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Football

Remembers
The1914 Christmas Truce
Education pack
This pack has been designed with the aim of providing an engaging educational experience.
Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy.
Design and production: Navig8 Ltd
British Council 2014. Please encourage others to download a copy of this publication from
http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/football-remembers
Welcome to Football Remembers
t o e nter
Football has the power to bring us together and to engage t f o rget
Don mpetition ur pack withalatov the
ery
young people who would not otherwise feel part of the o
our c hted to launcesign a memthe 1914 a
ho ori
First World War centenary. The British Council, the Premier e del
ig
ion to
d
durin
g
ged b
y
We ar competit d football will be jud
League, the Football League and the Football Association al
speci s who play he design
e s ridge
Camb l
r T e o f
have joined forces in an imaginative partnership to soldie as Truce. e Duk ns wi
l
h r i s tm e s H RH Th sted desig rial
C
includ li
encourage young people to remember the Christmas Truce short onal Memo ing
l that alcott. All i n
p a n e e t
N a e win
of 1914, one of the greatest surprises of the First World War. n d T heo W ayed at th mmer. Th lise their
a l su ea
e disp ) this A to r A in
also b tum (NMA th the NM at the NM
http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/football-remembers i

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re w e d
Arbo will work nveil
l l be u
schoo , which wil
n
The partners desig ber 2014.
e m rial.
Dec in
ls are n a Memo
The British Council The Football League d e t a i
The British Council is the United Kingdoms The Football League is the worlds original league More y G: Desig
t i v it
Ac
international organisation for cultural relations and football competition. With 72 members, the League
i n g d ate:
Clos e 2014
educational opportunities. We create international is the largest body of professional clubs in European
opportunities for the people of the UK and other football; it is responsible for the Championship,
n
countries and build trust between them worldwide. League 1, League 2 as well as the Capital One Cup 16 Ju
The FA Supporting football since 1863 and Johnstones Paint Trophy.
The FA is the not-for-profit, governing body of The Premier League
football in England. With more than 100m put The Barclays Premier League is the most watched
back into the game every year, it grows participation, continuous annual global sporting event in the world.
promotes diversity and regulates the sport for Off the pitch the Premier League will spend 168m
everyone to enjoy. solely on grassroots and community projects over
the next three seasons.
How to use the pack
This pack is in two parts a set of activity plans for
teachers and a set of additional original documents
We would encourage you to treat the activities as
examples of what you can do with the sources and to
List of activities and colour codes
to be used with those plans. use the original documents to develop and add to your A Introductory activity find out about the truce
The activities are aimed primarily at pupils aged 9-14 own lesson plans and classroom activities. We hope B English and drama hot seating, improvisation,
but they can be adapted to suit older or younger your school will join in this special centenary event. writing and performing short plays
audiences who are studying significant historical But whatever else you do, think about the courage of C English and creative writing write a
events and people from their own locality. Each the soldiers in the trenches in 1914. truce diary
unit contains background information, ideas for Action plan
discussion and cross-curricular activities. There are
D English and drama learn about footballers
H]VgZi]ZeVX`VXgdhhndjghX]dda who fought in the war
learning outcomes, links to curriculum subjects and
lists of additional resources. JhZ^i^caZhhdch!VhhZbWa^Zh!Xgdhh"Xjgg^Xjajb E Languages carry out truce conversations,
projects with partner schools use drama for language learning, read sources
These can be used in individual lessons and
assemblies or can form part of larger cross- K^h^i]iie/$$hX]ddahdca^cZ#Wg^i^h]XdjcX^a#dg\$ in the original language
curriculum projects over a number of subjects. They football-remembers for extra content including F Art and design cartoons from the
could also be a foundation for a joint curriculum videos and the chance to take part in competitions First World War
project with a partner school overseas. 9^heaVni]ZgZhjaih^cndjgXdbbjc^in G Art and design design a war memorial
There are a number of sources suggested for each and/or online
H Moral education ethics and dilemmas
activity, catering for a range of reading abilities. You IV`ZeVgi^ci]ZXdbeZi^i^dcidYZh^\cVlVg
can find more sources relating to this pack at http:// memorial (UK schools only)
I Sports activities make a football, plan
schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/football-remembers. your football match, think about the skills
GZhZVgX]adXVa[ddiWVaaZghl]d[dj\]i^ci]Z;^ghi footballers need
You can also download more copies of the pack, in World War and send us information on them
English and Welsh, from this link. J Conflict resolution play a simulation game
Dg\Vc^hZVXdbbZbdgVi^kZigjXZbViX]
in December.
K History interpret and review the sources, make
a judgement on the significance of the truce
L History find a local footballer who fought
in the war
M English and media studies propaganda
and football
Background information
In the first months of the First To this day, there is debate about whether or not
anyone really played football in No Mans Land.
World War, soldiers fighting in There is plenty of evidence, however, that the truce
the trenches around Ypres held a did take place. It involved thousands of men and was This is what
reported in dozens of newspapers as soldiers wrote
truce. Over the Christmas period home to family and friends. In the years after the war,
No Mans Land
they set aside their weapons and many soldiers wrote about their experiences or gave looked like,
interviews to museums, historians and the media.
met in No Mans Land.
This pack contains a selection of original sources
This Christmas Truce was an unplanned and sources which historians use when they piece
unexpected event. It happened many times and in together the story of the Christmas Truce. Some of
many places. German, French, British, Belgian and these have not been published previously.
Indian soldiers were excited to meet one another.
They sang Christmas songs together, exchanged This is real history. Its elusive, intriguing
souvenirs and took photos of one another. And in and inspiring.
some cases, it seems that they even played football.
Its very hard to pin down the story of the 1914
Christmas Truce and even harder to find out about
the football matches. This wasnt planned, arranged
and recorded, like much else in the war. It was
spontaneous and informal. It was an example of
fraternisation when enemies met up, shared
comforts and even became friends which naturally
met with disapproval from military command.

http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/football-remembers
Map from January 1915 reproduced with kind permission of the In Flanders Fields Museum
Contents Football Remembers
Monday 8Monday
Activities
A Introductory activity find out about the truce
15 December 2014
B English and drama hot seating, improvisation, writing
Prepare
and performing short plays
rning about
Get ready for match day by lea
English and creative writing write a truce diary e Football
the Christmas Truce through th
C

D English and drama learn about footballers who fought


in the war Remembers education pack
E Languages carry out truce conversations, use drama for Play
ll played
Mark the centenary of the footba
language learning, read sources in the original language
14, by
in No Mans Land, Christmas 19
F Art and design cartoons from the First World War
Art and design design a war memorial
playing a match
G

H Moral education ethics and dilemmas


Remember
national
Make sure your school joins the
I Sports activities make a football, plan your football match,
think about the skills footballers need
in 2014
J Conflict resolution play a simulation game week of football remembrance
K History interpret and review the sources, make a judgement #FootballRemembers
on the significance of the truce
L History find a local footballer who fought in the war
cil.org/
M English and media studies propaganda and football http://schoolsonline.britishcoun
Source materials football-remembers
Further resources
Acknowledgements
Age range: 714 Learning objectives: Use research and literacy skills to
Curriculum Links: English, History identify key elements of the Christmas Truce and use it as a
Global citizenship skills and values: Creative thinking, basis for creative writing
empathy, collaboration, commitment to peace, research skills

A Introductory activity: find out about the truce


The accounts suggested Watch the special videos made with the In Flanders
Fields Museum, Ypres, Belgium with your class to see
below contain two some of the original source materials in this pack
descriptions of the acted out. You can access these at:
http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/
Christmas Truce. Choose football-remembers
one which is appropriate for
your learners and read all,
or part, of the account with Sugge
s
are a m ted source
the class. Ask the pupils to from h
emoir
written
s
ospita
highlight and research any truce a l af
nd the ter the
of a 19 transc
words or phrases that they 8
intervie 3 television
ript
dont understand and share w with
who w
as the a soldier
re.
their results. 17, 20
Age range: 914 Learning objectives: Use research skills to identify key
Curriculum Links: English, History, Drama elements of the Christmas Truce and use it as a stimulus for
Global citizenship skills and values: Creative thinking, creative writing and drama
empathy, collaboration, commitment to peace, research skills

l
Partner surcsthoroybooa
B English and drama Exchange yo
scripts, photog
rds,
raphs and
ormances
films of the pe rf
ne r school.
with your part
The Christmas Truce of 1914 was a brief ceasefire during the bitter http://schoolso
nline.british
conflict of the First World War. It is remembered as a time of peace and tner-with
council.org/par
-a-school
humanity which interrupted months of brutal fighting.
Give copies of the source materials related to this 6[iZgi]ZhZhh^dc!Y^hXjhhl]Vildg`ZYlZaaVcY
section to groups of pupils. how they could use the scenes they created as
Ask each group to use highlighters to pick out springboards for creative writing. Ask each group Suggested
to produce a storyboard and script which tells the sources
details of the events revealed in the sources that reflect differe
story of the Christmas Truce. nt nationalitie
particularly resonate with them. These could be carol involved in th s
e truce. The
singing, the sharing of gifts or the football match Rehearse these short plays together and include three se
itself. Discuss how the soldiers must have felt as perform them for a larger audience. The drama letters from
soldiers, sold
they gingerly stepped into No Mans Land and the can be accompanied by readings from the iers diaries,
scene from a a
sights and sounds that would have met them. How original accounts, use of appropriate props such novel written
the son of an by
would they have felt when the fighting restarted? as footballs, cameras, cakes and music from the Indian soldie
who served r
What would the reactions of friends and family at time, such as Its a Long Way to Tipperary and the in the British
items that tr army,
home have been when they heard what happened? Christmas carol Silent Night. oops exchan
and photogra g ed,
Improvise the first contact between the German You can find the lyrics online at phs taken by
http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/ soldiers duri
and Allied soldiers. How might they have greeted ng the truce
.
each other? football-remembers
9, 10, 15, 19
, 23,
:cXdjgV\Z\gdjehidXgZViZ[gZZoZ[gVbZh!a^`Zhi^aa
25, 47, 49,
photographs, of the significant events that they pick
out during their research. Blow a whistle (the signal
51
frequently used by soldiers during the First World
War) when you are ready for each group to bring
their scene to life.

Your
storyboards
might look
like this.
Age range: 914 Learning objectives: Use research skills to identify key
Curriculum Links: English, History, Drama elements of the Christmas Truce and use it as a stimulus for
Global citizenship skills and values: Creative creative writing and drama
thinking, empathy, collaboration, commitment to peace,
research skills

C English and creative writing:


write a truce diary
Many of the accounts of the Ask pupils to draft and write their own letter or
diary entry of the truce based on a character
67Za\^VcX]^aYl]dlVh[dgXZYidaZVkZ]dbZ
because of the fighting (read Michel Toudy)
Christmas Truce are in the form from one of the sources, using William Tapps diary DcZd[i]ZXdd`hegZeVg^c\8]g^hibVhajcX][dgi]Z
of letters and diaries. William or other letters and diaries as inspiration. The diary
could be written in English or another language. It
soldiers (from William Tapps diary)
Tapp was an army servant who could relate to one of the football matches or to the 6hdaY^Zgl]dlVh^c_jgZY_jhiWZ[dgZi]ZigjXZ
died in 1915. In his diary he tells wider truce. 6ndjc\eZghdcl]d]VYgZXZ^kZYVaZiiZg[gdb
Students could choose a character that is a soldier who had taken part in the truce, for
the story of Christmas Day, talks mentioned in the sources. For example: example, their father, brother, friend, etc.
about what he had to eat and DcZd[i]Zb^a^iVgnXdbbVcYl]dig^ZYidejiV You could include other sources for older
stop to the truce (see documents from General Sir pupils, including:
remembers his life at home. He Horace Smith-Dorrien) 6hdaY^Zgl]d]VYiV`ZceVgi^ci]ZigjXZVcYi]Zc
shares his feelings and talks 6hdaY^Zgl]d]VY]^he^XijgZiV`Zcl^i]ZcZbn refused to fight, from the Staffordshire Sentinel and
about wanting to play football. troops during the truce and kept it as a souvenir the Manchester Guardian.
(see photographs from the truce)
6cVgbnX]VeaV^cl]dYZa^kZgZYi]ZWjg^VahZgk^XZ Sugg
es
of British and German troops (as reported in includ ted sourc
Partner schcoounotsl with your the Staffordshire Sentinel)
from t
e orde
r
es
he hig s against tr
Exchange the ac 6HXdii^h]hdaY^Zgl]deaVnZY[ddiWVaaV\V^chi three h uc
partner school. Crea
te a display
Lieutenant Niemanns men they lost 3:2 soldie command, es
th at you and regim r s diarie
of the written work 6hdaY^Zg[gdbi]Z>cY^VcVgbnl]d]VY_jhiVgg^kZY
en
letters tal war dia s, three
.
they have produced in France and had never celebrated Christmas
f
interv rom the fro s, two
rie
e.british iew an nt, the
http://schoolsonlin before (described in Walther Stennes account) two G d mem
council.org/partner
-with er o
I]Z<ZgbVcX]Z[l]d]VYldg`ZYVii]Z two p man office irs of
-a-school hotog rs, and
during rap
Trocadero restaurant in London and met some
the tru hs taken
of his former clients at the truce (mentioned by ce.
Captain Robert Hamilton) 4, 5, 6
16, 19 , 7, 11, 13,
, 21, 2
4, 47
Age range: 914 Learning objectives: Use research skills to learn about
Curriculum Links: History, English, Drama, Citizenship football in the First World War
Global citizenship skills and learning values: Research
skills, team work, community awareness, reading and
comprehension, presentation skills

D English and drama: footballers who fought in the war


Read the footballers case studies with your pupils, as well as the
background information, about the lives of footballers, such as Alex
Sugg
Turnbull, Donald Simpson Bell, Walter Tull and Leigh Richmond Roose, e
provi sted sou
de ba r
who enlisted to fight in the First World War. Also look at the story of inform ckgro ces
a u
Florrie Redford and the rise of womens football during the war. the w tion on f nd
a o
of foo r, as well otball and
t a s
inspir ballers st a range
Ask students which questions they would have e the ories
pupil , to
liked to have asked the footballers themselves. Ask
38, 3 s.
members of the class to use the information in the
stories provided and use hot seating techniques,
Donald Simpson
9, 46
where pupils sit on the hot seat and act in role as
some of the players. They then answer questions
about their lives by other members of the class. The
pupils should always answer these questions
in character.
Use the literacy activity write a truce diary to
explore how one of the footballers might have
remembered events during the war. For example,
the first day they arrived at the trenches, after
they had been injured, when they played a football
match behind the front lines on their down time, or Leigh
when Florrie played in front of a crowd of more than Richmond
50,000 at Goodison Park. Roose
Age range: 914 Learning objectives: Discuss the importance of language
Curriculum Links: Modern Foreign Languages, History skills and use the context of the truce for MFL conversation
Global citizenship skills and values: Intercultural contact, practice and vocabulary development
intercultural communication skills, purposes and uses of
languages, translation skills, team work

We want to
E Languages and the Christmas Truce talk to you

Use the truce to inspire and develop


language learning.
The truce illustrated the value of language learning Discuss the benefits of being able to speak other On veut vous
as soldiers had to speak in any language they could languages. Try communicating simple messages
in order to be understood, including gestures and without language, such as what is your name? or parler
body language. where are you from?
The accounts in the source materials include many The truce vocabulary lists the phrases that troops Wir wollen mit
instances of troops speaking in a language other than
their mother tongue. For example, some Germans
could have used during the truce in English, French,
Flemish, German and Hindi. Use these phrases to
euch reden
could speak English: improvise conversations that the soldiers might have
had in other languages. Include any languages of We willen met
which the students have some basic knowledge.
I met a je praten
Saxon who talked
English well and who
some British
interpreted for me
officers also join us, with
[Grimsby Daily Telegraph] We also talked as
whom I have a delightful
conversation in English, much as we could. English
Private Mckel from my French and German! and German, but anyhow we
platoon, who used to live in [Lieutenant Zehmisch] understood each other.
England for several years, and I call [Walther Stennes]
out to the Brits in English and soon
enough, quite a fun conversation
develops between us.
[Lieutenant Zehmisch]
E Languages and the Christmas Truce
Select one or two of the sources in a different
language. Ask pupils to work in groups to read the
sources and get a sense of the meaning.
chool ool to
Partniteh ryosur partner schth
K^YZdhVkV^aVWaZVi]iie/$$hX]ddahdca^cZ#Wg^i^h]XdjcX^a#
org/football-remembers will allow your pupils to ne
at everyo
hear some of the sources accompanying this pack Work w es so
s la te th e resourc partner school
being read in English, French, German and Flemish. tra n our
d e rs tand. If y ask them Suggested
Students could also adopt the persona of one can u n
c h o r German, rts of include one
sources
speaks F
re n
y o u . Tra nslate pa age diary, three
of the authors of the written sources and have te for langu memoirs an
conversations in character. Record these and to transla rces into another d a history
English s
o u e .
m of the regim
play them back to the class. a r tn e rs to read th ent that
p
for your Hitler serve
d in during
Explore the characters in the sources through the First Wo
rld War.
hot seating where one pupil sits on the hot seat
and answers questions from others in character 22, 23, 26,
in another language, then practise their truce
conversations for performance or filming. 27, 28, 29,
Extension activity 30, 31, 36,
More experienced language learners could do 37
further work on translating the sources.
Truce vocabulary: French
Come out! We want to talk to you
KZcZo On veut vous parler

Je peux
Meet us half way Meet in the middle
Rejoignez-nous mi-chemin! Rejoignons-nous au centre

te prendre
Do you speak English / German / French? Yes I speak No I dont speak any language but my own
Tu parles Anglais / Allemand / Franais? Oui, je parle Non, Je ne parle que ma propre langue.
Where did you learn it? I learnt it at school / I lived in another country
O as-tu appris lAnglais / lAllemand / le Franais?
How long have you been here?
Je lai appris lcole / Jai vcu dans un autre pays,
ltranger
en photo?
Depuis combien de temps es-tu l? I arrived a few weeks ago
Do you want to play football? Je suis arriv il y a quelques semaines
KdjhkdjaZo_djZgVj[ddi4 Do you have a ball?
KdjhVkZojcWVaadc4 A Kodak No 1
Do you have a camera? Brownie Model B box
Tu as un appareil photo? Are we allowed to play?
camera, sometimes
Are you hungry? On a le droit de jouer?
used during the First
Tu as faim? Is it safe? World War
Have you seen the newspaper? Cest sans risque?
Tu as vu les journaux? Can I take your picture?
Id like to give you something to remember me by Je peux te prendre en photo?
Je voudrais te donner quelque chose pour que tu te Would you like some chocolate / an orange / bully
souviennes de moi beef?
What are your trenches like? Tu veux du chocolat? Une orange? Du corned-beef?
Cest comment dans vos tranches? I have a newspaper from Germany / England / France
Do you think well meet again? Jai un journal allemand / anglais / franais
Tu penses quon se reverra? Here is a button, newspaper, badge, hat
Tiens, un bouton / un journal / un badge / un chapeau
They are muddy, wet, cold
Il y a de la boue, cest humide et il fait froid
I would like to / I hope so / I dont think so
Jaimerais bien / Jespre que oui / Non, a
mtonnerait
Translated by Feyrouz Djabali
Truce vocabulary: Hindi
Come out! We want to talk to you

Meet us half way Meet in the middle

Do you speak English / German / French? Yes I speak No I dont speak any language but my own

Where did you learn it? I learnt it at school / I lived in another country

How long have you been here? I arrived a few weeks ago

Do you want to play football? Do you have a ball?

