41 replies to this topic

[Still Waters]

The famous First World War football match of the Christmas Day truce started after a ball was kicked from the British lines into No Man's Land.

The disclosure emerged in a previously-unseen letter describing the famous match.

Staff sergeant Clement Barker sent the letter home four days after Christmas 1914 when the British and German troops emerged from their trenches in peace.

http://www.telegraph...rom-trench.html

[ealdwita]

I wonder if that football survived to be one of those given to the men of the East Surreys eighteen months later by thier over-confident officers, to kick across no-man's land before the Battle of the Somme?

[AsteroidX]

Theres other examples of opposing Christian Armies not fighting on Christmas and sharing among one another.

Edited by AsteroidX, 23 December 2012 - 04:23 PM.

[lsra]

I've always liked this story.  I wonder if the same type of thing would happen today.

[Princess Serenity]

I love this story! It's one of my favorite Christmas stories!

[ealdwita]

lsra, on 23 December 2012 - 04:32 PM, said:

I've always liked this story.  I wonder if the same type of thing would happen today.

Absolutely no chance whatsoever, I'm sorry to say!

[lsra]

Unfortunately, I think you are right ealdwita. Different times.

[FLOMBIE]

And war is fought very differently. There is no no-man's-land between two dugouts anymore.

[ealdwita]

Even at that time, it was a minor, 'one-off' incident which has been blown out of all proportion by journalists, and has entered (in greatly embellished form) military folklore. There were subsequent 'temporary cease-fires' - for the collection of casualties and sometimes the evacuation of non-belligerents, (as there was in WWII), but never again (or strictly speaking - before) has that level of fraternization taken place! A couple of months later, in April 1917, the Battles of Arras and Vimy Ridge, served to remove any remnant of goodwill toward the enemy!

[AsteroidX]

Quote

Even at that time, it was a minor, 'one-off' incident which has been blown out of all proportion by journalists, and has entered (in greatly embellished form) military folklore. There were subsequent 'temporary cease-fires' - for the collection of casualties and sometimes the evacuation of non-belligerents, (as there was in WWII), but never again (or strictly speaking - before) has that level of fraternization taken place! A couple of months later, in April 1917, the Battles of Arras and Vimy Ridge, served to remove any remnant of goodwill toward the enemy!

All incidents of "sharing" among opposing armies are isolated incidents.

[Helen of Annoy]

AsteroidX, on 23 December 2012 - 07:04 PM, said:

All incidents of "sharing" among opposing armies are isolated incidents.

With serious consequences.
I can’t find decent link to prove my point, but people were court-martialed for unauthorised truces in WWI, as far as I know.

Today the social engineering techniques are even better, so noticing the enemy is human is mostly irrelevant. Not unnoticed, but irrelevant. Which is great news for corporations that order wars and extremely bad news for every common sucker involved.

[ExpandMyMind]

lsra, on 23 December 2012 - 04:32 PM, said:

I've always liked this story.  I wonder if the same type of thing would happen today.

Nope, because we only fight Muslim "armies" now...

Edited by ExpandMyMind, 24 December 2012 - 12:16 PM.

[Helen of Annoy]

ExpandMyMind, on 24 December 2012 - 12:16 PM, said:

Nope, because we only fight Muslim "armies" now...

Howdareyougowashyourkeyboardwithsoap... no one fights them, only brings them democracy.
Forward march into democracy

[monk 56]

Hi Helen of Annoy,

I see you come from Croatia, so what i say below about starting and stopping war should be in a Harry Potter Book, i could add intentional astrology to dates if required.

Black Hand Secret Society triggered W.W.1. assassins in that region love using Vidovdan, link below:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vidovdan

Obviousy Treaty of Versailles was signed on same date in 1919, how neat that we can start wars and finish them on same date, shame about blood everywhere, link below:-

http://en.wikipedia....y_of_Versailles

There is evidence that Germany was trying to surrender days or even a month before the Armistice, but a Harry Potter type wanted his numerology in place, 11 is a master number, ever thought how weird it is that Armistice happened on 11th hour of 11th day of 11th month?????

http://en.wikipedia....i/Armistice_Day

http://en.wikipedia....ce_with_Germany

Many thousands of soldiers died waiting for the Armistice, i don't find it funny that this date may be all about numerology!

But we don't need to end it there, the Patron Saint of Soldiers is Saint Martin of Tours, his feast day is 11th November and was so for countless centuries before W.W.1.

http://catholicfire....urs-patron.html

We now see why the Ottoman Empire declared war on Christian soldiers on 11th November 1914, link below:-

http://www.nzhistory...re-declares-war

Shall i continue???

[G Donnelly]

ealdwita, on 23 December 2012 - 05:25 PM, said:

Absolutely no chance whatsoever, I'm sorry to say!

I will have to agree with you on that one.
What with the rough and tumble of the modern game.
It's all about the rampant egos of the players and managers alike.
And that's before all the fouls,red cards and general unsporting behaviour.
If Paulo Di Canio was managing one of these teams the truce would be broken within mere seconds.
However his slave-driving and work ethic would make sure the match dosn't even kick off.
Paul Mcartney's "Pipes of Peace" was actually a send-off of this in the video.