Interviewer: Did u start to feel nervous or anxious at this unknown sight?
Jim Price: Like many people, I did feel slight apprehension at what was coming. A long row of lights over the horizon could have been anything, so we were preparing for the worst. Suddenly, I heard a sound that I will never in my life forget…the Germans started singing “Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht” followed by a massive cheer from William’s regiment who in turn sung “The First Nowell” and “O Come All ye Faithful” followed by the Latin version “Adeste Fidelis.” People were shouting and singing for an hour until a gutsy German soldier got up out of his trench and started singing from on top his trench and slowly started approaching the allied lines. I really couldn’t believe that the very people we were taught to despise were coming forward in the most gallant attempt of peace anyone had ever seen. When the first German reached our trenches, he asked me a question that I will never forget, “I are a Saxon. You are an Anglo-Saxon. Why do we fight?” I still do not know the answer to this day.
Interviewer: Did u feel at all nervous that this whole thing could have been an elaborate trap?
Jim Prince: I think everyone must have had a few ideas in their head of what to do if the Germans walked up to the lines and started firing, but to everybody’s absolute amazement, the Germans were genuine. More and more Germans started appearing over the horizon singing, so the Allies followed what they were doing and got up out of their trenches and started socialising. A friend of mine, Major Leslie Walkinton said something to me that I can’t forget, “a spirit stronger than war was a work that night.” Christmas day dawned with a freezing mist in the air and already there were thousands of men out in no-mans land. Quickly a football match started and the different sides started to exchange what little possessions they owned as gifts and the local barber started giving free haircuts. This was the most fun anyone had had in a long time because we had the freedom to move about and talk to people with out the fear of getting shot. A chaplain and a German divinity student gave a short funeral service in remembrance of the dead.
Interviewer: You must have met quite a few new people. Are there any who you particularly remember?
Jim Prince: I met a university student from Leipzig who was the same age as me who I got to know very well. We sat down and talked for ages while sharing some sweets and cakes of his and some cigars from his university.
Interviewer: A lot of planning and strategy went into the war, so your senior officers can’t have been too pleased bout you fraternizing with the enemy!!
Jim Prince: We didn’t want to find out!! One afternoon, we found out that a British Brigadier was coming to the front lines for an inspection, so all the men hurried back to their trenches and acted as if it was a normal day at the front. When the Brigadier arrived, we acted so well that he couldn’t tell we hadn’t been fighting for hours. Suddenly, he yelled, “Corporal, there’s a Hun! Shoot him!!” The corporal at the machine-gun fired just above the German’s head, but he didn’t react. He fired again just lower but still not hitting the German just in case it was someone he had made friends with, and the German made a theatrical dive that fully convinced the Brigadier. There had been no fighting on the front for 24 hours now so the wild birds started to come back and everyone was feeding them whatever they had left of food. When the senior officers found out about the truces, they enforced stern orders that no more were to be made. After that, there were no more truces for the following 3 Christmases of the war. We didn’t really want to talk to them anymore just in case they did decide to turn evil now that they had their new flamethrowers and poison gas.
Interviewer: Wow!! That really is a story. That was great!! We don’t have much more time, so we will only take a couple of calls. Caller 1, you’re on the air. What question would you like to ask Mr. Prince?
Caller 1: Yeah…hi. This is a really stupid question, but I was wondering how does one go to the toilet while in the front line?? Do u have special facilities or are you not allowed to go while on duty?? Please enlighten me.
Interviewer: A valid question. I have sometimes wondered the same thing but never had the guts to ask anyone.
Jim Prince: Well…this really has nothing to do with my story, but anyway. It is quite simple, whenever you need the toilet you go to a designated area, dig a whole, do your business and cover the hole over with mud. Simple really.
Interviewer: Thanks for that. Now we will take one last call. Caller 2, you’re on the air.
Caller 2: Hi Mr. Prince. I was just curious what a soldier on the front lines would eat. I hear the food was pretty nasty stuff and wasn’t dissimilar to gruel.
Jim Prince: The food wasn’t exactly gourmet, but it was edible stuff just about. Breakfast is bread like cardboard, lunch is leftover breakfast and we didn’t eat supper.
Interviewer: Well that’s all we have time for today. A big thanks to Mr. Jim Prince for spending time to tell his story!! Join us next time on “Memorable Days” when we will speak to Mr. Albert Anderson who tells us about how his rifle malfunctioned and backfired to blow and hole in the side of his head. Next time on “Memorable Days.”