Do you have a camera? Are we allowed to play?

Are you hungry? Is it safe?

Have you seen the newspaper? Can I take your picture?

Id like to give you something to remember me by Would you like some chocolate / an orange / bully beef?

What are your trenches like? I have a newspaper from Germany / England / France

Do you think well meet again? Here is a button, newspaper, badge, hat

They are muddy, wet, cold

I would like to / I hope so / I dont think so

Translated by Ruchira Ghosh


Truce vocabulary: German
Come out! Meet in the middle
Kommt raus! Trefft uns in der Mitte
Meet us half way Yes I speak No I dont speak any language but my own
Trefft uns in der Mitte Ja, ich spreche Nein, ich spreche keine Sprache au|3er
meiner Muttersprache
Do you speak English / German / French?
Sprecht ihr Englisch / Deutsch / Franzsisch? I learnt it at school / I lived in another country
Ich habe es in der Schule gelernt / Ich habe in einem
Darf
Where did you learn it?
Wo habt ihr es gelernt? anderen Land gelebt
I arrived a few weeks ago
ich dich
fotographieren?
How long have you been here?
Wie lange seid ihr schon hier? Ich bin vor ein paar Wochen angekommen

Do you want to play football? Do you have a ball?


Wollt ihr Fussball spielen? Habt ihr einen Ball?

Do you have a camera? Are we allowed to play?


Habt ihr eine Kamera? Drfen wir spielen?

Are you hungry? Is it safe?


Habt ihr Hunger? Ist es nicht gefhrlich?

Have you seen the newspaper? Can I take your picture?


Habt ihr gesehen was in der Zeitung steht? Darf ich dich fotographieren?

Id like to give you something to remember me by Would you like some chocolate / an orange / bully beef?
Ich wrde dir gern etwas zur Erinnerung an mich geben Mchtest du Schokolade / eine Orange / Dosenfleisch?

What are your trenches like? I have a newspaper from Germany / England / France
Wie sind eure Schtzengrben? Ich habe eine Zeitung aus Deutschland / England /
Frankreich etc.
Do you think well meet again?
Meint ihr, wir werden uns wieder sehen? Here is a button, newspaper, badge, hat
Hier ist ein Knopf, eine Zeitung, Dienstmarke, eine Mtze
We want to talk to you
Wir wollen mit euch reden They are muddy, wet, cold
Sie sind schlammig, nass, kalt
I would like to / I hope so / I dont think so
Das fnde ich schn / ich hoffe es / ich glaube nicht

Translated by Anne Bostanci


Truce vocabulary: Flemish
Come out! Meet in the middle
Kom naar buiten! Laten we elkaar in het midden ontmoeten
Meet us half way
Laten we elkaar ergens halverwege ontmoeten
Yes I speak No I dont speak any language but my own
Ja, je spreek Neen, ik spreek alleen mijn eigen taal Mag ik een foto
Do you speak English / German / French?
Spreek je Engels / Duits / Frans?
I learnt it at school / I lived in another country
Ik heb het op school geleerd. Ik heb in het
buitenland gewoond.
van je nemen?
Where did you learn it?
Waar heb je het geleerd? I arrived a few weeks ago
How long have you been here? Ik kwam hier enkele weken geleden aan
Hoe lang ben je hier al? Do you have a ball?
Do you want to play football? Heb je een bal?
Wil je voetbal spelen? Are we allowed to play?
Do you have a camera? Is het toegestaan om te spelen?
Heb je een camera? Is it safe?
Are you hungry? Is het veilig?
Heb je honger? Can I take your picture?
Have you seen the newspaper? Mag ik een foto van je nemen?
Heb je de krant gezien? Would you like some chocolate / an orange / bully
Id like to give you something to remember me by beef?
Ik zou je graag iets geven dat je aan mij herinnert Will je wat chocolade, een sinaasappel of wat
corned beef?
What are your trenches like?
Hoe is het in jouw loopgraven? I have a newspaper from Germany / England / France
Ik heb een Duitse, Engelse, Franse krant.
Do you think well meet again?
Denk je dat we elkaar nog zullen terugzien? Here is a button, newspaper, badge, hat
Hier is een knoop, een krant, een naamplaatje, een
We want to talk to you hoed
We willen met je praten
They are muddy, wet, cold
Ze zijn modderig, nat en koud
I would like to / I hope so / I dont think so
Ik zou het fijn vinden / Ik hoop het / Ik denk het niet

IgVchaViZYWnL^bKVchiZZc`^hiZ
Age range: 914 Learning objectives: Study authentic art resources and

Partner spiceshofool
Curriculum Links: Art and design, History create drawings about the events of the Christmas Truce
Global citizenship skills and values: Empathy, and designs for a war memorial
communication, creativity Exchange co
have
the artwork you
Cr ea te a
developed.
ry to ge ther.
photo galle

F Art and design: cartoons


Captain Bruce Bairnsfathers accounts of the of shuttle business and when we were resting in this Extension activity
Christmas Truce are included in the source materials. farm about five miles behind the line, I picked out the Find out how other artists portrayed the events of
He became a cartoonist during the First World War picture that I thought had the biggest punch about it the First World War. Which do you think are the most
and was famous for his drawings from the trenches. at the time and copied it on to a respectable sheet of powerful and why?
The photograph of Bairnsfather in the sources was paper and sent it off to London. More cartoons by Bruce Bairnsfather are available
taken on Christmas Day 1914 during the truce, Discuss the cartoons with the class: online at http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/
and the cartoons include his Christmas card. In L]ViXVci]ZniZaajhVWdjia^[Z^ci]ZigZcX]Zh4 football-remembers.
an interview with Canadian television, Bairnsfather L]ViYdi]ZncdiiZaajh4
remembered playing football with the Germans.
=dlYdi]ZnbV`Zndj[ZZa46gZi]Zn[jccn!
In 1958, he was asked why he started drawing. This informative or sad?
was his reply:
L]VibZhhV\ZYdndji]^c`7V^gch[Vi]Zg^hign^c\id
Out of boredom, I should say. I suddenly thought, get across in each cartoon?
Well, Id better pass the time, you know. I had this
complaint in my blood as it were, and I used to draw 8Vcndj^YZci^[nVcni]ZbZhi]Vigjci]gdj\]
on the back of envelopes or odd bits of paper or his cartoons?
cardboard boxes or anything about. Simply to amuse There is no Bairnsfather cartoon of the football
these chaps round about. And demand for these games. Ask pupils to represent the football game,
drawings slowly spread up and down. I never thought or another element of the Christmas Truce, such as
anything of it, except as a local entertainment. sharing Christmas presents, in a similar style by using
Well, then one night a staff officer came along the pencil or charcoal.
front line trench, and he looked into a dugout and he
saw one of these things stuck up there and he said,
Who did that stuff? and they said a chap down here rces
ted sou ts
called Bairnsfather, and he said Oh, and he found Sugges oun
me, and he said, You know, you ought to send one of d e two acc
in c lu Bruce
those things up to a paper. Id never dreamt of doing t h e t r u ce from
of ur
so, never thought of it. However, I thought that would n s fa t h e r and fo s
Bair awing
be a good idea, so when we got out of the trenches s and dr
you know, we worked a week in and a week out, sort cartoon ches.
en
of the tr
5 4, 55
32, 33,
Cartoon drawn by Bruce Bairnsfather.
Reproduced with the kind permission of the Bairnsfather family
Age range: 914 Learning objectives: Study authentic art resources and
Curriculum Links: Art and Design, History create drawings about the events of the Christmas Truce
Global citizenship skills and values: Empathy, and designs for a war memorial
communication, creativity

G Design a war memorial


Look at images of different types of war memorials from a variety of
different countries and conflicts. Discuss why memorials and events,
such as Remembrance Day, are important.
If you have a war memorial close to your school, try Suggested sour
ces
to arrange a visit to study it in detail. Examine the all contain either a
names and the dates of those who are remembered reference to footba
ll
on it. What does it tell us? How can you find out being played or tro
ops
who took part in th
any more information about the people who are
remembered on the monument?
Competition truce. They includ
e

Ask your pupils to design a monument to (2014 only) letters, the transcr
e two
ipts of
commemorate the Christmas Truce using the original Football Remembers is launching two television inte
rviews,
sources as inspiration. You could share these ideas a competition for UK schools a diary, a memoir
and two
with your partner school. and football club academies to photographs.
design a monument to remember
the football played during the 9, 10, 20, 21,
Christmas Truce. This competition
closes on 16 June 2014. 23, 33, 47
To enter the competition, read
the information below, then go to
http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.
This monument org/football-remembers
in Messines near
Ypres marks one
of the sites where
football was played
during the Christmas
IgjXZ#K^h^idghaZVkZ
footballs.
Photo reproduced with kind
permission of Steve Hawkins
Photography
Football Remembers Memorial Competition in
association with the National Memorial Arboretum

?
Design a contemporary war Design Criteria
The memorial should inspire and educate visitors, as
memorial that honours the soldiers well as be a place of remembrance and reflection. It
who played football during the should be:
6h^beaZVcYi^bZaZhhYZh^\cl^i]VhZchZd[Y^\c^in
Christmas Truce. Designs will
GZVY^angZXd\c^hVWaZVhVbZbdg^Va!Wjicdi
be shortlisted by the National necessarily of traditional design
Memorial Arboretum. The winning

3.5m5m maximum height


K^hjVaanXd]ZgZcil]ZchZZc[gdbVaah^YZh!Vaadl^c\
design will be selected by a panel people to gather round it on at least three sides for
a ceremony.
of judges including HRH The Duke
of Cambridge and Theo Walcott
and constructed at the National
Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire
(www.thenma.org.uk).
This competition closes on
16 June 2014. Find out more
and enter online at http://
schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/
football-remembers.
Photo reproduced with 4m
the kind permission of
David Faul
4m
Brief for Football Remembers memorial

Additional Design Considerations


The memorial should be:
GZVY^ank^h^WaZ[dghiVcY^c\X]^aYgZcVcYVYjaih
the suggested height is between 3.5 and 5m
Edh^i^dcZYdcVhiZeeZYWVhZidVaadllgZVi]hid
be placed above ground level
=VkZh^beaZWji^c[dgbVi^kZiZmii]ViXVcWZgZVY
in less than 30 seconds and have a font size of at
least 14mm
AdXViZYdcVWVhZd[hj^iVWaZegdedgi^dchcdi Photo reproduced with the kind
permission of Barry Turner
exceeding 4m by 4m
BVYZd[gdWjhibViZg^Vahhdi]Vi\gV[i^XdjaYWZ
easily cleaned off and the impact of any vandalism
is minimised
9Zh^\cZYidgZfj^gZb^c^bVabV^ciZcVcXZ
9Zh^\cZYidVXXdbbdYViZhbVaalddYZcXgdhhZh
placed by visitors around the base.
Suggested Materials
A wide variety of materials can be used. For example,
a metal such as bronze, natural stone, glass or resin.
The memorial could be figurative (for example, a
sculpture), bas relief, a rough-hewn standing stone or
cut blocks of stone. A memorial to the
If natural stone is used, it should be from a UK Footballers Battalion.
Photo reproduced with the kind
source, preferably local. For example, the National permission of the Football League
Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire uses Hollington
Sandstone, a local stone.
Age range: 1114 Learning objectives: Use the truce as an inspiration for
Curriculum Links: Citizenship, Religious Studies, PSHE, Drama developing questioning skills and the ability to see different
Global citizenship skills and values: Team work, perspectives by discussing ethical dilemmas.
communication skills, understanding intercultural contact,
empathy

H Moral education
Ethics and the Christmas Truce The Pope and
This activity builds on the diary work in which pupils General Sir Horace
Smith-Dorrien
have already explored different perspectives.
Students carry out imaginary conversations between Students should spend five minutes in their pairs
people who were involved in, or affected by, the or groups discussing the truce from the point of
truce. Adopting a persona from the sources, they view of their character, and then summarise their
discuss what they think of the truce, how it has conversation to the rest of the class. Use this as the
affected them and the reasons for their point of view. basis of a class debate about the rights and wrongs
Students work in pairs or small groups. Assign a of the Christmas Truce.
character to each student from the source materials Questions to answer (in character) during the
or ask them to choose their own. A summary of the conversations:
characters could be printed onto flash cards to help L]ViY^Yi]ZigjXZbZVcidi]Zb4
them. Older pupils could create their own. =dlY^Yi]ZigjXZV[[ZXii]Zb4
Make sure that each groups characters have L]Vi^beVXiY^Y^i]VkZdci]ZlVg4
different back stories as this will create more
interesting discussions. For example, mix up the LVh^ig^\]iidbV`Z[g^ZcYhdgeaVn[ddiWVaal^i]
different ranks of soldiers from the Allied or German enemies who you had tried to kill and who had
forces and make these two enemy sides speak to killed your friends?
each other. Include the Belgian soldier, Michel Toudy, LVh^ig^\]i[dghdaY^ZghidY^hdWZndgYZghid
in the discussions and think about why he opposed establish a truce?
the truce. Include people at home who heard news of LVh^ig^\]iidjhZi]ZXZVhZgZidignid\V^c
the truce in letters from their fathers, brothers, etc. information about the opposing forces?
=dlZVhn^h^iidhide\]i^c\VcYi]ZchiVgiV\V^c4
=dlY^Yi]ZhdaY^Zgh[ZZal]Zci]ZigjXZZcYZY4

Imperial War Museum document number HU 35801


Partner tivsc hool
ity arrange
After this ac
ate with your
to have a deb
l on these
partner schoo
H Moral education issues. Put th
view of your cl
e points of
ass to your
l.
partner schoo
Here are some characters from source German high-ranking soldiers for example,
materials that could be used for the Walter Stennes, Prince Heinrich or a German general
conversations: seeing the truce through a periscope (photo).
The Pope see reports about the Truce of God A Belgian soldier see Michel Toudy.
egdedhZYWnEdeZ7ZcZY^XiMK#
Soldiers who took part in the truce and refused Sugge
British / French rank and file soldiers for st
example, the Wray brothers, Marcel Bechu, John
to fight afterwards see the report from the many d ed sources
Staffordshire Sentinel of the Guardian report ifferent provide
on the p
Erskin from the Edinburgh Evening News, the account truce a erspectives
A young person at home reading letters reports nd inclu
of the truce from the Staffordshire Sentinel, the on the de thre
for a tr P e
unnamed officer in The Times and the soldiers and newspaper reports about the truce for uce, or opes call
example, Taegliche Rundschau, as reported in the high co d ers from
mentioned in the East Sussex Regimental War Diaries m t
Staffordshire Sentinel, or the Guardian, as reported in af ter C mand before he
who rebuffed a truce attempt by the Germans. hristma and
the Staffordshire Sentinel. Belgian s, the d
soldier iary of
German rank and file soldiers see the accounts letters, , fo a
from Hitlers regiment, Lieutenant Niemann, and Civilians, for example Belgians, who were made four me ur soldiers
regime moirs,
refugees by the fighting. nta two
others who describe playing football. photog l histories an
raph of da
throug t
British high-ranking soldiers see General Sir h a tren he truce take
Horace Smith-Dorriens orders to troops before and ch peris n
1, 2, 3, cope.
after the truce.
4
10, 13, , 5, 6,
1
18, 21, 4, 15,
2
29, 34 4, 27,
, 37, 52
Age range: 914 Learning objectives: To begin planning a football match
Curriculum links: PE, English to commemorate the Christmas Truce of 1914 and consider
Global citizenship skills and values: Communication, the attributes of an effective football player
collaboration You dont need a real
pitch, some children dont
even need shoes

I Sports activities
The football that was played at Christmas 1914 was not like a football
match you might see on a Saturday. It was played in a rough and
often bombed area of ground between the trenches. Some of the
accounts mention caps being thrown down as goal posts, but the
pitch would certainly not be marked in any way.
There were unlimited numbers on each team one Memories Thinking Ahead
soldier remembers two or three hundred taking part. Ask the pupils who has played this kind of football Organising your football match
There were no team captains, strikers or defenders. and what made it fun? How and when did it happen? Ask your pupils to think about the organisation
There was no referee. Whats the difference between this and a real of your special commemorative football match in
Some accounts have a real football sent to the troops football match? December.
for Christmas and being blown up for the game. In Make a football L]VigZhdjgXZhl^aaWZcZZYZY4
other records the football was improvised, and was In parts of the world today, children still play football =dlXVci]Zn^ckdakZVhbVcneZdeaZWdnhVcY
just something that they could kick around. on patches of land, often with their bare feet. Many girls) as possible?
There was no strip. Soldiers wore their uniforms, cannot afford a leather football, so they make their
own out of local materials. The most commonly =dll^aai]Zn`ZZehXdgZ4
including trousers and jackets, kilts and heavy
army boots. used material is plastic bags. Encourage groups =dlXVci]Znh]VgZVcYejWa^X^hZi]ZZkZci4
of students to make their own football. Have a
This lesson encourages you to recreate the spirit Encourage them to work together to develop a
competition to see which group can make the most
of this special football experience and to think timeline and a list of who will be responsible for
successful and robust football and work together
about how you might go about organising your different parts of the event. Make sure someone will
successfully as a team.
commemoration match. be on hand with a camera to take photographs of the
teams together to show that you remembered.
This is a real football from
the First World War. It was
dribbled across No Mans
Land by soldiers from the
London Irish Rifles during an
attack at the battle of Loos in
1915. They wanted to score a
goal in the German trenches.
Photo reproduced with the kind permission
of the Curator of the Regimental Museum
of the London Irish Rifles.
Four corners
Successful footballers can balance the technical,
psychological, physical and social elements across
their lives, to achieve the best results in sport.
One tool used to help them achieve this is the four
corners approach. This looks at different aspects of TECHNICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL
a players life technical, psychological, physical and
As a footballer, the skills needed to be effective on The mental strength needed by footballers:
social and develops these to achieve their potential
the pitch, for example: Decision making on the pitch
on the pitch. The model aims to develop not just the
Long and short passes To develop these skills:
player but the whole person.
Tackling 6aadli]ZeaVnZghidaZVgc[gdbi]Z^gb^hiV`Zh
The table to the right gives some examples of the
To develop these skills: and take risks
skills footballers need in each of the four corners:
6h`i]ZiZVbideaVn^cY^[[ZgZciedh^i^dchYjg^c\ AZii]ZeaVnZghZmeZg^bZciVcYbV`Zi]Z^g
different periods of the game own decisions
AZii]ZbeaVni]Z^gdlc\VbZ
EaVnY^[[ZgZci[dgbVi^dch

PHYSICAL SOCIAL
Footballers need to be in good shape for Being part of a team
the match. Following the rules of the game
To develop these skills: To develop these skills:
>cXdgedgViZ\ZcZg^XbdkZbZciV\^a^in!WVaVcXZ 6aadli]ZeaVnZghidWZ^ckdakZY^cYZX^h^dc
and co-ordination into your warm-up making processes
<^kZi]ZeaVnZghgZhedch^W^a^in
Sugges
ted sou
to footba rces con
ll being p tain a refe
that took lay renc
part in th ed or show troop e
two sold e s
iers lette truce. They inclu
interview rs , transcrip d e
s, a ts
two photo diary, a regimen of two
graphs o tal history
f the truc and
9, 10, 20
Four corners
e taking
place.
, 21, 23,
33, 47
Ask pupils if they can add to the grid by giving further
examples for each section and ideas of how these TECHNICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL
skills could be developed.
The skills needed by a soldier in the trenches, for The mental strength needed by soldiers
Soldiers fighting on the Western Front taking part in example:
the Christmas Truce also had to balance these four Risk taking
how to use and arm a gun Strategic awareness
aspects. Use the source materials to try and identify
the technical, psychological, physical and social In the truce the courage to meet the enemy.
attributes that were important during this period and In the source materials, a soldier from RJR 16 (Hitlers
add to the grid to the right. regiment) described how an enemy soldier made
his way across No Mans Land: An especially brave
man came closer, with his arms waving, then another
followed and then more and more The corporal
writing in The Saturday Review explains that even
to show your head above the parapet would have
been fatal, but tonight we go unarmed (but a little
shakey) out to meet our enemies.

