Reader's Digest Australia Dec/Jan 2025

singing songs. I have been within a yard in fact to their trenches, have spoken to and exchanged greetings with a Col- onel, Staff Officers and several Com- pany Officers. All were very nice and we fixed up that the men should not go near their opponents’ trenches, but remain about midway between the lines. The whole thing is extraordinary. The men were all so natural and friendly. Several photos were taken: a group of German officers, a German officer and myself, and a group of Brit- ish and German soldiers. The Germans are Saxons, a good- looking lot, only wishing for peace in a manly way, and they seem in no way at their last gasp. I was astonished at the easy way in which our men and theirs got on with each other. We have just knocked off for dinner, and have arranged to meet again after- wards until dusk … until 9 p.m., when War begins again. I wonder who will start the shooting! They say “Fire in the air and we will” and such things, but of course it will start and tomorrow we shall be at it hard killing one another. It is an extraordinary state of affairs which allows of a “Peace Day.” I have never seen men so pleased to have a day off as both sides. Their opera singer is going to give us a song or two tonight and perhaps I may give them one. Try and imagine two lines of trenches in peace, only 50 yards apart, the men of either side have never seen each other except per- haps a head now and again, and have never been outside in front of their trenches. Then suddenly one day men stream out and nest in friendly talk in the middle. One fellow, a marriedman, wanted so much a photo of Betty [Armes’s baby daughter] and Nancy [unknown] in bed, which I had, and I gave him it as I had two: It seems he showed it all round, as several Germans toldme afterwards about it. He gaveme a photo of himself and family taken the other day which he had just got. Well must finish now so as to get this off to-day. Have just finished dinner. Pork chop. Plum pudding. Mince pies. Ginger, and bottle of Wine and a cigar, and have drunk to all at home and especially to you, my darling one. Must go outside now to supervise the meet- ings of the men and the Germans. Will try and write more in a day or two. Keep this letter carefully and send copies to all. I think they will be inter- ested. It did feel funny walking over alone towards the enemy’s trenches to meet someone half-way, and then to arrange a Xmas peace. It will be a thing to remember all one’s life. Kiss the babies and give them my love. Write me a long letter and tell me all the news. I hope the photos come out all right. Probably you will see them in some paper. Yours, Jake Editor’s note: Capt. Armes survived the trench warfare and returned to his fam- ily after the war. reader ’ s digest 106   December 2025/January 2026 A German poster fromWorld War I reads “Christmas 1914.” FOTOTECA STORICA NAZIONALE./CONTRIBUTOR/GETTY IMAGES readersdigest.com.au    107 Service