Christmas on the Western Front

One of the most famous Christmas-time events of all was the Truce that took place along some parts of the line on the Western Front in 1914. Christmas Eve was a still, frosty night and looking over a row of sodden sandbags, British soldiers could see the German trench and barbed wire close by. Lights were spotted on the German parapet and to the soldiers’ surprise it was the sparkling of Christmas tree lights followed by the strains of ‘Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht’ (‘Silent Night’), which travelled across the churned up morass of no-man’s land.

With promises of no shooting, soldiers from both sides joined together; some played football, exchanged photographs and cigarettes and carols were sung. For a short while Christmas had united enemies and humanity reigned supreme.

In 1914, Britain’s Princess Mary set up a fund to provide a gift for every man serving at the front or at sea that Christmas. It was an embossed brass box that contained a variety of items including a message, card, tobacco and chocolate. You can see an example of the Christmas 1914 tins at Bodmin Town Museum (pictured).

A Winter's Tale

A Bodmin tale from the late historian, Peter Davies, in his book, ‘Looking back at North Cornwall’, tells of how one cold and frosty Christmas Eve, the mail coach on leaving Jamaica Inn for Bodmin, along with two occupants, toppled off the road with a crash. Horses thrashed around, curses from inside the coach from its two occupants, and curses from the driver and the guard filled the night. Suggestions for walking the rest of the way to Bodmin were ignored in preference to finding a remote farmhouse near Temple.

After trudging uphill, the travellers arrived and were welcomed by the old farmer and his wife. Huddled around the fire, the four visitors were fed and watered along with the horses. More furze was thrown on the fire and the air was filled, this time, with the sound of carols.

Good news

The volunteers at Bodmin Town Museum were delighted to receive the news in August that we have again received Full Accreditation from Arts Council England. After completing many documents along with a visit from a member of the Arts Council, we were pleased to know that we are following all the correct procedures and will endeavour to maintain this high standard.