PHYSICAL SOCIAL
Soldiers need to be fit. In the source materials,
Lieutenant Zehmisch describes a vigorous football
match

The FAs four corner model has been adapted for the purposes of this project.
Age range: 914 Learning objectives: To use the historical example of the
Curriculum Links: Citizenship, History, Literacy Christmas Truce to develop understanding of conflict and
Global citizenship skills and learning values: Conflict conflict resolution
resolution, self-awareness, critical analysis

J Friend and Foe conflict simulation game


What is the game about? Around this time some enemy soldiers start to share
A conflict resolution game for upper primary Christmas greetings. Gradually the soldiers begin to
and lower secondary students based around the rise out of the trenches and meet each other in No
Christmas Truce on the Western Front in 1914. The Mans Land. Carols are sung, presents exchanged and
game will challenge your students to think about their it is rumoured that football matches are played.
actions, as well as the cause and effect of conflicts. What might have happened if both sides had carried
You can see a video of a school playing this game at forward this good feeling and tried to sort out their
http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/ differences? Could the war have ended then, without
football-remembers. millions of lives being lost?
Why play the game?
The Friend and Foe game explores a process the two
sides might have used to reach a truce.
In this game cooperation (playing the Friend card)
results in the best pay-off for both sides, even if the
temptation to double cross (playing the Foe card)
is high.
A version of this game has been used in many
communities in conflict including Kosovo, Northern
Ireland, northern Nigeria, Sri Lanka and gangs in
Colombia.
The Scenario (read this to the students)
It is Christmas 1914 and the First World War started
almost four months ago. German, Belgian, French, German soldiers of the
Indian and British troops have dug themselves into 134th Saxon Regiment
trenches in northern France and Belgium. From photographed with
the trenches they fight one another across No men of the Royal
Mans Land. Warwickshire Regiment
in No Mans Land on the
Western Front

Imperial War Museum document number HU 35801.


Playing the Friend and Foe game
It will take around an hour to play. The game consists of ten rounds of each team
playing either a red or blue card. Red cards are
After each round, each team discusses what card
to play next.
You will need: cooperative: Friend. Blue cards are uncooperative: Rounds 14: During the first four rounds students
'm;g^ZcYXVgYhG:9HVcY'm;dZXVgYh7AJ:H! Foe. If you play a red card you are building trust may not communicate with the other team in any
so that each team has one of each colour with your enemy. If you play a blue card you are way. After each play, record the score.
HXdgZh]ZZi undermining the truce, or defecting. After Round 4: Each team chooses an envoy or
Split the students into two teams, A and B. Each The teams scores depend on the cards played by representative to talk to the other team (these are the
team needs an area to discuss tactics that is not the opposing team (see the score table) and whether brave soldiers who first stepped out into No Mans
within listening distance of the other team. their plays are Friend plays (maximum score three Land). They spend two minutes talking to each other
HiVgiWngZVY^c\djii]ZhXZcVg^d points) or Foe plays (maximum score six points). about how they will move forward but they do not
Note: Students will be confused by the explanation of have to stick to what they promise. They then report
NdjXVcVahdVhh^\cidZVX]iZVbVcVji]dg[gdb
the game, but all will become clear after the first few back to their teams ahead of round five.
the written sources who was in favour of the truce,
one from the German side and the other from the rounds. Tell students this before the game begins. Rounds 58: Resume play. After each play, record
Allied Forces. For example, German Lieutenant The possible plays in the card game are: the score.
Zehmisch and British Captain Robert Hamilton IldGZY;g^ZcYXVgYhWdi]XddeZgViZVcYVgZ After Round 8: Both teams meet to discuss how to
(their diaries are included in the source materials). rewarded for cooperation by receiving three move forward. The teacher should facilitate this and
Ask the teams to read the Zehmisch and Hamilton points each. students should speak only when asked, to avoid a
accounts of the truce and put themselves in the shouting match.
DcZGZY;g^ZcYVcYdcZ7ajZ;dZXVgYdcZ
place of the officers
cooperates and the other defects. The defecting Rounds 910: Resume play. The final two rounds
:meaV^cidi]ZXaVhhi]Vii]^h\VbZl^aa\^kZi]Zb player gets six points, while the cooperator are worth double points. Add up the final scores and
an opportunity to end the war, either by building a gets none. explain the conclusions below.
lasting truce or by victory/defeat.
Ild7ajZ;dZXVgYhWdi]YZ[ZXiVcYVgZejc^h]ZY Secret strategy advice for teachers: The best
for their mutual defection by having three points strategy is to cooperate on the first move and
deducted each. then repeat the play made by the opponent on the
previous move. Students should not find this out until
the end of the game.
Playing the Friend and Foe game
The conclusions After the game
Peace: both teams have more than ten points. Students should complete the evaluation form
The peace talks have worked and a truce is in place. independently to express their own feelings and
Everyone wins. not those of the group. Then discuss the findings
A fragile truce: both teams score between zero together. Points to consider include:
and ten points. A fragile truce is in place but relations =dli]Z\VbZ]ZaehndjidjcYZghiVcYi]Z
could easily break down again. Christmas Truce
One side wins the war: if one team has between I]Z[VXidghi]ViVgZ^bedgiVci^cgZhdak^c\Xdc^Xi
zero and ten points and the other has more than ten. L]ni]^h\VbZXdjaYWZjhZYidgZhdakZVcY
For a decisive victory, the winning team should have avoid conflicts
more than 30 points.
Everybody loses: both teams have zero or minus
points. The war continues at the cost of millions
of lives.

include
e d s o urces
st da
Sugge r s d ia ries an
ldie
two so l war d
iary.
e n t a
regim
3
8, 16, 2

The conflict resolution game was adapted for this pack by Professor Tom Woodhouse, University of Bradford
Score sheet
ROUND COLOR PLAYED SCORE 8JBJA6I>K:H8DG:

A B A B A B

1 GROU
PA
GROU
2 PB
SCOR
Red EA
3 SCOR
Red EB
Red
4
Blue +3
Blue
8DC;:G:C8::CKDN +3
Red 0
Blue
5 +6
Blue +6
6 0
-3
7 -3

CONFERENCE (WHOLE TEAM)

10

EA:C6GNG:K>:L
Evaluation form
What was your strategy at the beginning of the game? If you played the game again what would you do differently?

Did your strategy change as the game progressed? What did you learn from playing the game?
Age range: 914 Learning objectives: Develop an awareness of different
Curriculum Links: History, English interpretations of historical events and an ability to review
Global citizenship skills and learning values: Critical sources and consider their accuracy
thinking, reading and comprehension, debate and
discussion, analysis and value judgement

K History
In pairs or small groups, ask the pupils to make mind 1. Why were soldiers friendly towards their Give time for individuals, pairs or small groups to
maps showing what they already know, or think they enemies across the Western Front during circulate around the room reading and annotate each
know, about the Christmas Truce. Christmas 1914? source in turn. Ask them to highlight comments or
Then ask each group to write down three questions Use the information in the introduction to this pack phrases within the text or details within an image that
or topics that that they would like to investigate to recap and explain details of the Christmas Truce could suggest a particular motivation for the actions
further before their commemorative football match. of 1914. Using source material from the pack, make of soldiers on each side. Ask them to rank which they
Encourage them to ask open questions that they can a single large copy of each suggested source and think are the most important.
go on to research. mount each one on an even larger piece of paper Pupils could participate in a final debate on why
for annotation. soldiers fraternised despite propaganda depicting
Share the pupils mind maps. Talk about the pupils
existing knowledge and explore some of the Display the possible motivations for fraternisation their enemies as cruel, treacherous or barbaric.
questions or topics that have been raised. Discuss listed below. Ask pupils if there are others they can
how they can go about finding their answers. think of:
HdaY^ZghdcWdi]h^YZh[djcYi]Zn]VYZmeZg^ZcXZh
It is important that this sequence of enquiry in common
questions and activities is taught in order, as it is
designed to culminate in an assessment of the HdaY^ZghZc_dnZYhdX^Va^h^c\l^i]ZVX]di]Zg
significance of the Christmas Truce to pupils today. HdaY^ZghdcWdi]h^YZhlZgZ]dbZh^X`VcYlVciZY
The activities could be differentiated for younger to celebrate the Christmas holiday as they usually
urces for
Suggested so
pupils by limiting the number of sources they use, did with their families
ude soldiers
simplifying text or leaving out material that is deemed HdaY^ZghdcWdi]h^YZhlZgZXjg^djhidbZZii]Z^g question 1 incl
rs letters and
inappropriate for a particular age group. enemies diaries, soldie
diaries.
HdaY^ZghdcWdi]h^YZhi]dj\]i^ilVhlgdc\id`^aa extracts of war
3
at Christmas
HdaY^ZghdcWdi]h^YZhlVciZYidWjgni]Z^gYZVY#
7, 9, 16, 23, 5
ces for question
Suggested sour
ldiers letters, two
2 include four so ph
and the photogra
memoirs, a diary h a tre nc h
n throug
of the truce take
periscope.
,
10, 11, 12, 17, 19
K History 27, 52, 53

2. Since early 1915, people have disputed the 3. How significant was the Christmas Truce Ask the pupils to form pairs to carefully read the
idea that football could have been played in of 1914? suggested accounts of the truce in this pack and to
such difficult circumstances. Ask your pupils Lead a discussion about what pupils consider to be highlight words which indicate how significant the
whether they think that football was played. the most significant event in their lives so far and participants thought the truce was at the time. Lead
Display the possible reasons for debate listed ask them to give reasons for this. Ask the class what a whole class discussion and take a vote, awarding
below: significance means to them. a mark out of ten for how significant the truce
EZdeaZl]dhVn[ddiWVaalVheaVnZYVgZgZedgi^c\ Now display the following criteria for ascribing appeared to be to people at the time.
hearsay, so it was just a rumour historical significance to an historical event: Repeat the same activity for the extract over the
HdbZd[i]ZVXXdjcihd[[ddiWVaaWZ^c\eaVnZYdcan GZbVg`VWaZi]ZZkZcilVhgZbVg`ZYdcVii]Z page from the Official British War History published
emerged years and years after the war it was a time or has been since in 1926.
myth which people wanted to believe in GZbZbWZgZYi]ZZkZci]VhWZZcgZbZbWZgZY
CdBVchAVcYlVhkZgnYVc\ZgdjhVcYaaZYl^i] as important at some stage in history to a group or
wire, shellholes and the dead people could not groups of people
have played football there GZhjaiZY^cX]Vc\Zi]ZZkZci]VYXdchZfjZcXZh
HdaY^Zgh]VY\jchVcYVbbjc^i^dccdi[ddiWVaah for the future
in the trenches GZhdcVcieZdeaZhi^aaXdccZXil^i]!dggZ[Zgidi]Z
ces for
8dbbVcY^c\d[XZghldjaYcdi]VkZVaadlZY event, in the present Suggested sour
e one diary,
soldiers to fraternise. GZkZVa^c\i]ZZkZciiZaahndjhdbZi]^c\VWdji question 3 includ
th e truce,
This lesson could be differentiated for younger pupils what it was like to live at that time. a photograph of
y of 1915, a
by selecting fewer or more accessible sources. the official histor
rv ie w and a
memoir, an inte
rd .
regimental reco

16, 24, 31, 34,


35, 48
K History
During Christmas Day (1914) there was an informal suspension of If you watch one of these, or study one of the books,
you could have a similar discussion to those held
arms (truce) during daylight on a few parts of the front and a certain above and take a vote, awarding a mark out of ten for
amount of fraternization (friendly relations). Where there had been how significant the truces appear to be in this source.
Lastly, lead a discussion ensuring that pupils
recent fighting both sides took the opportunity of burying their dead understand the criteria and take suggestions as to
lying in No Mans Land and in some places there was an exchange how it could be applied to the Christmas Truce of
1914. Then ask them to consider what mark out of
of small gifts and a little talk, the Germans expressing themselves ten for significance they might award the
confident of an early victory. Before returning to their trenches both Christmas Truce.
sides sang Christmas carols and soldiers songs, each in their own
language There was to be an attempt to repeat this old time warfare
custom at Christmas 1915 but it was a small isolated one, and the
fraternisation of 1914 was never repeated.
Steer the whole class discussion of the extract, so B^X]VZaBdgejg\dhThe Best Christmas Present in
that pupils compare the accounts of 1914 with the the World
extract from the Official British War History and 7aVX`VYYZg<dZh;dgi]!:e^hdYZ+Good Byeee
explore the possible reasons why these accounts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH3-Gt7mgyM
might differ and the relative significance the sources
ascribe to the truces. =dgg^WaZ=^hidg^Zh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oODjeoRbAp8
The Christmas Truce, and particularly the game of
football, have often been depicted in plays, films and EVjaBX8VgicZnh&.-(]^iPipes of Peace, which
books about the First World War. For example: depicts the Christmas Truce of 1914
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa7Wwmuo9yY
Film and play, Oh What a Lovely War!
B^X]VZa;dgZbVchWar Game

This activity was developed with the support of the Institute of Education, University of London.
Age range: 914 Learning objectives: Use research skills to learn about
Curriculum Links: History, English, Drama, Citizenship football in the First World War and find out how propaganda
Global citizenship skills and learning values: Research was used to encourage footballers and fans to join up
skills, team work, community awareness, reading and
comprehension, presentation skills

?
L Find a footballer
Create a profile of a First World War footballer
and present your research as a poster. This
could be someone from your area, someone
from a local team or someone whose story
inspires your pupils. This activity gives students
a human connection with football in the First
World War through an individual players story,
professional or amateur, man or woman.
Ask students to work independently or in pairs Sugge
s
to research a footballer, record their findings and includ ted source
e back s
present them to the class. They could use a wide readin gr
g and ound
range of sources. Online research, libraries and of foot examp
ba les
football club historians are a good place to start. inspire llers storie
p st
Remind them to record the sources they use. a phot upils, as we o
ograph ll as
They could use the following guidance and template and In of Brit
dia ish
to help them. playing n soldiers
f
Make a display in your school of all the footballers the fro ootball behin
ntline, d
local c w
your pupils find, swap stories with your partner hildren atched by
school, and upload what the students find to the .
38, 39
British Council Schools Online site.
, 46
L Find a footballer research worksheet
NAME DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH A PHOTOGRAPH

Deciding who to research can be one of the If you can find one that is free of
BACKGROUND copyright restrictions.
toughest decisions here are a few options
to help you get started: Where did he (or she) grow up, what was their
family like, what was their job before, or as well as, A DRAWING
9dndjeaVn[ddiWVaa^cViZVbidYVn49^Y
your team exist at the outbreak of the First World playing football? Be an artist! From what you have discovered, what
War? If so, can you find out what happened to the do you think your footballer looked like?
people who played in your team during the war? WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM IN THE WAR?
9dndjhjeedgiV[ddiWVaaiZVbidYVn49^Y When did they join up to fight, and which regiment RESOURCES USED
your football team exist during the First or battalion did they join? Its always important to explain how you got your
World War? Can you find out who played If you are finding out about a female footballer, information and where you got it from.
for them, and what the team did during the what did she do during the war? Why did she start
war? (This is a good place to start whether playing football?
you support a small local club or one of
the Premier Leagues top four teams.)
WHAT HAPPENED AFTERWARDS?
9jg^c\i]ZlVg!Y^YldbZceaVn[ddiWVaa^cndjg
area? What can you find out about them? If they survived, what did they do after the
war? If they died, are they remembered
6gZi]ZgZVcnhidg^Zh^cndjg[Vb^andgXdbbjc^in somewhere? For example, on a war
about football in the First World War? There memorial or at their football club.
may be a very special story on your doorstep.
Perhaps a great-great-uncle who loved to play Remember that most people who took part in the
football before the war signed up. Ask your war came home 88 per cent of soldiers returned.
parents, grandparents and other relatives or
people from your local area. This could include
sheltered housing for older people, as their
parents might have been involved in the war, and
local history groups.
L Find a footballer research worksheet
Name What happened to them in the war? An image

Date and place of birth

Background

What happened afterwards?

Resources used
Age range: 914 Learning objectives: Use research skills to learn about
Curriculum Links: History, English, Drama, Citizenship football in the First World War and find out how propaganda
Partn
Excha er scho
Global citizenship skills and learning values: Research was used to encourage footballers and fans to join up
skills, team work, community awareness, reading and ng o
poster e recruitme l
comprehension, presentation skills s with nt
partne yo
r scho ur
ol.

M Propaganda and football


Recruiting footballers to the armed forces Football Battalion recruitment poster Divide the class into small groups and give them
propaganda Young men of Britain!!! The Germans said you some or all of the sources from the above list to
At the start of the First World War, football carried on were not in earnest We knew youd come and work with. Discuss your findings together. Ask
as usual. Some people thought that this was wrong Give Them The Lie! Play the Greater Game students to look at the sources and answer the
and that men who played football should be fighting on the Field of Honour. The poster quotes following questions:
for their country. a German newspaper as saying, The young L]VibZhhV\Z^hi]ZedhiZg$aZiiZg$\VbZ$Vgi^XaZ
The Football Association (FA) and the government Britons prefer to exercise their long limbs on the trying to get across?
encouraged footballers to join up. One way they did football ground rather than to expose them to =dlYdZh^iYdi]^hi]gdj\]^ihaVc\jV\Z!aVndji!
this was through propaganda. any sort of risk in the service of their country. use of images?
The source materials include posters and a letter They also include a poster encouraging Irish soldiers L]Vi`^cYd[aVc\jV\ZYdZh^ijhZ4=dlYdZh^ih
from the FA sent to footballers encouraging them to enlist by encouraging them to join a Grand language help to get the message across?
to enlist: International Match against Germany and Austria,
a football-themed game from the time and three =dlYdi]ZedhiZghVcYaZiiZgVeeZVaidndjg
FA Poster An Appeal to Good Sportsmen emotions? What effect do they have?
issued in 1914, urging men to enlist now and show newspaper articles.
that they are good sportsmen Every man must 8dbeVgZVcYXdcigVhii]ZhdjgXZh#L]^X]Ydndj
know his duty to himself and to his country. think are the most effective and why?

