Force heard the Germans singing carols and patriotic songs and saw lanterns and small fir trees along their trenches.
Messages began to be shouted between the trenches. The following day, British and German soldiers met in No Man's Land and exchanged gifts, took photographs and some played football. They also buried casualties and repaired trenches and dugouts.
Some officers viewed the truce as a chance to improve living conditions in the trenches, while others worried that such unwarlike behaviour would undermine fighting spirit.
The High Commands on both sides took measures to ensure such fraternisation would not happen again, and the 1914 Christmas Truce remained a unique event on the Western Front.
Source: Imperial War Museum
BBC News - World War One Christmas truce football match to be recreated
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