"There was very little firing - practically none at all. A friend of mine who was in business with a German firm in London assured me there would be no firing at all at Christmas. Of course as you can believe I rather laughed at the idea. However towards midnight the fun began. First they started lighting huge bonfires just behind the trenches and then began the carols. My word they can sing too! I was on guard from 10 to 12 with Bill Perplatt and we had a time listening to them. They were accompanied by brass bands. But the greatest surprise came on Christmas just before we went down to breakfast, and when the day came and we were back at the breastworks, the Germans had come out of their trenches. Both English and Germans were chatting together behind the trenches, smoking, and exchanging cigarettes and cigars. Of course most of us went up to see the fun. We hardly believed it. However it was true enough."

Sunday Times (1915). The Christmas Truce: An Extraordinarily Nice Crowd, Feb 14. p. 1.