I]Z;6hZciVletter to footballers encouraging 9Zh^\c[ddiWVaagZXgj^ibZciedhiZgh[dgVY^heaVn#


them to join the Footballers Battalion. Its closing
line was, We do urge you as a patriot and a
urces include
footballer to come to the help of the country in Suggested so r
t posters, a lette
its hour of need. three recruitmen ll
ad of the Footba
written by the he e
me from the tim
Association, a ga ticles.
t newspaper ar
and three shor
44,
40, 41, 42, 43,
45, 50, 56
Introduction to the sources
These original sources include a range of documents:
AZiiZghejWa^h]ZY^ccZlheVeZgh This selection has been chosen to
:migVXih[gdb]VcYlg^iiZcY^Vg^Zh reflect many different sides of the
kept by families and passed to story. We have looked for accounts
museums from the British and the Germans,
E]did\gVe]hiV`ZcWnhdaY^ZghVi French, Belgian and Indian soldiers
the time and sent to newspapers and civilians and published them in
to be published their original languages, as well as
:mVbeaZhd[i]ZhdjkZc^ghi]Vi in translation.
soldiers exchanged The sources are presented
LVggZXdgYhhZciidXdbbVcY authentically with the original
headquarters grammar and spelling.
BZbd^ghejWa^h]ZYYjg^c\i]ZlVg
and in the years since This is real history.
EgdeV\VcYVedhiZgh
=^hidg^Zhd[[ddiWVaaVcY[ddiWVaaZgh
during the First World War.

Thanks to the British Library for their help in finding these sources.
Every reasonable effort has been made to trace copyright holders and obtain permission from them. The British Council has acted in good faith at all times
and on the best information available to us at the time of publication. Please contact the British Council if you own copyright in any material which has been
included in this schools pack without your consent.
Map from January 1915 reproduced with the kind permission of the In Flanders Fields Museum
Source: 1 H Moral education

The Times, 8 December 1914


EdeZ7ZcZY^XiMKlVhdcZd[V]VcY[jad[^ciZgcVi^dcVa\jgZhl]d
saw the celebration of Christmas as an ideal opportunity to hasten
the end of the war, and sent a communication to all the Powers on
6 December 1914. This proposed a Truce of God at Christmas to The Pope: the leader of
run for three days, from 2325 December 1914. On 9 December, the Roman Catholic Church
Germany stated it was not opposed in principle to the Popes
suggestion of a truce at Christmas and, two days later, Germany
agreed to a truce. On 16 December 1914, the Cologne Gazette
reported that Germanys allies, Austria-Hungary and Turkey, had
agreed to the Popes proposal for a Truce of God at Christmas.

The Pope is endeavouring to bring about


an understanding whereby a truce may
be made possible during the Christmas
season. It is thought, however, that there is
little hope of this succeeding. EdeZ7ZcZY^XiMKlVh
Pope from September
1914 to his death in
January 1922
Source: 2 H Moral education

Daily Express, 10 December 1914

WHAT GERMANY WOULD LIKE


The Hague, Wednesday, Dec 9.
The Berliner Tageblatt states that
the Pope has sent an appeal to all the
belligerent Powers with the object of
bringing about a three days truce for
Berliner
Christmas. the name
Tageblat
t:
The truce would extend from December published
of a news
in Berlin
paper
23 to the date of the Roman Christmas. Belligere
nt: fightin
Germany is not opposed to the suggestion war g, making

on principle and the Tageblatt admits Roman C


Decembe
hristmas
: 25th of
that the Papal suggestion is excellent from Orthodox
r, in contr
ast to the
Christmas
the humanitarian standpoint. celebrate
d later
, which is
Coat of arms
Papal su
ggestion of Pope
suggestio : the Pope
n s 7ZcZY^XiMK
Humanit
arian: for
of people the
s well bein benefit
g
Source: 3 H Moral education

The Church Times, 18 December 1914

a p p e a rs , h a s appealed to the
THE POPE , it ostile or
, e x h o rt in g them to suspend en t : o n e that is h
that is
belligerent Pow e rs Belliger , especially one
n g th e C h ri st mas week [] aggress
ive
hostilities d u ri in war
re enga d e
Truce of God we
g
feeling
b e fe lt th a t if a m p t uously: ctful
it may
o c e rt a in ty th e conditions Con t e
t/ a n g r y, disrespe
is n contemp
agreed to, there b se rv ed by a nation r a ll y : acting
against
s
o u ra b ly o Imm o principle
would be hon d immorally tears
up esta b li s h e d moral
p tu o u sl y a n ting
that conte m ies: figh
m e re sc ra p o f paper. Shocking Hostilit
a treaty as a b e w a r at the season
sh o u ld
as it is that there e ti m e for suspending
E a rt h , th
of Peace on ome
ie s h a s n o t y e t arrived: it will c
hostilit y.
th e b e a te n e n e my sues for merc
only when
Source: 4 C Write a truce diary
The inculcation of the
fence:
H Moral education offensive spirit in the de
getting soldiers to fight
t
Antecedent: something tha
comes before an event

Orders issued Morale: mood of a person/g


being confident, chee rfu l an d
roup

tasks
Orders issued to officers of the 3rd and 5th Division by willing to perform assigned
ng
General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, 4 December 1914 Armistices: pauses in fighti
ag ree no t to
where both sides
It is not surprising that groups of men who were attack another
sitting in opposing trenches could hear and
Lethargy: laziness
sometimes even speak to each other. Sometimes,
the British and German troops would hold singing
competitions.
defence
The British High Command became aware that
incidences of this kind were taking place and had Although the Corps Commander is
increased in the run up to Christmas. General of the opinion
Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien was an experienced
professional soldier who understood how his troops
might be feeling. He became increasingly concerned
that his soldiers would be tempted to fraternise with the greatest danger to the morale
of the troops
the enemy during the Christmas period, and this
might have serious consequences for the war
effort overall.
This is an order he issued to try to prevent this.

Document held in The National Archives, number WO 95-1560


Source: 5 C Write a truce diary
H Moral education

Confidential memorandum
Issued to officers of the 2nd Corps by General Sir a friendly gatherin
g had taken
Horace Smith-Dorrien, 27 December 1914
This memorandum was issued
to British Officers by General
Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien
after he heard reports of the ting that any
also from illustra
Christmas Truce.

longing to
Neutral: be
neither side of
: an example
Illustrative
rest
p a th e ti c : lack of inte
A
y action:
Disciplinar
t
punishmen

Grave of General Sir Horace


Smith-Dorrien, St Peters
Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Document held in The National Archives, number WO 95-1560


Dixmude (French) / Diksmuide (Flemish): Belgian city
Source: 6 C Write a truce diary
in West Flanders that was occupied by the Germans after
H Moral education a fierce battle in 1914
Ruins of Dixmude: the town was badly damaged by the
fighting in October and November 1914
Grenadiers: elite soldiers who traditionally led assaults

The diary of Michel Toudy on the enemy and threw hand grenades.
Boche: slang for German soldier
Nauseating: sickening
Armistice: pause in the fighting
Not everyone in the trenches
wanted to take part in the truce.
Shortly before Christmas 1914, Evening in the trenches at Dixmude [] During
the night of 2425. Unusually
front line Belgian troops stopped
the German advance and held
on to a small part of their land.
This victory was a huge source
of national pride as Germany had
invaded Belgium and any victory
against the occupying force was
to be celebrated. Michel Toudy
was a Belgian soldier who fought
on the Western Front from 1914,
until he was killed by a grenade
in July 1917. In this extract from
his diary, he describes how he
felt when the fighting stopped.
is not doing this that will deliver our dear ones
and those who are under their

Reproduced with the kind permission of the In Flanders Fields Museum.


Translated by Paul Docherty.
ers information
Scout: a soldier who runs messages or gath
Source: 7 C Write a truce diary Amiable: friendly, easy-going
K History Detachments: small groups
Solemnity: seriousness
25th Dec 1914 Fromelles
Xmas, fine and frosty, one

Extract from the


man wounded. On the nig
the German trenches opposi ht of Christmas Eve,
te those occupied by the ba
with lanterns and there wer ttalion were lit up
e sounds of singing. We got

Regimental War Diaries with the Germans who wer into conversations
e anxious to arrange an arm
Xmas. A scout named F Me istice during
nzies went out and met a
was given a glass of whisk German patrol and

of 7th Division, 20th saying that if we didnt fire


firing during the night. Ear
y and some cigars, and a
me
at them they would not fire
ly on Xmas morning a par
ssage was sent back
at us. There was no

Brigade, 2 Battalion, Regiment came on to our


went out to meet them. The
own wire fence, and a par
y appeared to be most am
ty
ty
fro
of Germans 158
m our trenches
iable and exchanged
Scots Guards
souvenirs, cap stars and ba
dges. Our men gave them
which they much appreciat plum puddings
ed. Further down the line
arrangements to bury the we were able to make
dead who had been killed
were still lying between the on Dec 1819 and
Each division of the British Army half way line and we burie
trenches. The Germans bro
ught the bodies to a
d them. Detachments of Bri
kept a war diary in which they formed in line and a Germa
n and English Chaplain rea
tish and Germans
d some prayers
recorded a brief summary of the alternately. The whole of thi
s was done in great solem
nity and reverence
events which occurred on each I talked to several officers
and men Another officer
who could not speak
day of the war. Here is an example English of French appeared
to want to express his feelin
gs, pointed to the
dead and reverently said
of what one recorded during think something of the Bri
Les Braves which shows tha
t the Germans do
tish Army.
Christmas 1914.
The men I spoke to were als
o reticent. They appeared
fighting, and wanted to get generally tired of
back to their previous emplo
in England. One man told yments. Some lived
me he had been seven yea
had married last March. rs in England and
Another said he had a gir
and said it had been impos l who lived in Suffolk
sible to communicate with
since war began. her through Germany

Reverence: respect
Les Braves: French for the brave men.
Reticent: shy, holding back
Previous employments: the work they had done before the war
Document held in The National Archives, number WO 95/1657
Communicate: get in touch
Source: 8 J Conflict resolution

25 Dec 1914 Fort Desquin, Neuve Chappelle


This situation continued right through the night. At dawn, 25th, the Germans
Extract from the shouted out Merry Xmas from their trenches and danced and sang in front of
their parapets.
Regimental War
Message from Bde [8:40am]
Diary of 1 Battalion, 8th Division reads so long as Germans do not snipe, there should be no sniping
Royal Irish Rifles from our lines today but greatest vigilance must be maintained as Germans are not

Each division of the British


Army kept a war diary in which
they recorded a brief summary
of events that occurred on 3 [11:30am] Progress Report. All very quiet along my front. Has been no sound
each day of the war. Here is an
example of what one recorded of armistice terminating 12 m.n. tonight. The instructions are being obeyed by both
during Christmas 1914. sides. [] Position in our trenches is Careful guard by those being on duty while
allowing those off duty to relax. This seems to be the German attitude also.

men are mostly in their trenches. Three are out in rear of their parapets. Actual
communication with the enemy is forbidden.

soldiers themselves are probably simple minded enough about the thing but only
time will show whether there is not something behind all this and whether we have

continued overleaf
Source: 8 J Conflict resolution

Extract from the Regimental War Diary Parapet


of 1 Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles (continued) very dan
Snipe: s
s: the top
o
gerous to f the trench,
nip
lo ok over
enemy e ers tried to shoo
ven whe t
open fig n there w the
hting as no
Vigilanc
e:
very care watching out, be
ful ing
Flank: sid
e
The following notes are recorded. Armistic
e: a paus
Termina e in fighti
ng
1. The truce sought entirely by the enemy. 12 m.n.:
ting: end
ing
12 midnig
ht

revolver at 12 m.n. tonight (25th/26th) at which signal the truce


ends.
Soldiers from the Royal Irish
Rifles (believed to be from 1
Battalion) in a communication
trench behind the front lines
in France in July 1916.

Document held in The National Archives, number WO 95/1730


Source: 9 B English and drama I Sports activities
Postcard with the names of
G Design a war memorial K History two German soldiers written
on it. Sent by Harry Hackett,
1st Battalion Grenadier
Guards, who participated in

Edinburgh Evening News, the truce.

2 January 1915
This is a letter from Company
Sergeant Major Fran Naden,
II Corps, 5th Division, 15th
Brigade, 6 Battalion, Cheshire.
Soldiers regularly wrote letters
home to their families about
their experiences during the
war. It was common practice,
particularly early in the war and held his hands up. Our fellow
s immediately got out of
when British newspapers were
forbidden from reporting what
was happening, for families to
pass soldiers letters to local
newspapers so that they could
be printed and read by everyone.
and wished it was over. They gre
atly admired our equipment and
haved in a
Fraternised: be
friendly, brotherly
way got an order that all communicatio
n and socialising with the
ving a fun time
Jollification: ha
n knives
Jack knives: pe

Reproduced with the kind permission of Andy Rudall.


Source: 10 B English and drama I Sports activities
G Design a war memorial K History
H Moral education 25 Dec 1914

The Times,
2 January 1915
This is a letter from an unnamed
officer of III Corps, 4th Division,
11th Brigade, 1 Battalion, Rifle
Brigade, on 26 December 1914.
Soldiers regularly wrote letters
home to their families about
their experiences during the
war. It was common practice,
particularly in the early months of
the war when British newspapers
were forbidden from reporting
what was happening, for families
to pass the soldiers letters to
the local newspapers so that
they could be printed and read
by everyone.

continued overleaf
Source: 10 B English and drama I Sports activities
Bosche: slang for German
G Design a war memorial g races
K History Henley Regatta: high society event with rowin
n as a place
that takes place each year near London, know
H Moral education for high fashion and a great show
Blighters: troublesome people

The Times,
the
Aisne: the Battle of Aisne was fighting between
near the River
Germans and the British and French troops
1914 and led
Aisne in France. It started on 13 September
2 January 1915 (continued) to the digging of trenches that became the
Western Front

Platoon: an army unit made up of 27 soldiers,


plus one
officer in charge
all
Cap comforter stuffed with straw: a footb
improvised from odds and ends
A rum show: strange or odd business

chat. They gave our fellows cigars and we gave them English

The front cover


of The Sphere,
9 January 1915

as I trust these devils not an inch. This morning war has


graves
Digging party: a group of soldiers sent to dig
Source: 11 C Write a truce diary or trenches
someone
K History Pay tribute: to show your respect or value
or something in front of othe r peop le
with the
Chaplain: a religious representative stationed
soldiers, such as a vicar / pries t

The Staffordshire Sentinel,


the
Padre: a religious representative stationed with
soldiers, such as a vicar / pries t
and
The line: the front line of the battle where Allied
6 January 1915 (1) German soldiers were fighting
Pet enemies: the writer showing he had mixe
d
feelings about the enemy
The Staffordshire Sentinel is a local Foe: an enemy
British newspaper which published
a first-hand account of the truce. It ho ur s of daylight on Chri
stmas
ranged fo r th e fe w
described how German and English A truce had been ar
the dead.
soldiers worked together to bury Day for the burial of
aves
their dead and how the state of the [...]
re ad y bu sy on th e two big common gr
were al
ground in No Mans Land prevented The digging parties d w or k sl ow and laborious []
ha rd an
but the ground was [] the
them from playing football. rs se em ed a go od te mpered, amiable lot,
The German soldie

groups.

one of the most im pressive things I


chaplain read a short service. It was
.
British troops from have ever witnessed ded, watching the fu
ll, grave
by si de , ba re -h ea
d side
the Northumberland Friend and foe stoo
Hussars, 7th Division
meeting German es at his feet.
troops in No-Mans the poor broken bodi s pl ayed the Germans
at
line I he ar ou r fe llo w
Land during the Elsewhere along the
as Day.
unofficial truce
Imperial War Museum document football on Christm w ou ld like a game but as
the
s remarke d th at th ey
Our own pet enemie s, and as
uch cut up by ditche
number Q 50720.
l ro ot cr op s an d m
is al
ground in our part call it off.
r, w e ha d no t go t a football, we had to
moreove
Source: 12 K History

Grimsby Daily Telegraph, 3 January 1915


In this article, a British
W
newspaper reports on a first- COLONELS CHALLENGE A NE
hand account of the truce. The YEAR DAYS MATCH
nt up to
letter describes how they used This morning (Christmas Day) I we Colonel:
high-rankin
happy
the time to bury the dead and the trenches and wished every man a charge of
hundred s
a battalion
g officer in
of several
oldiers
hoped to play football on New Christmas [] Saxon: a
and the
As I was coming away [] our men
German fr
Years Day. of Saxony
, capital D
om the re
gion
another
Germans both started running to one
resden
Truce / A
rmistice:
to stop fig an agreem
and met half way and shook hands. hting for a
period of
ent
time

for the
back but was told they wanted a truce
th that.
day to bury their dead, so I agreed wi
a smart
After ordering half the men to keep
forward
look out in the trenches [] I went
and joined the crowd.
ll and
I met a Saxon who talked English we
who interpreted for me []
on
I said if they would have an armistice
at
A burial party of the 42nd
Division. Groups of soldiers
New Years Day we would play them
were occupied digging graves football between our lines []
for the fallen.
Source: 13 C Write a truce diary
H Moral education

The Staffordshire Sentinel, 6 January 1915 (2)


After the truce, some soldiers did A SEQUEL TO
not want to go back to fighting THE TRUCE:
FRENCH AND
the men they had met. This GERMANS RE
TO FIGHT AF FUSE
British newspaper article reports TERWARDS
A Paris corresp
on this effect of the truce. ondent of The M
Guardian says: anchester
therly,
g : b e ing bro
nisin The cases of frate
Frater iends rnising between
fr era British
making fo r et cet gs and German sold
revia t io n
r thin iers at Christmas
&c: abb ans and othe stand alone: sim do not
which m e
ilar incidents oc
so forth wed between German curred
or and t h at follo s and French. I h
n t s
l: eve one such story fr ave heard
Seque om a wounded F
soldier who has rench
just arrived at a
hospital from th Parisian
e front. He said
night of Decemb that on the
er 24th, the Fren
Germans [] ca ch and
me out of their re
trenches and me spective
t halfway betwe
They not only ta en them.
lked, exchanged
&c, but also dan cigarettes,
ced together in ri
sequel was more ngs. The
interesting than
itself. The Frenc the event
h and German so
had thus fraternis ldiers who
ed subsequently
refused to
from the trenche
s and replaced b
y other men.
Source: 14 H Moral education

