The Squaddy ...

On 7 December 1914, Pope Benedict XV begged France, Britain and Germany to support an official truce between the warring governments of Europe. He asked "that the guns may fall silent at least upon the night the angels sang". His plea, along with the pleas of many others fell on the deaf ears of those of a certain disposition who had need to profit from the slaughter.
As is sometimes the case though, the folk on the ground took matters into their own hands and in many places along the battle lines, they negotiated a temporary respite from the blood, mud and extreme violence which had erupted around them.
The Christmas truce of December 1914 consisted a sporadic series of unofficial ceasefires that took place along the Western Front in World War I. During the days leading up to Christmas parties of German and British soldiers began to exchange seasonal greetings. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, many ventured into "no man's land" where they mingled, exchanging food and drink. As well as joint burial ceremonies, several meetings ended in carol-singing. Troops played games of football with one another.
The truce is seen by many as a symbolic moment of peace and humanity amidst one of the most violent events of modern history. My old granddad would never tell much about his experiences in that war except to say that France is full of mud and that he got his Military Cross and Bar for playing football ...