Lost album reveals Scottish soldier’s poignant account of WW1 Christmas Truce

Around 100,000 or so British soldiers were said to have laid down their arms and engaged in the Christmas spirit with their German counterparts, in what later became known as The Christmas Truce.

Now, new light has been shed on the impromptu, unofficial ceasefire, following the discovery of a Scottish soldier’s never-before-seen account of the football match in a WW1 nurse’s album.

It is among entries from wounded WW1 servicemen who contributed to the century-old book of memories.

READ MORE:

Extraordinary images spark search for the World War I Scots

Floating offshore windfarm helps solve WW1 maritime mystery

Found in a Derby house clearance, the unique album belonged to Voluntary Aid Detachment Nurse Maude Alice Lineham. While working at Derby’s Spondon House Hospital, Derbyshire Royal Infirmary (DRI) and Leicester Royal Infirmary during the 1914-18 conflict she encouraged soldiers to contribute.

Among thoughts, poems and drawings by around 90 servicemen from numerous regiments is a detailed first-hand account of the festive truce, written over eight pages by Private John J Ferguson from the Seaforth Highlanders under the title ‘Peace on Earth’.

Private Ferguson, who was wounded at Messines, Belgium, on December 26, 1914, after celebrating Christmas with the enemy, wrote: “Xmas Eve in the trenches and not too comfortable. Pumps going night and day but could never bring our water line to less than two feet, a small stream flowed parallel and in front of our trenches, using our trench as an overflow; being the cause of most of our discomfort.

Private John J Ferguson wrote a poignant eight-page account of The Christmas Truce under the title ‘Peace on Earth’  (Image: Hansons Auctioneers)

“It was almost dark and being only 100 yards from the German trenches it was almost possible to listen to the conversations…very little sniping had been done by either side, we thought they were exceptionally quiet. Good … Will … Towards … Men.

“We started singing carols. They applauded us. They sang and we replied. I don’t think we were as harmonious as the Germans. They had some fine voices among them. The stillness of the night, our mood (Xmas feeling) may have helped but as the sound floated over the turnip field to our trench we were held spellbound.

“We gave them three cheers (British ones) when they sang ‘God Save The King’ in English. Quietness again. What are they up to? They have arranged Chinese lanterns behind their trench … Illuminations any other night would have drawn out fire but tonight no-one snipes, it’s Xmas Eve.

“We hear it rumoured that there had to be a truce but nothing was given out to us… Someone calling from the trenches ‘Ongleesh Komadd’. I answered him ‘Fritz’ ( we call them all Fritz). ‘Do you want any tobacco?’ he asks. ‘Yes’. ‘Then come half ways’,  he says. In this way we called backwards and forwards until Old Fritz clambered out of the trench and I, accompanied by another three from my section, went out to meet him. We were walking between the trenches. At any other time this would have been instant death, even to show your head above the parapet would have been fatal. But tonight we go unharmed (but shaky) to meet our enemies.

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, with the WW1 album kept by Derby nurse Maude Alice Lineham (Image: Hansons Auctioneers)

“Make for the light and as we drew near we saw he had a flash lamp in his hand… We shook hands, wished each other a Merry Xmas and were soon talking like old pals, standing in front of their wire entanglements and surrounded by Germans …

“We stood in the circle of Germans like street-corner orators. Soon most of my company, hearing I had gone, followed us. In my regiment they call me Fergie for short and, in the darkness, they kept calling Fergie. The Germans coming to meet them, hearing this call of Fergie and thinking it was a greeting in English, answered every call of Fergie.

“What a sight it was, little groups of Germans and British extending almost the length of our front. Out of the darkness came laughter and talking, lighted cigarettes and the flash of matches. Germans and Seventh lighting each other’s cigarettes and exchanging souvenirs… Here we were laughing and talking to men whom only a few hours earlier we were trying to kill.

“I was surprised at the good English, especially of Fritz. He told me he had been doing business in Edinburgh and west of Scotland and only left in August when called up. He knew our regiment well and had seen them in Edinburgh Castle…

The nurse’s album contains many emotive discoveries (Image: Hansons Auctioneers)

“They had arranged not to fire for 48 hours but warned us the Prussians on their left would still be sniping. They kept their word and neither of us fired for two days. It was like being in a different world. Here we were, Christmas Day in the trenches and able to walk about with our heads up. Some of our men even left the trench to play football – a party from our ‘B’ went over and were photographed with the Germans… We had made friends with the enemy and all day kept calling and joking across the trenches.

“Dec 26 … a shell struck me. Left arm amputated at elbow and shrapnel wound left thigh. In all I had six pieces of shrapnel and two bullets removed but I knew it was not our new friends, the Bavarians, who shot me but the artillery of the Prussians.

“From 26th Dec to 5th March I was in hospital in Boulogne [France]. I am at present in the DRI. Words fail me in trying to express my appreciation for the attention and kindness of our sister and nurses of Ward 6. I wish I was a woman … I’d be a nurse… They’re champion. 16.6.15.”

Nurse Maude Alice Lineham’s album is being offered in Hansons Auctioneers’ Militaria Auction on November 13, held at the firm’s Derbyshire saleroom.

Commenting on the account by Private Ferguson, Matt Crowson, Head of Militaria at Hansons Auctioneers, said: “The festive truce is world-famous and, thanks to the discovery of this unique album, we have a new, detailed version of the event.

“This moving account underlines the futility of war. It’s far from the only emotive discovery in Maude’s album. One page features a fragment of a white German surrender flag. Sgt Jones of the 1/5 Kings Liverpool Regiment wrote: ‘A piece of a German white flag…The flag was taken from a prisoner who surrendered with 120 more at Festubert [France] on May 17, 1915 to the British’.

“These important wartime memories come to us thanks to Maude’s album.”