The Staffordshire Sentinel, 9 January 1915


Local newspaper the Taegliche
Rundschau
name of a G : the
Staffordshire Sentinel in a long erman newsp
The Taegliche Rundschau (it translates aper
as Daily
published this short notice which lies Observation
article, points out the danger
s)
on 9 January1915. The ans and Fraternisati
on: brotherly
British newspaper was telling in fraternisation between Germ behaviour, m
aking friends
were recently
its readers about a German French, and greetings such as Overtures:
openings to
hes. friendship
news report that strongly exchanged between the trenc Gravity: seri
says and we
disapproved of fraternisation. War is no sport the journal Rapproche
ousness
o made these ment: startin
are sorry to say that those wh friendship g
did not clearly
overtures or took part in them High treaso
n: the very se
situation. crime of taki rious
understand the gravity of the your country,
ng action ag
ainst
escape the
These considerations did not
punished at
time by deat this
h
es, and the
attention of the army authoriti
tisfaction that
newspaper states with great sa
mber 29th
an army order issued on Dece
fraternisation
forbids for the future similar
the enemy in the
and any rapprochement with
trenches.
will be
All acts contrary to this order
punished as high treason.
Source: 15 B English and drama
H Moral education

Edinburgh Evening News, 12 January 1915


This British newspaper reports on
S TRAGEDY
a first-hand account by Rifleman A CHRISTMA
rrative of the Chr
istmas
An interesting na d in a
John Erskin of what happened frat er ni sa tio n at th e front is containe
in the trenches at Christmas
fermline.
1914. The letter describes the his mother in Dun and 26th
t the 24th, 25th,
He says they spen the most
truce and what happened after a em be r in th e tr enches and it was
Dec []
as he ever spent
soldier disobeyed the order not peculiar Christm
to shoot. cle of a
e amazing specta
We witnessed th

their
hu nd re d on th e other pointed at
ory and a few
Narrative: st heads. beer, and
on: brotherly en two barrels of
Fraternisati T he y ga ve ou r m
aking friends
-beef.
behaviour, m a few tins of bully
nned we threw across the trench duri
es ng the
army food, ti ag ed y in
Bully-beef: We ha d a tr g on.
king etc was goin
beef time the hand-sha r strict
rdinary soldie
rs ars disobeyed ou
Regulars: o One of the Regul
d above
o rp o ra l: a soldier ranke mediately replie
d, and
C
The Germans im
a private several
tt a li o n : an army unit of
Ba e of our
hundred me
n
tu na te ly, th is happened to be on
Unf or . He
w ho w as sh ot through the head
corporal s,
urs.
died within 24 ho with the
e fact connected
A most regr bl et ta
others
ir w as th at he has other three br
affa a most
and it must have
in this battalion,
fect on them.
disheartening ef Photo reproduced with thanks to John Krijnen
Source: 16 C Write a truce diary
J Conflict resolution
K History

Captain Robert Hamiltons diary


Captain Robert Hamilton fought
in the trenches from 1914 to
1915. He was a senior soldier
who was in charge of several
hundred men. He kept a diary as could in double Dutch, arranged a local armistice for 48 hours, and
during the war and he described returned to our trenches.
what happened at Christmas in This was the signal for the respective soldiers to come out.
1914. His men fraternised with
the Germans but he made sure considerable distance. The soldiers on both sides met in their hundreds, and
they still kept watch for an attack.
same to ours.

Saxon: a German from


the region of Saxony, ca
pital Dresden
Double Dutch: any lan
guage that you cannot attended another in our own.
understand
Armistice: an agreeme
nt to stop fighting for a
period of time []
The Trocadero: a fam
ous London restauran
Altogether was a most enjoyable evening.
t
Sentries: soldiers who
keep watch

after midnight.

Reproduced with the kind permission of Andrew Hamilton.


Source: 17 A Introductory activity
K History

The Saturday Review,


25 December 1915
This British soldier was injured on
Boxing Day 1914, just after the
Christmas Truce ended. He wrote they were exceptionally qu
iet.
his story for one of the nurses in
hospital afterwards. He describes
what happened on Christmas Day
and how they played football, voices amongst them []
possibly with the Germans. The stillness of the night
and our mood (Xmas

continued overleaf
Source: 17 A Introductory activity
K History

The Saturday Review,


25 December 1915
(continued)

and out to guide us.

for years. []

continued overleaf
the Western
ipi ng : sni per s target and shoot individual soldiers. On
Sn d and kept
d themselves in No Mans Lan
Source: 17 A Introductory activity Fro nt, the
for
y oft
ene
en
my
cam
sol
oufl
die
age
rs heads appearing above the
parapet. This
wa tch it.
so dangerous to look over
K History was one reason why it was
nch,
dbags at the top of the tre
Loopholes: a gap in the san we d sol die rs to look out
etim es fitte d wit h a ste el plate, which allo
som
ng their heads.
of the trench without exposi

The Saturday Review, Shell: a bomb

25 December 1915
(continued)
I was surprised at the good English some of them

across to their trenches.

word is passed along for ou


r section to retire to
reserve trenches.

and also saw me up on the parapet and waging my

in thigh. In all I had six pie


ces of shrapnel and two
Source: 18 H Moral education

end it either
Frank R Wray and With the approach of
in or near th e tre nc he
Chris
s.
tm as it be ca me cle ar that we should sp

rmal watch [] It so
on

Maurice Wrays memoir And so on Ch


became clear
ris
[
tm
] th
as
at
Ev
th
e
e
They ha
we
Ge
d
se
rm
br
ttled down to our no
ans were celebrating
ou gh t up a ba
Christm as
nd into their fro nt
Ev e
lin e
in th
tre
eir
nc hes
customary manner. th nations, quite
ed to hy mn s an d tunes common to bo
Two British brothers Frank R and as we lis ten
ve of nostalgia passe
d over us.
understandably a wa pocket lamp appeared
Wray and Maurice Wray fought ite da rk th e light from an electric llets and
When it beca me qu
y th is wo uld ha ve drawn a hail of bu
on the Western Front. They told on the German para
pet. Norm
tli ni
all
ng the trenches as far as
the eye could see and
d
no
in
ht s we re ou ed we wa ite
their story of what happened soon these lig hen the lights dows
ity could be heard. W e usual sentries poste
d
sound of hostile activ (nevertheless with th
during the Christmas Truce the stillness of a be au tif ul ni gh t,
markable Christm as Da y th at an y
e dawn of the most re voice from the Germ
an
after the war had ended. In and fully alert) for th dawn was breaking a
er lik ely to se e. As
of us was ev
this account they describe the
football match and how the truce armistice. rose from their holes
th e tro ops from both sides
After some in iti al ca ut ion se in No Mans Land
lasted for more than a week. eir leg s and then to fraterni 10
in the ground to str etc h th continued for about
tre nc he s a ha pp y state of affairs which foo tb all ma tch
between the our left arranged a
the 10th Brigade on g contacted in the
days... a Battalion of e of their number havin
Te am on l who was
ches at the against a Ge rm an tball club in Liverpoo
Front line trenches: the first tren memb er of his loc al foo
opposing unit a fellow
edge of No Mans Land re sse r!
the past / also his haird
Nostalgia: thinking fondly about
[]
homesickness t
n both sides to the New Year. In fac
Armistice: an agreement betwee , bu t on ou r se cto r at least, it lasted into ou r wi re .
stop fighting for a period of time
very few days was extricated from
very drunken German igade as a prisoner.
on New Years Eve a ar s an d sent him down to Br til
Fraternise: make friends We relieved him of so me cig eace to continue un
wi th th an ks as they wanted the P ed [ ]
hundred men Brigade return ed him
of the wood was co mp let
Battalion: an army unit of several sive work on the edge
some important defen

Reproduced with the kind permission of the In Flanders Fields Museum.


Source: 19 B English and drama
C Write a truce diary
K History

William Tapps diary We go back to trenches ton


ight Xmas Eve

some singing from their


William Tapp was a British Army Gers who can speak Eng
trenches and ours, [] an
d one of the
is shouting over to us to go
batman (personal servant) in the shout back Come half wa
y it is agreed on, our serge
over, we
trenches who kept a diary until out. ant goes
he died in April 1915. A batmans
duties would often include acting
as a runner to convey orders Merry Xmas we wait for the
Sergeants return, he gets
from the officer to subordinates; back and
maintaining the officers uniform dont, they have got lights
all along their trench and
tree lit up they are singing also a Xmas
and personal equipment; driving []
It is funny to hear us talk
the officers vehicle; acting as the have nothing to do no woun
to one another our stretcher
bearers
officers bodyguard; and other tasks ded to carry tonight, so the
y have all
the officer did not have time to do They sing several in our tre
nch before going, the Gers
himself. Tapp fought in the trenches a cheer for singing, this ni
ght I would not have misse
give them
from 1914 and he wrote about the dont go to sleep till 2.30. d for a lot I
Christmas Truce. Here he describes Xmas morning, get up at
6.30, see all the Germans
about on top of their trenc walking
how they swapped souvenirs with hes, now some of them are
coming over
the Germans and tried to set up a
Boxing Day football match.
are worse than ours.
continued overleaf
Source: 19 B English and drama
C Write a truce diary
K History

William Tapps diary badge and 2 cigarettes.


(continued) 9 am Xmas morning, a mi
are ordered to the trenches
st come over and their men
and ours
, about an hour after the mi
lifts and we catch them pu st suddenly
tting barbed wire out, and
they catch
Here today we have another
gathering of Germans an
one mass, about 150 of the d us it was
m and half as many of us
laughing and talking we all in a ring
are trying to arrange a foo
with them for tomorrow. tball match

of course we must, and sh


all do, but it dosent seem
right to be
up with Germans it is cer
tainly go as you please tod
ay, we have
n I dont know what our Gene
earer: perso
Stretcher b r ral would say if he knew
about
a stretcher fo this. Food is pretty good tod
who carries ay, beef, potatoes and plum
le dinner, toast and butter ste duff for
injured peop wed prunes and custard an
lum pudding cake for tea. [] d Xmas
Plum duff: p
or
rge weapons
Artillery: la
guns our artillary are going to
shell them at 9 am, some
bs we will get in your trenc of them say
Shells: bom hes we will be safer, this
will stop the
I carnt bring myself to sh
ake hands with them, as I
I shouldnt if they were in know
our country I have not for
Belgium and I never did lik gotten
e the word German.

Reproduced with the kind permission of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Museum.
Mass o
Source: 20 A Introductory activity fs
of soldie oldiery: a big
rs group
G Design a war memorial Melee:
a jumble
of peop
le
I Sports activities

Interview with Ernie Williams


Ernie Williams from Stockport, a private who served in the
6th Cheshire Territorials at Ypres at Christmas 1914, was
interviewed for BBC Grandstand in 1983.

Ernie Williams: Christmas Eve the Germans we Ernie Williams: Cigarettes, goodies from Christmas Presenter: In what sort of spirit was the football
could hear singing. We guessed they were Christmas parcels, and what have you. match played?
carols. Presenter: How did the football come about? Ernie Williams: Everybody seemed to be enjoying
Presenter: No shooting? Ernie Williams: Of course there was a mass of themselves. There was no sort of ill-will between.
Ernie Williams: No, no, no shooting at all. We never people there. It appeared from somewhere and I There was some of them that could speak English of
fired a shot. Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. And it didnt know where. It came from their side, it wasnt the Germans, I dont think there was many of our side
went on for two or three days. Mind you the officers, from our side where the ball came. that could speak German.
when we starting swarming over the trench tried to Presenter: It was a proper football? Presenter: Was there a referee?
rush us back. They didnt want some of them Get Ernie Williams: Oh, no referee. No you didnt need a
back you fools, and all that sort of thing, but we Ernie Williams: It was a proper football yes, and they
kicked it about. They made like goals and one fellow referee for that sort of a game.
didnt take any notice.
went in goal and then it was a general kickabout. Presenter: Do you remember what the score was in
Presenter: So how did that meeting come about in the football?
No Mans Land? Presenter: How many people were taking part, do
you think? Ernie Williams: Oh, there was no score. No tally at
Ernie Williams: Well, all I can tell you is this. That all. It was simply a melee. Nothing like the soccer you
when I looked over the top of the trench I could see Ernie Williams: Well, it was at least a couple of
hundred. see on television actually, oh no. The boots you wore
in the distance, in the mist, about four or five figures was a menace. You know, the great big boots you
assembled and gradually they swarmed out of the Presenter: Did you kick the ball? had on. In those days the balls were made of leather
trenches on both sides and soon it was a mass of Ernie Williams: Oh yes, I had a go at it. I was pretty and they got very soggy.
soldiery in No Mans Land. good then, at nineteen (laughs).
Presenter: Exchanging cigarettes?

Reproduced with the kind permission of the BBC.


Lieutenant: a se
nior soldier in
Source: 21 C Write a truce diary H Moral education charge of a plat
oon
Dugout: an unde
G Design a war memorial I Sports activities sleeping space
rground
dug into the sid
of the trench e
Battalion: an ar
my unit of
several hundred

Lieutenant Johannes Niemanns


men
Lancers: army
cavalry regimen
t
Fritz: slang for

regimental history
German soldiers

Lieutenant Johannes
Niemann was a German
soldier. He wrote a
history of his regiment The night [Christmas Eve] was crystal clear There were joyous scenes everywhere. []
and returned to visit then one Scotsman dragged along a
the areas he fought in with burning lights above the trenches and the football a proper football match began to
English started shooting under the impression evolve with caps laid down for goals. []
throughout his life. it was a trick. Once they realised it was a One of us had a camera on him. Both sides

After that not a single shot was heard all night. neat rows, the football in the middle []
They even started singing Christmas songs over the game ended 3:2 to Fritz []
their side [] Our Lancers had soon realised during the
course of the kick-about that the Scotsmen
the dugout and announced that friend and werent wearing any underwear under
foe were outside together moving between the their kilts, so that their backsides were
trenches. A glance over their side and it looked clearly visible the moment the kilt began
like all our Christmases had come at once! []
Was peace suddenly supposed to have broken The Battalion Commander soon came up.
out? What was to be done? After a brief pause
for thought, I and everyone else ran to join in. suddenly snapped and the peace was once
[] more broken. []
Photo of People everywhere were shaking hands. Opposite
Johannes Niemann us were Scotsmen. Everyone swapped anything

Text translated by Jonnie Robinson. and more besides.


Source: 22 E Languages

Lieutenant Zehmischs
diary (German original) 24.12.1914
Heiliger Abend und dann Weihnachtsfest!
Ich werde diese 2 Tage dieses Kriegsjahres nie vergessen!
[...]
Lieutenant Zehmisch fought
Schon um 6 Uhr stellten wir zum Abrcken in den
for the German army on the Schtzengraben. Wir haben zunehmenden Mond. Es ist
Western Front from 1914. He kept sternenklare Mondnacht. Das erste Mal seit langer Zeit. Es
a personal diary during the war. Beginnt auch wieder zu gefrieren. [...]
In this extract he describes the Ich habe meinen Leuten befohlen, dass heute am Heiligen
Christmas Truce, how news of it Abend [] kein Schuss von unserer Seite abgegeben wird,
wenn es zu umgehen ist. []
spread in the trenches and how
Soldat Mckel von meinem Zug, der mehrere Jahre in
an informal football match was England gewesen war, und ich rufen die Englnder auf
played. This is the original text in englisch an und bald hatte sich zwischen uns eine ganz
German. spaige Unterhaltung entwickelt. Wir wollten uns auf
halbem Weg zwischen unseren Stellungen, treffen und
Zigaretten austauschen. Dann rief der Englnder nach
unserem Schtzengraben herber: I wish you a merry
Christmas and a happy New Year, worauf ich ihm und
seinen Kameraden im Schtzengraben erwiderte: Thank
you very much, I wish you the same!
Darauf brllte[n die ] Englander in dem englischen
Schtzengraben den Gru und Wunsch gemeinsam
herber mit dem Versprechen, heute und morgen nicht zu

continued overleaf
Source: 22 E Languages

Lieutenant Zehmischs
diary (German original) schieen. Jetzt stellten wir auf unserem kilometerlangen
Schtzengraben noch mehr Kerzen auf als vorher. Wir

(continued) sangen alle mglichen Weihnachts- und Heimatlieder. An


einigen Stellen unseres Schtzengrabens waren auf die
Brustwehr Tannenbume mit brennenden Kerzen gestellt.
[...]

25.12.1914
Frh bei Tagesanbruch wnschten wir uns Guten
Morgen. Von uns nherten sich bald einzelne Leute den
Englndern, die in gewisser Entfernung von unserem
Schtzengraben auf uns warteten. Als ich das sah,
ging ich auch hinber und begrte die Englander []
mit denen ich mich auf englisch, franzosichsch und
deutsch kstlich unterhielt! [...] Bald hatten auch ein paar
Englnder einen Fuball aus ihrem Graben gebracht und
ein eifriges Fussballwettspiel begann. [...] Ich sagte ihnen,
dass wir auch am 2. Feiertag nicht schieen mochten. Sie
waren auch damit einverstanden.

A photo of
Lieutenant
Zehmisch in
his trench

Photo and text Reproduced with the kind permission of Rudolf Zehmisch.
Source: 23 B English and drama I Sports activities
E Languages J Conflict resolution
G Design a war memorial K History

Lieutenant Zehmischs
diary 24.12.1914
Christmas Eve and, then celebration! I will never forget
these two days of the war!
Lieutenant Zehmisch fought
At 6pm we are ready to take up our positions in our trench.
for the German army on the There is a crescent moon. It is a clear night, we can see the
Western Front from 1914. He
kept a personal diary during the again.
war. In this extract he describes []
the Christmas Truce, how news
today on Christmas Eve if it can be at all avoided. []
of it spread in the trenches and
Private Mckel from my platoon, who used to live in
how an informal football match England for several years, and I call out to the Brits in
was played. This is an English
translation. develops between us. We decide to meet up half-way [], and

Seeing this, the Brits [] start applauding and


enthusiastically shout Bravo! []
Then the Brit calls over to our trench: I wish you a merry
Christmas and a happy New Year! [original in English],
upon which I reply [] Thank you very much, I wish you
the same! [original in English].
In return, the [] Brits in their trench roar the salute and

today or tomorrow. []

continued overleaf
Source: 23 B English and drama I Sports activities
E Languages J Conflict resolution e
e edge of th
Parapet: th s to
G Design a war memorial K History trench, it w
as dangero
u

look over it

Lieutenant Zehmischs
diary (continued) Now we put up even more candles on our [] trench than
before. [] We sing all kinds of carols and songs []
[] Christmas trees with burning candles have been put up
on the parapet []

25.12.1914
Early, at daybreak, we wish each other a good morning.
[]
Soon, men from our side approach the Brits, who are waiting
some distance from our trenches.
When I see this, I go over, too, and greet the Brits, [] with
whom I have a delightful conversation in English, French
and German!
[]
Soon, some of the Brits bring over a football from their
trenches and a vigorous football match begins. []

They agree.

A photo of Lieutenant
Zehmisch in his trench and a
watercolour portrait of him.

