Late autumn 1914 would see opposing forces on the Western Front trying to outflank one another in a series of battles north towards the English Channel. Stalemate and the harsh realities of trench warfare would follow as both sides ‘dug in’ during the latter months of 1914 and the war that was supposed to be over by Christmas looked as though it would last well into 1915.

After months of bitter fighting and atrocious autumn and winter weather both sides were ready for some respite. Or were they?

On this mini battlefield tour we will be looking at the events leading up to the Christmas Truce and will focus on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 1914 and look at how the lull in hostilities was viewed through the eyes of the soldier on the ground at the time. With an in-depth and comprehensive cases study of two casualties during the truce, we will look to examine what really happened along the British sector over the Christmas period 1914.
What were the driving factors that brought about this extraordinary event?