Peace on Earth

Private Thomas Collins III

26 Dec1914

Western Front

Dear Father,

Happy Christmas, I hope you, mother and Emma had a great Christmas at Uncle Henry's Estate. I miss you all so much you all don't even know, I'm sorry I haven't lettered we have been moving so much I just lost track of time. But on the bright front, I take pleasure in knowing that this war is almost over as out Commanding Officer as told us, should be any day now that the Central Powers collapse and I'll be home just in time for Emma's birthday. It's just hard to be in the Christmas mood out here it's like this place has aged us in the few short months we have been here. When we arrived here in September to replace the Lads the Disvion lost at Mons and we were greeted by the sounds and the smell of the wounded and dead Frenchmen outside of a village to this trench line.

Father is this what the Boxer Uprising was like? The Western Front is a cold place, a place that turns innocent men into harden murders. The 56th (1/1st London) Division has been taking rather heavy losses these past few month, I was transferred from the 2nd London Royal Fusiliers Battalion to the 1st London Royal Fusiliers Battalion. I've been over the top quite a few times, I've never been so scared in my whole life. The reality of combat is a sobering one, the first time gunfire flew over my head I dropped into a puddle of mud and covered myself until the company was fell back to our trench. I thought it was over but the Germans came at us with everything they had, my SMLE jammed right when they breached our trench. I never had to fight for my life or been scared, the sounds of metal meeting men's flesh and the sound of the artillery are still in my head every night when I close my eyes. Is this why you never talked about the war? When you scaled the walls with the Americans at Peking did you have to fight like this, this is why you never talked about the war?

But father something happened that you or anyone else would believe, it started on Christmas Eve night. The day was calm no guns or artillery for the first time in weeks and we had a chance to do more personal affairs such as clean our area and properly clean my SMLE, it was wonderful. When night fell some of the guys sang Christmas song for a bit it was probably the most relaxed I've been since I got here. But what happen after was something I never thought I'd ever experience in a thousand years. The germans started to sing along with us from their lines, it was the most obscure thing, so we sang Silent Night in harmony and it was wonderful father I can even describe in this letter.

But this is the most obscure part of it father the next morning Private King put his rifle down and climbed over the trench. We all yelled for him not to but he walked into No Man's Land with his hands up and a Christmas tree in the other. We all assumed he'd be shot dead but we were wrong, to our amazement a single german also ventured into No Man's Land and met him they both stood a couple feet from each other which felt like hours but really just seconds, both of them moved forward and gazed into each other's eyes. The german put his hand out and they shook hands, slowly both side came out of the trenches. I walked towards them so scared I can feel my heart in my chest pounding like a drum, I too was face to face one of the german soldiers. He put his hand out and I gave him mine. Never in a hundred years would I believe this father but the lads sure had a hell of a time, it was like there was no war. Some of the Germans brought out stools and offered us haircuts, some traded what little rations we had with each other, the highlight of the morning was the football game. The Huns and Tommies Christmas football game, it was something to behold father. I was a real nice treat, just young lads being young lads, and I hope this unofficial cease-fire last and ends this bloody war.

I miss you all so much father, all of you I do hope there is a steady end to this war

Your Son

Thomas

Private

B Company, 1st London Royal Fusiliers Battalion, 56th DivisonHe