Photo, painting and text reproduced with the kind permission of Rudolf
Zehmisch. Text translated by Anne Bostanci.
Source: 24 C Write a truce diary
H Moral education
K History

Walther Stenness
account
Walther Stennes was a
German infantry officer from
191418, who talked about his
experiences in the trenches and
how, in 1914, he was opposite
Indian army trenches fighting
with the British. There were a
number of Indian troops fighting
as part of the British Empire
on the Western Front from the
autumn of 1914. The Garhwal
Rifles fraternised with the 16th
(3rd Westphalian) Regiment near
Spontaneous: unplanned
Richebourg. This account was Dugout: an underground sle
eping space dug into the sid
e

recorded by the Imperial War of the trench.


guard
Museum in 1977. Sentries: soldiers keeping
ground, it explodes when
Mine: a bomb placed in the
someone stands on it
es
y court for soldiers. Penalti
Court martial: a special arm nm ent and dea th. The
ed impriso
for those found guilty includ n dur ing the wa r, the
ir own me
German army shot 48 of the
30 6 and the French about 600.
British army shot
Imperial War Museum document number 977
Source: 25 B English and drama

Across the Black Waters


Indian writer Mulk Raj Anands Ohe look! Ohe look! Dhayan Singh interrupted him.

novel, Across the Black Waters Theres a truly strange


(1939), tells the story of Lalu, phenomenon.
a sepoy fighting in the Indian
Army on behalf of Britain on the What is it? Lalu asked panting.
Western Front in 1914. Anands Look there, in no-mans land, Dhayan Singh said. Lalu
turned his head.
father had served in the war. The Phenomenon: a remarkable
event To be sure, it is a strange phenomenon! he said and,
book features a scene describing Sepoy: soldier in the ranks of
shading his eyes against the glare of the snow, peered
how Indian soldiers on the the Indian Army, equivalent to a
deeper, into no-mans land. There were two English
Goras and two German soldiers, shaking hands and
Western Front took part in one British private
talking to each other with gestures, even as they
Spasmodic: intermittent, fitful
of the Christmas truces. bursts
laughed little nervous chuckles which could be
distinctly heard ... And now ... they were offering each
Sap: a covered trench or tunnel other cigarettes [] what had happened? [] There
dug to a point near or within an had been no shelling this morning and he had heard
enemy position the sound of singing in the Connaughts trenches
while he had been talking to the sepoys []
Antic: a funny act or gesture
What is the matter? Dhayan Singh asked him.
Contagion: a disease passed on
by direct or indirect contact More groups of Tommies and German soldiers were
scrambling up from their respective trenches and
Newspaper story about
running, hesitatingly, towards each other. [...] there
Sepoy Khudadad Khan,
were ripples of laughter going across no-mans land
the first Indian recipient
in spasmodic bursts making a mockery of war, then
d[i]ZK^Xidg^V8gdhh!
jubilant shouts from the various trenches.
the British Armys
highest war-time award
for gallantry
Source: 25 B English and drama

Across the Black Waters (continued)


took part in the Christmas
Lalu scratched his head [...] presently he heard a loud
exchange between a German and an English soldier
and then saw the German rush out of the opposite
saps, with a cake in his hand as if he were taking an
offering to the temple.
Oh! It is a cake, said Lalu laughing [...] A Christmas
cake! ... It is the Christmas festival today and both the
enemies being Christian by religion they are wishing
each other a happy Christmas... [...]

I am going to get some


sweets from the enemy, said
Dhayan Singh struggling to scramble
over the parapet with terrific
alacrity.

Ohe ohe, look out the sepoys called out after him.
Go ahead! Go ahead! Lalu spurred him on and even
gave a shove to his heavy buttocks so that Dhayan
Singh was on top.
After months of shells and grenades, rifle and
machine gun fire, this simple antic of fat Dhayan
Singh made them laugh. [...] And for a moment they Two wounded Ghurkha
seem to have caught the contagion of innocent soldiers recovering at a
humanity hanging in the air. military hospital.

Photo reproduced from the British Library Girdwood Collection.


Source: 26 E Languages

BZbd^ghd[Eg^cXZ:gchi=Z^cg^X]KdcHVX]hZ
(German original)
Saxon Prince Ernst Heinrich
fought in the First World War and Charly, der Englnder, blieb vor unserem Graben stehen und grsste
was in the trenches at Christmas
1914. He wrote his memoirs after begegneten. Ich begrsste ihn mit Good morning, was er mit Good
morning, Sir, beantwortete. Dann sagte er: Please come on. Dieser
the war and explains here what
happened during the truce. In sich in dieser Rolle.
this extract he describes visiting
the British trenches. This is the
original German text.
genauso aussah wie unserer, war eine Leiter aufgestellt, auf der wir
in den feindlichen Graben hinunterstiegen. Wir sahen mehrere

war. Wir besichtigten einen englischen Unterstand, der sich von den
unseren nicht unterschied. Auch die obligaten Mdchenbilder an der
Wand fehlten nicht. Man bot uns Zigaretten an, und ein Englnder

ehrlich gemeint.
Source: 27 E Languages
H Moral education
K History

Memoirs of Prince Ernst Heinrich Saxon: a


German fr
om the

KdcHVX]hZ
region of
Saxony, c
Dresden a pital

Saxon Prince Ernst Heinrich


fought in the First World War and
was in the trenches at Christmas
1914. He wrote his memoirs after
the war and explains here what Charly, the Englishman stood at our trench and saluted, that all English
happened during the truce. This
is an English translation of the morning to which he replied with Good morning Sir. Then he said:

German original. assumed a role as such.


What happened then was truly sensational. I was quite aware that I was
about to experience something that very few are able to: that is to visit
the enemy in the middle of the war. In the English trenches, which, by

into the enemys trench. We saw several soldiers and sergeants, but no

the situation. We visited an English shelter, that was no different from


ours. Even the obligatory images of girls were there. We were offered

would be far better to play football, our regiment against yours. This
was typically English and no doubt it was meant in good faith.

Translated by Hanna Heffner.


Source: 28 E Languages

Marcel Bechu, En campagne 191415 (French original)


Marcel Bechu was a French 7 heures du matin
Un coup de feu tir non loin de nous, vers la gauche,
Javoue quil mest assez dsagrable de commander
le feu sur ces hommes dsarms. Dautre part,
army officer who fought on the me fait sortir de mon abri. Cela semble extraordinaire pouvons-nous tolrer le moindre rapprochement []
Western Front and survived aprs la calme complet de cette nuit. [] Heureusement, lofficier qui [] a d suivre toute
Japerois tous mes chasseurs qui [] regardent avec cette scne avec sa jumelle mvite de prendre une
the war. In this extract from his intrt une spectacle qui doit se drouler en avant des rsolution qui me serait pnible. Pan ! Pan ! Pan !
memoir written after the war, tranches [] deux hommes qui sortent en plein jour Quatre obus passent en sifflant sur nos ttes et
de leur tranche et savancent a pas hsitants dans la
he describes how the Germans direction des tranches ennemies. Derrire eux, cent
viennent clater avec prcision admirable a deux
cent mtres au-dessus de tranches allemandes
in the trenches opposite them ttes curieuses se dressent au-dessus de crneaux [] Les Allemands ont bien compris ce gracieux
amnags entre les sacs de terre.
wanted a truce at Christmas in avertissement. Avec cris de rage et de protestation, ils
Kd^a|XZgiZhjcZhXcZ|aVfjZaaZ_ZbZcViiZcYV^h regagnent en courant leurs abris et nos Franais en
1914 but his battalion refused. gure. Que fait donc le capitaine de la compagnie font autant.
This is an extract from the occupant cette tranche ? Et, comme pour montrer la bont voulue de ce quil
original text, in French. K^kZbZci_Zckd^Zjchdjh"d[X^ZgedgiZgadgYgZ vient de faire, peine les deniers casques pointe
ont-ils disparu derrire les parapets que de nouveau
suivant a tous nos chasseurs ;
Que personne ne se montre Chacun son poste de les mmes sifflements se font entendre et pan ! pan !
combat Les carabines charges dans les crneaux. pan ! pan ! Quatre obus viennent brutalement sabattre
en plein sur la ligne blanchtre que fait dans la plaine
Les Allemands qui nous font face se mfient en voyant verte la marne remue de leur tranche. On voit au
que notre ligne reste silencieuse et que personne ne milieu de la fume la terre et les dbris de toute sorte
parait. [] Mais sur le reste de leur front le nombre des voler. Nos chasseurs crient : bravo ! Chacun sent que
hommes mergeant des tranches se multiplie. Ils la meilleure solution a t prise et se rjouit que se
sont sans armes et font des gestes joyeux et amicaux. termine ainsi la fugitive trve de Noel.
Linquitude me saisit. []
Source: 29 E Languages
H Moral education

Marcel Bechu, En campagne 191415


Marcel Bechu was a French Seven in the morning
A shot fired not far from us [] makes me leave my
Anxiety seizes hold of me. [] I admit that it is
disagreeable to me to order fire against these
army officer who fought on the shelter. It seems extraordinary after the complete unarmed men. On the other hand, can we tolerate
Western Front and survived calm of the night. [] the slightest reconciliation []
I notice all my fighters who [] [are] gazing with Happily, the officer who [] has followed this scene
the war. In this extract from his interest on a sight which is unfolding in front of through his binoculars spares me from taking a
memoir written after the war, the trenches [] Two men leave their trench in full decision which is upsetting to me. Bang! Bang! Bang!
daylight and are advancing with hesitant steps in the Bang!
he describes how the Germans direction of the enemy trenches. Four shells pass whistling overhead and explode with
in the trenches opposite them Behind them 100 curious heads rise up above the admirable precision two hundred metres above the
wanted a truce at Christmas in fortifications formed by sacks of earth. Some soldiers German trenches. [] The Germans have perfectly
even, emerging from the trench, are sitting on the understood this graceful warning. With cries of
1914 but his battalion refused. embankment of grey soil. anger and protest they run to regain shelter and our
This is an English translation. This is certainly a scene that I was hardly expecting. Frenchmen do the same []
What is the officer in charge of that trench doing? [] And, as if to show agreement with what has taken
Immediately I send a subordinate to carry an order place, scarcely have the last pointed helmets
to our fighters. Let no one show himself! Everyone disappeared behind the parapets than once more the
remain at his post, rifles at the ready! same whistling sounds make themselves heard and
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Four shells explode brutally
The Germans opposite are wary, seeing that our line on the pale line which the dug up earth from their
Subordin remains silent and that no one appears. [] But along trenches makes on the green plain.
ate: a low
ranked so er- the rest of their front the number of men emerging
ldier One sees in the middle of the smoke, the earth &
Shells: bo from the trenches multiplies. They are unarmed and
mbs make joyful & friendly gestures. debris of all sorts fly up.
Our troops cry Bravo! Each one feels that the best
solution has been taken and is delighted that the []
Christmas truce is ended thus.

Text translated by Gill Ridgley.


Source: 30 E Languages

Roland Dorgels, Je tcris de la tranche (French original)


Roland Dorgels was a French A Ren Bizet, le 29 Janvier 1915
Tenez, notre rveillon. Nous lavons fait dans la
soldier who fought on the tranche, sous notre abri de mitrailleuses. De temps
Western Front. He survived en temps, quelques balles: bzz bzzz. Les Territoriaux
chantaient le Minuit Chrtiens, la Marseillaise []
the war and became a well- Les ponts de Paris !!! Les Allemands chantaient
known novelist and cultural lAllemagne par-dessus tout !!
Eh bien, notre gauche. A 4 kil., le 24e prenait,
commentator. In 1919 he wrote perdait et reprenait 3 fois une tranche allemande
a book called Wooden Crosses sous un feu effroyable. Et notre gauche le
74e, cest incroyable, faisait le rveillon avec les
about his experiences after the Allemands!
war. This is an extract from a Ceux-ci sortirent dsarms et dsquips leurs
letter that he wrote home, which tranches, les ntres les suivirent et bientt, dans
la plaine, 500 Franais et Allemands bavardaient,
describes how they celebrated changeaient des cigarettes.
Christmas with the Germans. Les Allemands vinrent boire dans les tranches
This is the French original. du 74e, des Franais allrent trinquer chez les
Allemands. Il en revint 2 heures du matin, [] Un
sous-off. allemand, dans la tranche, dclara en
trinquant Nous savons trs bien que nous sommes
foutus.
Le gnral dans un ordre du jour extrmement Roland Dorgels
svre a jug la conduite extraordinaire. (18851973)

Editions Albin Michel Paris 2003


Source: 31 E Languages
K History
Commemorative
plaque to Roland

Roland Dorgels, Je tcris de la tranche


Dorgels

Roland Dorgels was a French To Ren Bizet, 29 January 1915


Take our Christmas Eve. We held it in the trench
soldier who fought on the under our machine gun shelter. From time to time
Western Front. He survived came a few bullets: bzz bzz. The territorials sang the
Midnight Christians, the Marseillaise, the Bridges of
the war and became a well- Paris!!! The Germans sang Germany above all!!
known novelist and cultural Well, on our left, 4 kilometres away, the 24th regiment
gained, lost and regained 3 times a German trench
commentator. In 1919 he wrote under appalling fire. Also on our left the 74th, its
a book called Wooden Crosses unbelievable, celebrating Christmas Eve with the
Germans!
about his experiences after the
The latter came out of their trenches unarmed, our
war. This is an extract from a men followed them, and soon, on the plain, 500
letter that he wrote home, which French and Germans chatted, exchanged cigarettes.
describes how they celebrated Some Germans came for a drink in the trenches
[], some French went to drink their health with the
Christmas with the Germans. This Germans. They returned at 2 in the morning [] One Territoria
ls: volunte
soldiers er reserve
is an English translation. junior officer, German, in the trench announced while
Midnight
clinking glasses We know very well that we are done
Christian
for. Christmas s: a
carol
The General, in an extremely severe order-of-the-day The Mars
eillaise: th
judged the conduct to be extraordinary. national a e French
nthem
General:
sec
ranking arm ond highest-
y officer, a
Field Mars fter a
hall

Editions Albin Michel Paris 2003


Text translated by Gill Ridgley.
Source: 32 F Cartoons

Captain Bruce Bairnsfather,


Bullets and Billets A strange sight, truly!

Captain Bruce Bairnsfather was


a British soldier who started
the same
drawing cartoons to pass the start this infernal European fracas, and in so doing had brought us all into
time in the trenches. His comic
sketches were widely published
and became very popular. In this friendly boxing match. The difference in type between our men and theirs
was very
account published in 1916 he
describes the truce but doesnt
mention football. collection as opposed to the sombre demeanour and stolid appearance of
the Huns

superior,
The shortest effect I can give of the impression I had was that our men,
rous
nch, ve ry dange
of the tre
: the top
Parapet
ver
to look o t or argu
ment after
a no isy fi g h Two or three of the Boches seemed to be particularly interested in me, and
Fracas: e rman sold
ier
g fo r G nner
lan
Boche: s ly o r p le asant ma
s
d
y: a frien ing friend
Genialit g b ro th erly, mak
in
ising: be
Fratern

continued overleaf

Reproduced with the kind permission of the Bairnsfather family.


Source: 32 F Cartoons

Captain Bruce Bairnsfather,


Bullets and Billets (continued)

These devils, I could see, all wanted to be friendly; but none of them possess
ed the

a large camera. I posed in a mixed group for several photographs, and have
ever

Slowly the meeting began to disperse; a sort of feeling that the authorities
on both
sides were not very enthusiastic about this fraternising seemed to creep across
the

was a bit of an amateur hairdresser in civil life, cutting the unnaturally long
hair

This photo of Bruce


Bairnsfather was taken on
Christmas Day 1914.

Reproduced with the kind permission of the Bairnsfather family.


Source: 33 F Cartoons
G Design a war memorial
I Sports activities

Captain Bruce Bairnsfather,


1958 television interview
In this interview, given 44 years after the Christmas Truce,
Bruce Bairnsfather describes football being played
with the Germans.
I happened to be walking down the trench when I This went on very nicely indeed until one of our
looked over the parapet, and I was amazed to see chaps, a sort of Old Bill, had had a football sent
a whole crowd of Germans in the field in front, and out as a Christmas present, and blew this up and
looking a bit closer I saw a whole lot of our fellows suggested a game of football with the Germans in
were with them too. No-Mans land.
[] Well this was going very nicely and everything,
I joined this outfit, and there we were, all chatting when suddenly the authorities, the owners and
and talking as best one could nobody could organisers of the war at the back, they didnt like
understand a thing out in the middle of No-Mans this at all, and news came that we had to stop it at
Land, with barbed wire and shell-holes and relics once. This fraternising must cease and so on, so we
of previous encounters all lying about. It was crawled back into the trenches again and that was
mostly curiosity they sort of walked round each the end of that.
other, looking at each other, observing the kind of
differences in the uniform and that kind of thing.

Old Bill: a very popular A Christmas card


r
cartoon soldier characte drawn by Bruce
irn sfa the r
which Bruce Ba Bairnsfather in
r.
created during the wa December 1914.

Reproduced with the kind permission of the Bairnsfather family.


