Christmas in the Trenches (11 page)

Crosse and Blackwell’s tinned plum pudding was as nice as any I have tasted. I found a little sprig of prickly stuff, something like holly, with two red berries on and stuck it in the top then of a little brandy from someone’s emergency brandy flask was emptied round the plate and we put it all burning on the table.

We have had to keep our Christmas a little in advance as we are going into trenches this evening. I must not write further or I may get late in packing my things up.

With much love to you both my ‘best girls’
From their loving brother
Mervyn

Once in the trenches there was little activity as the enemy was also trying to have a quiet winter. Instead there was simply a need to establish routines to get them through the discomforts of trench life:

We came up to the first line on Sunday night – Christmas Eve – and took over the trenches on the extreme left of our sector; these are the trenches which extend from the Tributary Ravine to the west; on the lower slopes of Horseshoe Hill and opposite the ruined village of Doldzeli. The trenches are quite good for this part of the world and they need to be for there is no dugout accommodation and the men live in the trenches all the time. The officers have little dugouts in the side of the ravine the dimensions of mine where I am now writing are 5ft x 4ft 6ins by 3ft high. It would be a terrible little hole if it was wet but now the weather is fine it is not so bad and I can lie comfortably from corner to corner.

Thank God there was a wind today; yesterday the stench in this ravine was horrible. It comes from shallow refuse pits and shallower graves in fact I am told the legs of one dead Frenchman stick up above the ground just up the top of the bank; we must certainly put some more earth on top of him at night when we can go there unobserved.

I mentioned in another letter the parcels and letters I received on Boxing Day. The men were delighted to receive a good mail of Christmas parcels in the trenches . . .

This is really a bit of a rest cure – not very much work to do and the rest of the time, or greater part of it, I spend in my dugout sleeping or reading or writing in a recumbent position. I am a great believer in getting a proper amount of sleep in trenches. Many people seem to mess about doing nothing in particular when off duty and get haggard and cross through want of sleep.
¹⁰
(
Capt Mervyn Sibly
)

Soon after coming into contact with ‘Johnny Bulgar’ many in the BSF found him a sporting opponent who was keen to abide by the unwritten rules of the ‘live and let live system’. Christmas provided a good test of this as Bulgaria, being an Orthodox country, celebrated on 7 January, which meant they could have regarded 25 December as just another day of the war. But this was generally not the case:

To-day is the Bulgar Christmas, and I have heard only some half-dozen shells of ours go over, for which I am glad, for they left us pretty quiet on Christmas Day, and it is only fair to do ditto.
¹¹
(
Lt John Hammond, Medical Officer, 10th Devons
)

For those serving on the lines of communication or troops passing through the large transit camp called Summerhill, there was much more in the way of food and entertainment on offer thanks to the close proximity of depots and the ‘bright lights’ of the city of Salonika. Lt Holroyd Birkett Barker (134th Siege Battery, RGA) had just returned from hospital on Malta, where he had been recovering from malaria, and spent Christmas at Summerhill while awaiting re-posting to his unit:

Christmas Day under very unusual surroundings compels one to reflect upon the destiny that has led us here. We have very little work to do and after breakfast our main concern is to work up an appetite that will do justice to the dinner to be provided in the mess, which has been spoken of in very impressive tones during the last few days. At last the moment arrives, and we find ourselves in the mess hut – a long tin shed with a sandy floor, blankets hung along the sides for tapestry, forms to sit on, and candles stuck in old jam tins for illumination. Other tins are filled with soil and holly stands precariously in its midst; here and there red, white and blue paper is twisted . . . and at the head of the table appeared in an unsteady hand the word ‘Welcome’. This completes the decorative element. We then turn on to soup – unnamed but apparently made from cayenne pepper – goose and turkey of most excellent flavour, a Christmas pudding and mince pies that are but vaguely reminiscent of the real thing and lastly jellies quite innocent of flavours and eaten, through pressure on the cutlery equipment, from a knife, oranges, nuts – but no crackers for them – other fruit that defies description.

