Ceasefire, Christmas Eve 1914

Hospital day again, and a longer one this week so in the middle of it I travelled into Liverpool. A grey, rainy, very windy day, so one for sheltering if possible.

I began and ended my “jaunt” at the Anglican cathedral. It was busier on my return trip (extra). Archbishop Blanch CoE High School have a concert this evening and so the school orchestra and choir - 120+ girls I would guess - were having a practice. It was good to listen in. The teacher trying to organise the choir girls looked a bit stressed, but I’m sure it will be a fab evening.

I then walked along Hope St taking a few pics along the way to show J (she used to work here so will be interested in the changes), and ending up at the Metropolitan (RC) cathedral for a walk around. It was much quieter. I liked a crib scene, although the baby Jesus has either gone missing, or has been deliberately left to our imaginations (extra). Then I walked down into the centre.

On my return I passed the old St Luke’s, the bombed out church. It was reduced to a ruin when Liverpool suffered seven days of consecutive bombing in May 1941, and has stayed that way. A place of remembrance and contemplation. By the side of the church stands this sculpture. It recalls the events of Christmas Eve 1914, when German soldiers in the trenches of Flanders starting singing the carol Stille Nacht, and the British soldiers respond by singing the English version - Silent Night. Then men on both sides got out of their trenches and for one night there was a ceasefire on this part of the western front. And impromptu games of football it seems (this being Liverpool the sculpture includes a football).