Source: 34 H Moral education
K History

Colonel Pearse, Extract from the


East Sussex Regimental War Diary
British soldiers were frequently
rotated between the most
dangerous frontline trench
positions and safer postings
behind the lines. Although the Christmas day
was very cold
and foggy, but
East Sussex Regiment were distribution of the
the cards and
not at the front line during gifts sent by th
Majesties the eir
King and Q uee
the Christmas Truce, their n and by Princ
gave great plea ess Mary
Regimental Diary records sure.
the handover comments of For the next th
ree days, com
the troops they replaced. panies were em
separately in tr ployed
ench digging, a
nd in the aftern
the 29th the B oon of
attalion marche
relieved the De d u p to the trench
vons, who repo es and
rted that the G
The Devon
s: soldiers had made freq ermans
vonshire uent attempts
from the De to leave their tr
regiment
enches
discouraged un
til one or two
were shot.
Source: 35 K History

Brigadier-General J. E. Edmonds and Captain G. C. Wynne,


Military Operations: France And Belgium, 1915
The Official History of the Great During Christmas day there was an informal
suspension of arms during daylight on a few parts
War is a massive 29 volume of the front, and a certain amount of fraternization.
military history published Where there had been recent fighting both sides
took the opportunity of burying their dead lying in
between 1923 and 1949 and No Mans Land, and in some places there was an
produced by the Committee exchange of small gifts and a little talk, the Germans
expressing themselves confident of early victory.
of Imperial Defence. This is an Before returning to their trenches both parties sang
extract from one of the volumes, Christmas carols and soldiers songs, each in its own
language, ending up with Auld Lang Syne in which
friends
published in 1927. all contingents joined. On the part of front where Fra te rn iz a ti on: making
happened to be two Irish battalions, the Germans emy
with the en
e on
suggested the prolongation of the cessation of ts: everyon
fighting, naturally without result. There was to be an Contingen
attempt to repeat this custom of old time warfare at every side
Christmas 1915, but it was a small and isolated one,
and the fraternization of 1914 was never repeated.
Source: 36 E Languages

Regimental History of the Bavarian Reserve Infantry


Regiment 16 (German original)
This excerpt from a German Das kgl. Schsische 11. Infanterie-regiment, Nr.
139, Dresden 1927
Der Waffenstillstand ist beiderseits redlich gehalten
worden. Es stellte sich spter heraus, dass der
regimental history describes the Die Heimat hatte auerordentlich reichlich Weihnachtsabend auch an weitergelegenen, ebenso
truce and the armys decision Geschenke aller Art, Christbume und Lichter
geschickt, so dass bei Anbruch des Abends auch
feuchten Frontteilen hnliche Erscheinungen
gezeitigt hatte, die sich sogar am hellen Tage
not to court martial the soldiers in der vordersten Linie ein festliche Stimmung bei wiederholt hatten und seitens der Englnder
who took part in it. This is the Lichterglanz herrschte. Frohe Weihnachtslieder
wurden gesungen, die natrlich auch von den
photographisch festgehalten und in der Times
verffentlicht worden waren.
battalion that Adolf Hitler was Englndern gehrt wurden. Diese Bilder kamen dem Armeefhrer zu Gesicht,
serving with at Christmas 1914. Pltzlich hrte man jenseits der Brustwehr den eine angeordnete kriegsgerichtliche Untersuchung
Wunsch in unserer Sprache uern: Noch einmal das wurde aber niedergeschlagen, da die eingeforderten
He worked as a dispatch runner ZghiZA^ZY#Kdgh^X]i^\]ViiZch^X]Z^c^\Z;Z^cYZcV]Z Meldungen der Kampftruppen erkennen liessen, dass
on the Western Front in France an unsere Stellung herangepirscht, um dem frohen widrige Naturereignisse letzten Endes die Ursache
Treiben zu lauschen. Der englische Feldgeistliche lVgZc!YVhhZ^cZkdgWZg\Z]ZcYZKZgWgYZgjc\
and Belgium, spending nearly erschien zuerst und verlangte seinen deutschen stattgefunden hatte
half his time well behind the Amtsbruder zu sprechen. Da derselbe aber nicht in
vorderster Linie war und nach und nach an vielen
front lines, and he was not in the Stellen der Feind ohne Waffen in kleinen Trupps sich
trenches on that morning. This is an unsere Stellung heranbegeben hatte, entstand
Z^cZVaa\ZbZ^cZKZgWgYZgjc\#
the original German text.
[]
Source: 37 E Languages
H Moral education

Regimental History of the Bavarian Reserve Infantry


Regiment 16
This excerpt from a German Court martial abandoned
The homeland sent exceptionally generous gifts of
The truce was kept on both sides with honesty.
Later it turned out that Christmas Eve has produced
regimental history describes the all kinds, Christmas trees, lights, so that by the time similar events, even at farther away, equally damp
truce and the armys decision the evening drew to a close, there was a festive
atmosphere with the glimmering of lights even in the
parts of the frontline, which was repeated even
during daylight and the English have recorded this in
not to court martial the soldiers first lines. Happy Christmas songs were sung, which photographs to be later published in the Times.
who took part in it. This is the of course were heard by the English too. These pictures became known to the General,
Suddenly, from the other side of the parapet we however a court martial investigation they ordered
battalion that Adolf Hitler was heard a wish expressed in our own language: was then abandoned, as the reports requested
serving with at Christmas 1914. One more time, the first song!. Carefully some from the combat troops explained that in the end
of the enemy were edging closer to our stands in the adverse conditions were the reason for the
He worked as a dispatch runner order to hear the happy party. The English army temporary fraternization.
on the Western Front in France chaplain appeared first and asked for his German
colleague. But since he was not on the front line,
and Belgium, spending nearly and slowly from more and more positions the enemy Parapet: the top of the trench, very
half his time well behind the was coming in small groups, unarmed, a general dangerous to look over
fraternisation started Dispatch runner: messenger or courier
front lines, and he was not in the
[] Chaplain: Church representative in the
trenches on that morning. This army, for example, a priest / vicar
is an English translation of the Fraternisation: brotherly behaviour,
original German text. making friends
Front line: first line of trenches after No
Mans Land, closest to the enemy
Court martial: a special army court for
soldiers. Guilty soldiers could be executed.

Translated by Hanna Heffner.


Source: 38 D Footballers who fought in the war
L Find a footballer

Introduction Football and the First World War


Football was a very popular sport in Britain and There was criticism of the players too. Some people were some 1800 eligible footballers. By the end of
Germany in the years before 1914. In January 1900, thought that young men who played football the war they had lost more than 1,000 men and in
representatives from 86 football clubs founded the professionally should be fighting for their country. the Battle of Arras alone, 462 were killed.
German Football Association (Deutscher Fuball- The FA made An Appeal to Good Sportsmen and Englands 191415 football season ended with
Bund DFB) and the German national football team a poster was issued in November 1914 imploring the FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Sheffield
has represented Germany in international football footballers (and others) to join the armed forces. United. The match was christened The Khaki Cup
competitions since 1908. Every man must know his duty to himself and to his Final due to the large number of uniformed soldiers
While Britain and its allies were at war in 1914, country, it said on the poster. Arthur Conan Doyle, present in the crowd at Old Trafford. The Earl of
football was still being played in the normal way the author of the Sherlock Holmes books, also made Derby presented the trophy to Sheffield United
at home. A lot of people thought this was wrong. an appeal. There was a time for everything, but there with the words: It is now the duty of everyone to
In England, there were Division 1 and Division is only time for one thing now, and that thing is war join with each other and play a sterner game for
2 Championships and an FA Challenge Cup If a footballer had strength of limb let them serve and England. Everton won the First Division title and
competition. The FA was in charge of football in march in the field of battle. Derby County lifted the Second Division crown.
England then, as it is now, and the Dean of Lincoln Partly as a response to the criticism, a Footballers After that, all competitive football was suspended.
wrote scornfully to it of onlookers who, while so Battalion was formed in December 1914. The 17th
many of their fellow men are giving themselves in Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment, to give it its
their countrys peril, still go gazing at football. official name, had Frank Buckley, the Derby County
and England centre-half, as its first member. The
Football League instructed their clubs to release
professional players who were not married to join
the armed forces. The Footballers Battalion quickly
grew with players from teams including Portsmouth,
Crystal Palace, Millwall, Chelsea and the whole of
the Clapton Orient (now Leyton Orient) team. The
Footballers Battalion, consisting of professional and
amateur players, plus some football supporters,
left for the war in November 1915. By the following
March, 122 professional footballers had signed up for
the battalion, which led to press complaints, as there

With thanks to David Barber, Football Association


Source: 39 D Footballers who fought in the war
L Find a footballer

Womens Football and the First World War


In the early 20th century, women were thought There was a suspicion that some teams were not
too fragile to play football. It was considered giving the money they raised from womens football
inappropriate and degrading. Doctors declared that it matches to charity and, in 1921, the FA banned
was damaging to womens health. women from playing at its affiliated grounds. Football Photo of Dick, Kerrs Ladies
is quite unsuitable for females, said the FA. But Football Team, initially made
The First World War changed that perception. All the up of workers from Dick,
men went off to war and the women took their places those First World War factory workers, known as The
Munitionettes, had kicked off a surge in womens Kerr & Co.
in the factories, explained Sue Lopez, the former
England international. The women working at the football that rocked the mens game.
munitions manufacturers would kick around a ball,
and [] they would play matches to raise funds for
the wounded soldiers.
In the absence of the mens league, which had
ceased at the end of the 1914-15 season, womens
tournaments flourished. In the north-west of England,
where heavy industries were at their most dense,
inter-district matches were played, and a Munition
Girls Challenge Cup was established. Dick, Kerrs
Ladies from Preston were the most famous team
and their match against St Helens in 1920, played at
Evertons ground, Goodison Park, attracted a crowd
of 53,000.

Photo reproduced with the kind permission of the National Football Museum.
With thanks to David Barber, Football Association
Source: 40 M Propaganda and football

Footballers Battalion letter


:
sideration
A Footballers Battalion, the February, 1915 Grave con
ught
Dear Sir serious tho
17th (Service) Battalion (1st We are going to ask your very grave consideration
Football), was formed in London for this letter. []
on 12 December 1914 by W. Some six weeks ago, the Army council authorised
the raising of a Battalion of Footballers, making very
Joynson Hicks MP. They arrived special provisions that the professional player should
in France on 18 November 1915 be allowed to get away from his military duties in
order to complete his football contracts up to the
and were transferred to serve end of April next.
with the 6th Brigade in 2nd A large number of some of the finest players in the
Division the following month. Kingdom have already joined the Battalion, but we do
not see your name amongst them.
The battalion was disbanded Forgive us for pressing upon you the absolute
in February 1918. This letter necessity of rallying every available man for the
was sent from the Football colours.
Those who have joined this Battalion are doing
Association to encourage splendidly; [] May we ask you to think over your own
volunteers for the battalion. responsibility to your country and to your homes, and
let us know on the enclosed postcard whether you
cannot see your way to join? [] We do urge you as
a patriot and a footballer to come to the help of the
country in its hour of need.
Yours faithfully,
Lord Kinnaird and W Joyson Hicks

Reproduced with the kind permission of the Football Association.


Source: 41 M Propaganda and football

An Appeal to
Good Sportsmen
This poster from the Football
Association encourages young
sportsmen to join the army.
Source: 42 M Propaganda and football

Daily Express, 6 October 1914


On 26 September 1914 it was
reported in the Daily Express FOOTBALL IN BATTLE
that an officer in the new army BRITISH SOLDIERS GAME AFTER
only identified as Union Jack LEAVING THE TRENCHES

was asking for the gift of a few Paris Oct 4


footballs the mens only joy. During a comparative lull along a large
Readers were informed that any portion of the front from yesterday afternoon
until early this morning the French soldiers
footballs sent to the newspapers were astonished to see the British come out of
Football match
offices would be forwarded the trenches to play football.
between the 9th
While our artillery duel was still progressing
to the front. Other national the Tommies, who had been brought back for Ghurkhas and a
a rest to some distance behind the advanced Signalling Company
newspapers offered to send
footballs to the front including started to kick them about.
the Daily Mirror. Soon afterwards another battalion
challenged them to a game and an exciting
match followed. Both battalions had in the

the sport appeared to be hearty.


Reuter Special.

Artillery duel: gun ba


ttle
Source: 43 M Propaganda and football

Daily Express,
19 October 1914
OLD FOOTBALLS WA
N TED
Lieut Quartermaster Bone
who is with the
Express to appeal to its
readers for some
old footballs for his men
.
Yes remember that story
of the British

n officer from behind with his foot


u a r te rmaster: a so hard that the
Lie u t Q plies for the affrighter German disapp
h o lo o ks a fter the sup eared in a cloud of
w dust? Well there is a lot
troops more of this sort of
define thing to be done, and ther
g h te r: th is is hard to e is nothing like a
Aff ri
ean scared football for strengthening
and may m hlan
the muscles of his
la n : so ld ie r from the U toes.
Uh Army
g im e n t o f the German Readers who desire to he
re lp this good
work should therefore go
over their stocks
of old footballs at once an
d send some
to the Daily Express Ro
om 25, 23 St
Bride-street, EC. All cont
ributions will be
acknowledged in the D
aily Express.
Of course there is no ob
jection to new
footballs.
Source: 44 M Propaganda and football

Daily Express, Melodeo


n: small G
erman

8 January 1915 GOOD NEWS FOR TOMMY


accordion

Footballs and boxing gloves Daily Express,


8 Shoe Lane, London E.C.
were not the only recreational
items sent out to British soldiers. Dear Tommy, In reply to your heart-cry from
the trenches for something with which to make
This announcement was made a noise, and to while away your weary hours
in the Daily Express newspaper
instalment, about one thousand mouth-organs,
to tell British servicemen that concertinas, accordions, and melodeons.
they were being sent mouth The mouth-organs, it is true, were made in
organs and other instruments Germany, but that cannot be helped at present. We
sincerely hope that the noise you produce on the
in January 1915. This campaign instruments will also be MADE IN GERMANY!
was very popular among the May you extract as much enjoyment out of these
readers of the newspaper, and our readers presents as you have obtained from
the footballs and boxing-gloves sent by the same
a Roll of Honour was published kind-hearted subscribers. Good luck to you, and
throughout the war, featuring the thank you! Yours sincerely,
THE SPORTS EDITOR
names of donors and the amount
they had given.
Source: 45 M Propaganda and football

Play the Greater Game


Army recruitment posters drew
on the popularity of football to
encourage young men to join
the army.

Chromolithograph recruiting
poster by unknown artist,
published by the Publicity
Department, Central London
Recruiting Depot, 1914.
Source: 46 D Footballers who fought in the war
L Find a footballer

First World War footballers case studies


A number of footballers joined Edwin Latheron, known as
Pinky, played as a midfielder
Alex Sandy Turnbull played for Manchester
United before the war and scored the first goal at Old
the armed forces and fought for England and Blackburn Trafford. He was born near Kilmarnock and has been
in the War. Rovers. He helped Blackburn
win the league title twice and
described as the prototype for the lowland, working
class Scottish player like Sir Alex Ferguson and as
had dazzling footwork that an Edwardian version of Wayne Rooney. He was
created openings for the involved in setting up what was to be the first players
strikers. His career ended union, in May 1906 later to be referred to as
when he was killed while The Outcasts.
serving with the Royal Field Sandy joined the Footballers Battalion in 1915 and
Artillery at Passchendaele. then transferred to another regiment. It is believed
that he was among the troops who dribbled footballs
in to the battle of the Somme front lines on 1 July
1916. He died at Arras on 3 July 1917. He left a widow
and four children.

Photograph from
the 1909 FA Cup
Final where Sandy
Turnball scored
Source: 46 D Footballers who fought in the war
L Find a footballer

First World War footballers case studies (continued)


Florrie Redford grew up in Preston, Lancashire. She A member of staff at the factory organised a girls
enjoyed sport and played football with her brothers. and womens team to raise money for the war effort.
When war broke out, she was working at Dick, Kerrs At a match on Christmas Day 1917, Dick, Kerrs Ladies
factory. The firm made war supplies, including shells beat Coulthards Foundry 4-0, with Florrie playing
for guns, producing up to 30,000 a week by 1917. centre-forward. A match report said that the teams
The workers often played football during their lunch forward work, indeed, was often surprisingly good,
s: a brand one or two of the ladies showing quite admirable ball
Woodbine breaks. Another player, Alice Norris, remembers
s control. She became one of the leading scorers for
of cigarette that we used to play at shooting at the cloakroom
windows, they were little square windows, and if the the team and was described by the papers as blonde
boys beat us at putting a window through, we had to and glamorous, and was often pictured in their pages.
buy them a packet of Woodbines, but if we beat them, Her football career continued when she became a
they had to buy us a bar of Five Boys chocolate. nurse after the war, as did many of her teammates,
looking after wounded soldiers. Florrie emigrated
to Canada in 1930 but played again for the team in
1938. She then retired from football and later moved
to Coventry, where she spent the rest of her life.
Source: 46 D Footballers who fought in the war
L Find a footballer

First World War footballers case studies (continued)


Donald Simpson Bell was Leigh Richmond Roose
born in 1890 in Harrogate, was born in 1877 in Holt,
one of seven children. He was near Wrexham. He became a
strong and tall and good at goalkeeper for Aberystwyth
lots of different sports. Donald Town while at college. He was
started to train as a teacher in described as being ideally suited
London, while playing football as to the position, being tall and
Scrupulou an amateur for teams including well built. He became the Welsh
s: wants to Crystal Palace. national goalkeeper in 1900 and
anything dis avoid doing
honest held that position for many years.
Victoria C He also played as an amateur for Newcastle United,
ross: the h before turning professional and moving to Bradford Leigh moved to study medicine in London and
British sold ighest hono
ier can rece ur a Park Avenue, where he was very successful and continued to play amateur football, before joining Stoke
The medal ive for brav
is usually p ery. widely admired. One report said: Bell is one of City for expenses. He was popular with football crowds
King or Que resented by
en the the best types of the professional footballer, as he loved to talk to spectators, tell jokes during the
broadminded in outlook and scrupulously fair in game, and make a dramatic arrival at matches. He
his play. also led a celebrity lifestyle, becoming famous for his
Donald was the first professional footballer to enlist, active social life in clubs and restaurants. Before the
joining the 9th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment outbreak of war he had a very successful career. Leigh
in October 1914. He fought initially at Armentieres, volunteered to join up almost immediately after the war
then moved to the Somme. He was cited for most broke out. He was in Gallipoli by April 1915 and France
conspicuous bravery during an attack on 5 July 1916 from 1916.
VcYlVhVlVgYZYi]ZK^Xidg^V8gdhh!Wji]ZlVh`^aaZY According to accounts from fellow soldiers, Leigh
on 10 July. fought bravely in a failed attack on the Somme,
His medal was presented to his wife of one month, and was presumed dead in October 1917. He is
Rhoda. There is a permanent memorial to Donald commemorated at the Theipval memorial in France,
Vi7ZaahGZYdjWiVii]ZHdbbZ!VcYi]ZK^Xidg^V although his family did not discover this until many
Cross is on display in the National Football Museum, years later, as his name had been misspelled as
Manchester. Rouse.
Source: 46 D Footballers who fought in the war
L Find a footballer

First World War footballers case studies (continued)


Walter Tull was born in Kent in 1888. His mother After a period of fighting in Italy, he was posted back
was from Kent and his father was a carpenter from to France and was killed on 25 March 1918 at Arras.
Barbados. They both died before Walter was ten His men tried to rescue him after seeing him shot but
Shell shoc and he was then brought up in an orphanage in his body was never found. He is commemorated on
k: an illness
by the trau caused London. Walter became an apprentice printer, but the Arras memorial. Another Spurs player, Alan Haig-
ma of fighti
also known ng. It is his football skills led him to play first for Clapton and Brown, who was the Commander of Walters battalion,
as Post Tra
Stress Diso umatic then Tottenham Hotspur in 1909, making him the also died in the same attack.
rder (PTSD
range from ). Symptom first mixed race professional outfield player (the first
tire s
attacks to m dness and panic black professional player was the goalkeeper, Arthur
ental and p
breakdown hysical Wharton, in 1885).
. The British
recorded 8 Army
0,000 men He was subjected to racist abuse from some fans,
suffering fr as
om the con despite his popularity with home crowds and the
it is though dition, but
t that many press. Walter transferred to Northampton Town in
affected bu more were
t not diagn 1911 and played over 100 games for them.
osed.
Command
er: soldier in In December 1914, he volunteered for the
a battalion charge of
of several h Footballers Battalion, 17th Middlesex regiment. He
undred men
Trench fev was promoted to sergeant in 1916 while serving in
er: a comm
on the West on illness
ern Front. S France. Walter got trench fever (and probably shell
include hea ymptoms
dache, feve shock) and was treated in England after the battle of
joints, bone r, sore
s and musc the Somme. While in the UK, he trained as an officer,
eyes, as we les, swollen
ll as a skin ra and returned to France, becoming the British Armys
passed on sh
by lice. Most . It is first mixed race officer.
recover in a people
round five d
more seriou ays but
s cases can
few weeks require a
in hospital.
Source: 46 D Footballers who fought in the war
L Find a footballer

First World War footballers case studies (continued)


The Hawkshaw village team were the champions :gcZhi=dlVgi]h]^hidgn^hjc`cdlc
of Division Two of the Bury and District Amateur ?d]c9^X`hdchZgkZY^ci]ZVgi^aaZgnVcYlVh
League. Hawkshaw is a village in Greater Manchester wounded
and all the players in the team came from there. Lots
of men from the village and football team enlisted IdbHb^i]^ZY^ZYd[ldjcYhVii]ZHdbbZ
and fought in the war. Many from the football team ?d]c=dggdX`hlVhldjcYZYVcYY^hVWaZY!VcY]^h
were injured or killed. The fighting had a profound brother was killed
effect on the community as the whole village had a ;gZYL]dlZaaY^ZY^c&.',
connection with the wars tragic events. The team did
not reform after the war. E]^aa^eBX\gZ\dghZgkZY^ci]ZVgbn
Of the men in the picture (from left to right, :YlVgY8]VYl^X`hZgkZYl^i]i]ZVgi^aaZgnVcYlVh
back row to front row): wounded and gassed
6aWZgiHVcYZghdchZgkZY^ci]ZVgbnVcYlVh 8]VgaZhH^bhhZgkZY^cVgbnVcYY^ZYV[iZgi]ZlVg
wounded three times of a fever contracted overseas
G^X]VgYHcVeZhZgkZY^ci]ZVgbnVcYadhi]^h <Zdg\Z=dggdX`hlVhldjcYZYVcY]^hWgdi]ZglVh
Wgdi]Zg"^c"aVlViK^bnG^Y\Z killed
L^aa^Vb=dlVgi]hZgkZY^ci]ZVgbnVcYadhi]^h ?VbZh:#?d]chdclVh`^aaZYVi<Vaa^eda^#
brother-in-law at Passchendaele
William Smith, who is not in the photo, was wounded
L^aa^VbAdc\ldgi]hZgkZYl^i]i]ZVgi^aaZgnVcYY^ZY on the Somme.
of the effects of a gas attack in 1920
G^X]VgYHb^i]hZgkZY^ci]ZVgbn^ci]ZB^YYaZ:Vhi
and survived a torpedo attack
L^aa^Vb=Adc\ldgi]hZgkZY^ci]ZVgbnVcYXVbZ
home disabled

Photo reproduced with thanks to Jonathan Ali.