What the function lacks in one department however is made up for by the general hilarity prevailing. Nature too is doing her best for the sun has been shining all day and a general warmth in the afternoon made a short walk along the plain very attractive. A discordant note was struck during the day that jarred upon the tranquil harmony of the scene, for two enemy aeroplanes appeared overhead apparently with the intention of bombing the town, and were vigorously fired at by anti-aircraft guns from all sites. Doubtless both of the opposing parties have attended Divine Service this morning and have hailed the Prince of Peace, and have then proceeded to pray for success for their respective arms, and are now sternly endeavouring to inflict slaughter upon each other. Surely only a Christian conscience can fail to detect an inconsistency in such a programme.

In the evening some promiscuous singing brings to a close a day that will no doubt be, throughout my life, memorable among the lengthening line of Christmases to come.

Not all Christmas dinners proved so memorable:

On Xmas Eve all Supply Officers of the ASC met for dinner at the White Tower – about 80 in all with various colonels and generals as guests. It was a most solemn and funereal affair . . . I had practically nothing to eat; I paid 15 francs for the ticket and probably have to pay another 10 for the champagne the guests drank, so zut, I do not think I shall patronize it next year. The worst of it was, I was opposite some new officers I had never seen before, and as we were at table for three hours, 8–11, conversation languished. What made it all the worse was loud applause from the next room, where 4 enticing Parisian ladies were dancing quadrilles with much display of lingerie. No, no more Xmas dinners at 30 francs for me.
¹²
(
2/Lt Eric de Normann, ASC Main Supply Depot
)

Following dinners, many units put on concerts of varying size and standards, many of which would have served to lift the spirits of even Lt de Normann:

Already a programme had been prepared and sent to print (per duplicator). A goodly number of the men had promised to contribute various items to the concert on Christmas night. A few boards had been ‘found’, and with these a rough-and-ready stage had been constructed at one end of the building which we used as ‘dining-hall’. Then, the crowning achievement of all was the hiring of a piano from a Greek. Yes, wonder of wonders, a piano was obtainable even in Macedonia. You will believe me that its ‘tone’ was not quite perfect when I tell you that it was brought over three miles of bad roads to our camp, on a springless vehicle supplied by the ASC. Nevertheless, properly manipulated it produced ‘some’ music . . .

The first item on the programmes was a marching tune, excellently rendered on the piano by a certain Sgt-Maj. Then followed four or five songs, the audience joining in the chorus in each case. We also heard some good recitations, in which direction I also ‘did my bit’. We were also fortunate in having an expert conjurer in the Company, who proved the truth of that oft-repeated statement, ‘The quickness of the hand deceives the eye’. Then Sapper T gave us a turn; he could imitate almost any noise from the clucking of a broody-hen to the screeching of a circular-saw, and he had us all roaring with laughter before he sat down . . . Some of the men contributed short humorous stories. Volunteers were invited to step on stage and give a turn, and there was a big response.

Of course we couldn’t close the meeting without the usual votes of thanks, after which we sang the National Anthem with great vigour. Then came a messenger and warned us there was likely to be an air-raid, so we popped off to bed, extinguishing all lights, and were soon in the land of dreams. Thus ended the happiest day I have yet spent on Active Service. Xmas Day, 1916, will always live in my mind as a ‘Red letter day’.

NB – The ‘air-raid warning’ was a pre-arranged plan to get us all to bed quietly before eleven o’clock.
¹³
(
Sapper Albert Barker, Royal Engineers
)

While the opposing forces in the Balkans were beginning to test each other during 1916, final victory against German forces in Cameroon came in February, when Colonel Zimmermann’s forces, numbering some 1,000 Germans, 6,000 Askaris and 7,000 civilians, crossed into Spanish Guinea. The survivors remained a force in being as the Spanish authorities were too weak to intern them. Zimmermann’s plan was to await German victory in the war after which his troops would re-cross the border and re-establish German rule in Cameroon. Victory in West Africa left the Kaiser with just one colonial possession, German East Africa. Here, Gen Jan Smuts was given command in the spring of 1916. His first offensive saw the taking of Tanga (7 July) and Dar-es-Salaam (3 September), but attempts to surround and destroy von Lettow-Vorbeck’s Schütztruppen proved a failure owing to the greater mobility of the German force, its knowledge of the terrain and acclimatisation; by May 1916, half the South African troops were down with disease. Smuts regrouped his forces ready for a second offensive in 1917. The high sick rates led to a decision to ‘Africanise’ the campaign, by bringing the Gold Coast and Nigeria Regiments to East Africa. For a number the journey would cancel out any chance they had for a rest that Christmas:

I have not had much time to write lately as I have been moving very rapidly since Xmas Eve when I left Dar-es-Salaam. We had a nine hour journey by rail starting early in the afternoon so arriving about midnight. I luckily travelled in a wooden van with eleven other fellows but there were three iron vans with about the same number of whitemen in each. The heat during the day in these things is awful.

