This story unfolds a Truce of how the foes on a warrior front become friends on a Christmas eve. It is a British soldier’s letter to his sister. A surprised brother writes to his sister something almost like a fairy tale that blended the enemy soldiers to sing carols before the fire on the battlefields of France. After the first battle was over with many dead soldiers on both sides they were waiting for replacements to come from home. It was a terrible wait expecting an artilleiy shell that would explode and kill or maim several men.
The rain played the worst havoc that made the boots stuck to the ground. This was the case for the German soldier separated by fifty yards bordered by no man’s land-yet close enough as their voices could be heard. We hated them as they had killed many of our soldiers. But we almost felt that we had something in common. As we were experiencing a good freeze with little shelling or rifle fire from either sides, the shooting stopped as darkness fell. But, we were informed that there might be a sudden attack by the Germans.
Waking up, I saw an unbelievable sight as the Germans had placed Christmas trees in front of their trenches lit by candles or lanterns. They started singing carols and we too joined them. Though we couldn’t understand their language, the tune of the song made it clear that they were singing carols. Finally we agreed to cross over and join them to celebrate Christmas forgetting that we were in the war zone
British Khaki and German’s grey mingled over the bonfire. Many knew English as they had worked in England before. Just when we finished and started to go to our spots, an old German soldier clutched my arm and asked why can’t we just have peace and go home. We are just soldiers following orders and protecting our nation. But I hope, a day will come when there will be no wars when such spirit will be felt by world leaders to offer good wishes instead of warnings, gifts in place of retaliations. All nations want peace, though the author wonders if the wanting is quite enough.