Source: 46 D Footballers who fought in the war
L Find a footballer

First World War footballers case studies (continued)


Patrick Crossan, known as While on the front line, Paddy was buried in an
Paddy, was born in 1894 in explosion. He suffered severe concussion and spent
Addiewell, Midlothian. He was a three days crawling to safety. By the time he re-
Heart of Midlothian player who appeared, his fellow soldiers thought he had been
was known for his speed on the killed. At the start of his fighting, he said: I think that
pitch. Paddy also competed as instead of fighting, we should take the Fritzes on at
a sprinter in athletics meetings. football. I am certain we would do it on them.
He considered himself to be very In September 1916, Paddys foot and leg were badly
good looking, and a teammate injured. He woke up in hospital with a label on his
and friend once remarked that Paddy could maybe foot marking it for amputation, but persuaded a
pass the ball, but he couldnt pass a mirror if he tried. captured German surgeon in the hospital that this
When war broke out, football continued for a while, must not happen, as he was a professional footballer.
with Hearts the most successful team in Scotland. His foot was saved. Once recovered, he was posted
Public pressure grew for fit, healthy young men to to Palestine, then back to France, where he was the
join up. In response, Lieutenant-Colonel George victim of a gas attack in August 1918.
Fritzes: sla Macrae formed a battalion of the 16th Royal Scots, in After the war, Paddy was not able to resume a full
ng for Edinburgh. The whole of the Hearts team joined.
German so playing career. He opened a pub in Edinburgh and
ldiers
During the 1914/15 season, they continued to was the landlord there until his death in 1933.
play football matches, as well as doing their He is commemorated in the Hearts war memorials at
army training, which affected their results badly. Tynecastle and in Edinburghs Haymarket.
A huge crowd saw them off from Edinburgh
in late 1915. They then trained in England
and went to France in January 1916.
Source: 46 D Footballers who fought in the war
L Find a footballer

First World War footballers case studies (continued)


Jimmy Jimmy was gassed towards the end of the war and Bernard Barney Donaghey
(James was sent home. Once football resumed, he returned was born in Derry in 1882. He
Marshall) to playing for Sunderland, but appeared not to be fit began his career playing for
Seed was enough and he was released on a free transfer. He Derry Celtic, the main football
born in got another chance to play with the Welsh side Mid- club in the city, which competed
1895 in Rhondda, however, and from there joined Tottenham in the Irish League. He later
Blackhill, Hotspur. With Spurs, he had a successful career in played for Belfast Celtic, the
near the first team, appearing in the FA Cup Final, and then leading team in Ireland at that
Consett, Northumberland. He grew up near the played for England. His playing career continued at time, and signed for Manchester
Northumberland coast. He worked as a miner, playing Sheffield Wednesday, but ended when he got a knee United in the 1905/1906 season.
football part-time with Whitburn F.C. His brother injury at the age of 35. He played one international game
Angus also played professionally. Jimmy continued as a manager, at Clapton for Ireland, against Scotland on 9
Jimmys goal-scoring abilities impressed Sunderland, Orient (many of whose players had fought in August 1902.
and he signed with them as a professional in April the war), then Charlton Athletic (where there He fought with the First Battalion
1914. He continued playing for them until the end is a stand named after him), Bristol City and of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers during the First World
of the 1914/15 season, when football was officially Millwall. Jimmy died in 1966, at the age of 71, War. He was wounded in the head by shrapnel and
suspended because of the war. Jimmy was then just before England won the World Cup. spent time recovering in a hospital in Tanta, Egypt.
20-years-old. He wrote a letter home saying that he was recovering
He joined the 8th Battalion of the West Yorkshire and added, The other four soldiers that were beside
regiment and was sent to France. Here he was in me were killed. It was an awful sight. I am sure it
the Cyclist Corps, whose members took essential was the prayers that saved me. He was killed on the
information through the lines on their bikes. His opening day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916.
brother Angus was also in France and was awarded His body was never recovered.
the Military Medal for his courage after being
wounded.

With thanks to Patricia Keppie, Premier League


Source: 47 B English and drama G Design a war memorial
C Write a truce diary I Sports activities

Photographs taken by troops who


participated in the Christmas Truce

Troops from the London Rifle Brigade fraternising


with troops of the 104th and 106th Saxon
Regiments at Ploegsteert, Belgium, on Christmas
Day 1914. Possibly Riflemen Andrew (middle) and
giment
the 134th Saxon Re Grigg (second from the right, background).
German soldiers of rwickshire
men of the Royal Wa
Imperial War Museum document number Q 11745.
photographed with stern Front.
ns Land on the We
Regiment in No Ma HU 35 801 .
m document number
Imperial War Museu
Source: 48 K History

Photograph from the front page of


the Daily Mirror, 5 January 1915
During the truce, soldiers took photographs of enemies meeting.
Some were sent to newspapers and published within days.
Source: 49 B English and drama

Artefacts exchanged by troops who took


part in the truce
This brandy bottle and many Private Robert Boyd, a soldier in Hills
regiment, wrote about the gift of the brandy
other artefacts were donated to bottle in his diary:
the Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum On 31.12.14 German soldiers got up on their
eVgVeZiVcYbVYZ[g^ZcYanh^\cVah!8Vei<KL=^aa
after the death of Colonel met two German officers in No Mans Land. One of
<ZgVaYK^XidgL^abdi=^aa9HD# them proffered a small bottle of brandy. When Capt
Hill did not take it, the German officer took a sip and
He served throughout the First said not poison and then Capt Hill accepted the re-
World War, was promoted from corked bottle.

Captain to Lieutenant Colonel


and was awarded two Bars to his
Distinguished Service Order. He
died in 1959.

Photograph of the brandy bottle reproduced with the kind permission of the Museums of the Royal Irish Regiment.
Source: 49 B English and drama

Artefacts exchanged by troops who took


part in the truce (continued) Princess Marys Gift
Fund 1914 Box, Class A
Princess Marys Box smokers.
Princess Mary, the third child and only daughter of King George
KVcYFjZZcBVgn!lVh_jhi&,l]ZclVgWgd`Zdji^cDXidWZg
1914. Her original intention had been to pay, out of her private
allowance, for a personal gift to each soldier and sailor. This was
deemed impracticable and a proposal was made that she lend
her name to a public fund, which would raise the necessary
monies to provide the gifts. The gifts were metal boxes for every
serviceman at the front or at sea (Class A) for the first Christmas
of the War. The majority of gifts were for smokers and comprised
an ornate embossed brass box containing tobacco, cigarettes,
a pipe and lighter, Christmas card and photograph of Princess
Mary. For non-smokers writing paper and a pencil were provided.
For Indian troops sweets and spices were given instead of, or in
combination with, cigarettes.

Imperial War Museum document number EPH 1992.


Source: 50 M Propaganda and football

Trench Football game


In wartime, propaganda can
be an important weapon. This
trench football game pokes fun
at Kaiser Wilhelm, the head of
the German Empire, making him
a figure of fun.

Imperial War Museum document number EPH 2580.


Source: 51 B English and drama

Photographs of German troops who took part


in the truce

Group of Saxons
from the 134th
Saxon Regiment
who took part in the
truce
Group of Saxons who
took part in the truce
and a trench

Photos reproduced with thanks to John Krijnen


Source: 52 H Moral education
K History

The truce seen through a trench periscope


This blurred photograph showing
the Christmas Truce taking
place belonged to Lieutenant
Johannes Niemann, who
provided one of the most vivid
descriptions of football during
the truce (Source 21). The
photograph was taken through
a special device which soldiers
used to look out over the top of
the trench without risking being
shot, a type of trench periscope. A photograph of the
truce taken through a
It was similar to a submarine trench periscope
periscope. The sketch of the Photo reproduced with kind
permission of Michel Pacaux.

trench periscope was drawn by Karl Knig, who drew


the German soldier Karl Knig, a the sketch of the trench
periscope, before the war.
school teacher who was injured Images from Karl Knig reproduced with
kind permission of Dr Ulrich Knig
and died the following year.

Sketch of a trench
periscope drawn by a
German soldier, Karl
Knig
Source: 53 K History

The Daily Telegraph, 2 January 1915


This short article appeared under Rifleman E. W. Munday, 3rd Battalion Rifle
Brigade, son of Mr and Mrs Munday, of 5, Queen
the heading, Sorry to fight us. Street High Wycombe, writing home under date
December 26, says:
On Christmas morning some of us went out in front
of the German trenches and shook hands with them,
and they gave us cigars, cigarettes and money as
souvenirs.
We helped them to bury their dead, who had been
lying in the fields for two months.
It was a comical sight to see English and German Rifleman:
an ordinary
soldier
soldiers, as well as officers, shaking hands and Comical: fu
nny
chatting together. When we had buried their dead, Selfridges
one of the Germans danced and another played a : a departm
in London ent store
mouth organ.
We asked them to play us at football in the afternoon
but they had no time.
They seemed a decent crew to speak to, and I got
into conversation with one who worked at Selfridges
in London, and he said he was sorry to have to fight
against us.
Well I dont expect we shall shake hands with the
enemy again for a long time to come.
Source: 54 F Cartoons
The Communication Trench

My dug-out: a lay
of the trenches

Reproduced with the kind permission of the Bairnsfather family.


Cartoons drawn by Bruce Bairnsfather.
Source: 55 F Cartoons My dream for years to com
e

in
Keeping his hand

Reproduced with the kind permission of the Bairnsfather family.


Cartoons drawn by Bruce Bairnsfather.
Source: 56 M Propaganda and football

Grand International Match


Many recruitment posters were
printed to encourage men to
join the army. This poster was
produced at a time when the
whole island of Ireland was under
British rule.

Reproduced with kind permission of the Deputy Keeper of Records, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. Reference number LA/20/50/GA.
Further Resources
Below is a selection of some useful resources for exploring the
Christmas Truce and the role of football in the First World War more
widely, including museums, websites and books.
MUSEUMS: Manchester United FC Museum (Old Trafford, Football Clubs may be able to help you find out
Several museums have information and Manchester): www.manutd.com/en/visit-old-trafford/ more. Also see www.premierleague.com,
collections relating to the First World War and museum-and-stadium-tour/welcome.aspx www.football-league.co.uk, www.thefa.com
the football truce. Among them are: Chelsea FC Museum (Stamford Bridge, Regimental museums near you can be a great
The Imperial War Museum: www.iwm.org.uk London): www.chelseafc.com/stadium-tours-info/ source of information about the First World War in
The National Football Museum: article/2556087/title/about-the-tours--museum general. Below are some regimental museums that
www.nationalfootballmuseum.com Arsenal FC Museum (Emirates Stadium, London): hold displays or artefacts which specifically relate to
An exhibition on football in the First World War opens www.arsenal.com/history/the-arsenal-museum the Christmas Truce:
in December 2014. The London Irish Rifles Museum has a football
Westminster Archives holds information about
The National Army Museum: www.nam.ac.uk Walter Tull: www.westminster.gov.uk/archives that was kicked ahead of the regiments attack at
the battle of Loos, 1915: www.londonirishrifles.com/
The National Memorial Arboretum: The Surrey History Centre has information about museum
www.thenma.org.uk football and the Somme: www.surreycc.gov.uk/
recreation-heritage-and-culture/archives-and-history/ The Surrey Infantry Museum has
The Scottish National Football Museum information about football and the Somme:
(Hampden Park, Glasgow): surrey-history-centre
www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/new_museum/
www.scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk The Bodelwyddan Castle Museum and the new_museum.shtml
In Flanders Fields Museum (Ypres, Belgium): National Museum of Wales will have a special
exhibition on the Christmas Truce between January The Prince of Wales Royal Regiment and
www.inflandersfields.be/en Queens Regiment Museum has information about
and March 2015: www.bodelwyddan-castle.co.uk and
Wrexham Museum service holds the Welsh www.museumwales.ac.uk football and the Somme: www.royalwelsh.org.uk/
Football Collection: www.wrexham.gov.uk/english/ regimental-museum-of-the-royal-welsh.shtml
heritage/welsh_football
Further Resources
The Green Howards Museum: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission The Institute of Education
www.greenhowards.org.uk www.cwgc.org www.centenarybattlefieldtours.org
Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Museum (Royal Learning resources, virtual cemetery and CWGC sites Additional teaching resources
Warwickshire): www.warwickfusiliers.co.uk The Royal British Legion The Bruce Bairnsfather Society
Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum: www.britishlegion.org.uk www.brucebairnsfather.org.uk
www.rwfmuseum.org.uk The British Library Dick, Kerr Ladies FC 1917-1965
You can find other regimental museums here: www.bl.uk www.dickkerrladies.com
www.armymuseums.org.uk The National Archives The pioneering womens football team in which
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Florrie Redford played
Remember the World as well as the War:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/ The Europeana Collection The Christmas Truce 1914 Operation Plum
publications/remember-the-world www.europeana-collections-1914-1918.eu Pudding
A British Council publication highlighting the truly www.christmastruce.co.uk/
The Glory Days Letters from local papers
global nature of the conflict and its lasting legacy http://www.cwgc.org/glorydays/flash.html
MORE FIRST WORLD WAR RESOURCES AND Football in the First World War Spartacus Educational
ACTIVITIES FOR SCHOOLS www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk
World War One Playing the Game History with illustrations and primary sources
British Council Schools Online www.ww1playingthegame.org.uk
http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org Educational resources based on the childrens book The First World War Centenary
Resources to help your students explore the world War Game by Michael Foreman www.1914.org
beyond their classroom Local events taking place for Centenary
Crossing the White Line commemorations
British Council First World War Resources for www.crossingthewhiteline.com
EFL/ESOL Students Explores the life of Walter Tull, professional footballer Royal Shakespeare Company
www.teachingenglish.org.uk/world-war-1 and soldier in the First World War www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on/the-christmas-truce
New play about the Christmas Truce
The Imperial War Museum Football and Peace
www.iwm.org.uk www.childrensfootballalliance.com/football-and- Our Friends, the Enemy
peace www.ourfriendstheenemy.com
Commemorates the truce and celebrates peace One man show about the Christmas Truce
through play/sports
A small selection of further reading
Ali, J.: Our Boys: The Great War in a Lancashire Village,
Landy Publishing, 2007
Bell, M.: Red, White and Khaki, Peak publish, 2011
Brown, M. and Seaton, S.: The Christmas Truce, Pan
Books, 1994
Foley, M.: Hard as Nails, Spellmount, 2007
Hamilton, A. and Read, A.: Meet at Dawn, Unarmed,
Dene House, 2009 (www.meetatdawnunarmed.co.uk)
Harris, C. and Whipple, J.: The Greater Game, Pen &
Sword, 2008
Harris, E.: The Footballer of Loos, The History Press,
2007
Jacobs, B.: The Dick, Kerrs Ladies, Robinson, 2004
Jenkins, S.: They Took the Lead, DDP, 2005
Lewis-Stempel, J.: Six Weeks, Weidenfeld & Nicholson,
2010
Myerson, G.: Fighting for Football, Aurum, 2009
Riddoch A. and Kemp, J.: When the Whistle Blows,
Haynes, 2011
Tate, T.: Girls with Balls, John Blake, 2013
K^\cZh!H#/Lost in France, Stadia, 2007
Weintraub, S.: Silent Night: The Story of the World War
I Christmas Truce, The Free Press, 2001
Acknowledgements

The Football Remembers pack Amongst the many individuals who contributed
we would like to thank History Advisor Dr. Emma
has been created with generous Hanna and Education Advisor Emma Till. Iain Adams,
support from many individuals Jonathan Ali, Simone Bacchini, William Campbell, Piet
Chielens, Michael Cox, Peter Daniel, Santanu Das,
and organisations and we would Roger Davies, Greg Demetriou, Dominiek Dendooven,
like to express our thanks to Drew de Soto, Paul Docherty, Phil Dorward, Andrew
Hamilton, Patricia Hannam, Peter Hannon, Martyn
everyone who has supported Heather, Kathy Holvoet, Steve Jenkins, Paul Kennedy,
and advised us. Rowan Kennedy, John Krijnen, Jonathon Riley,
Debbie McDonnell, Gerard Murray, Robert Sullivan,
Our special thanks to the British Library, In Flanders EVjaIVnadg"=daaVcY!6Yg^VckVc@aVkZgZc!I^bK^cZ!
Fields Museum, the Institute of Education, the @aVjhKZghX]ZjgZ!H^YKdaiZg!BVg`LVgWn!VcY6a^hdc
National Football Museum, the National Memorial Willmott also supported the project.
Arboretum and the Imperial War Museum.
I]Z;ddiWVaaGZbZbWZgheVX`lVhZY^iZYWnK^g\^c^V
8gdbeidcVcYK^X`n<dj\]#
Notes
http://schoolsonline.
britishcouncil.org/
football-remembers
#FootballRemembers
http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/
football-remembers

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