We started trecking on Xmas afternoon and did about 16 miles and dossed down on the roadside about 11am. It was quite enough for most people as we were all pretty soft after a long voyage. I had lent my valise to a fellow whose bedding was lost on the road as I had a camp bed and blankets and about 2am a heavy tropical rain storm came on and my bed was very soon 6 inches deep in water. I was too tired to turn out and slept off and on till dawn. We had only a short march next day and then a day off to dry our kit. Mine only consists of a change of clothes, bedding and a few cooking pots. The following day we did 16 miles and slept 45 whitemen packed like sardines in one shelter as it was raining again . . .

So far the rations are quite good but of course when one is in action their arrival is very uncertain but so far we have had at least one meal a day. The supply of drinking water is very difficult as it is very risky to drink any water one comes across and we are tied down to an absolute minimum of carriers.
¹⁴
(
Capt Eric Barclay, 4th Nigeria Regiment
)

For those on the lines of communication in East Africa matters could be rather more comfortable. Sapper Frank Rowland (Royal Engineers, Signals Section) was based for over a year at Dodoma railway station. Here the signallers worked in the German-built railway offices and occupied native-built huts. A stationary hospital was also on site. Rations remained somewhat limited, Rowland saving a tin of sardines as a treat with which to celebrate his birthday on 19 December. Even so:

It was a pleasant change to mix with a larger number of troops, to frequent and buy from the expeditionary force canteens and the Greek and Arab shops in the native quarter. There was a church marquee and a padre. Mail came frequently . . . Christmas 1916 was celebrated happily, and there was even a rum ration on New Year’s Day 1917. I visited comrades in hospital and lived a life of a soldier in a barrack town in England. But there was still plenty to remind us where we were – native troop movements on the railway, native women with the troops, carrying babies and military stores as they left the trains and marched southward.

Christmas 1917

I send to all ranks of the Navy and Army my hearty good wishes for Christmas and New Year. I realize your hardships patiently and cheerfully borne and rejoice in the success you have won so nobly. The Nation stands faithfully to its pledges, resolute to fulfil them. May God bless your efforts and give us victory. Our Christmas thoughts are with the sick and wounded sailors and soldiers. We know by personal experience with what patience and cheerfulness their suffering is borne. We wish all a speedy restoration to health, a restful Christmastide and brighter days to come.

The King’s Christmas Message to his Troops, 1917

As 1917 drew to an end the Allies were in a position of strength despite the collapse into revolution of Russia during November. The Germans’ launching of unrestricted submarine warfare and withdrawing to the Hindenburg Line position (March–April 1917) were admissions that the fighting on the Somme and at Verdun in 1916 could not be sustained for another year. The U-boat campaign drew the USA into the war against Germany and with it gave a huge advantage in terms of raw materials, manufacturing power and manpower to the Allies. To make matters worse for Germany, by late 1917 the U-boat campaign had failed, defeated by the Royal Navy’s anti-submarine measures, including the introduction of a convoy system for merchant shipping. On the Western Front pressure had been maintained on the Germans. On 9 April the British opened the Battle of Arras, in support of the French ‘Nivelle Offensive’. The Canadian Corps took Vimy Ridge and during the initial fighting the British 3rd Army also made inroads into the Hindenburg Line. However, stalemate returned as fighting dragged on until mid-May, and Gen Nivelle’s much-vaunted offensive on the Chemin des Dames, which opened on 16 April, was a total failure. This defeat broke the morale of the French Army and led to widespread mutinies that lasted until the autumn. From this time Haig’s BEF became the main offensive force on the Western Front.