Christmas Day, one hundred years ago

‘I saw a sight I shall remember to my dying day’

You will hardly credit what I am going to tell you: but thousands of our men will be writing home today telling the same strange and wonderful story. Listen.

Last night as I sat in my little dugout, writing, my chum came bursting in upon me with: ‘Bob! Hark at ‘em!’ And I listened. From the German trenches came the sound of music and singing. My chum continued: ‘They’ve got Christmas trees all along the top of their trenches! Never saw such a sight!’

I got up to investigate. Climbing the parapet, I saw a sight which I shall remember to my dying day. Right along the whole of the line were hung paper lanterns and illuminations of every description, many of them in such positions as to suggest that they were hung upon Christmas trees.

And as I stood in wonder a rousing song came over to us; at first the words were indistinguishable , then, as the song was repeated again and again, we realized that we were listening to ‘The Watch on the Rhine.’ Our boys answered with a cheer, while a neighbouring regiment sang lustily the National Anthem.

Some were for shooting the lights away, but almost at the first shot there came a shout in really good English, ‘Stop shooting!’ Then began a series of answering shouts from trench to trench. It was incredible. ‘Hallo! Hallo! You English we wish to speak.’ And everyone began to speak at once. Some were rational, others the reverse of complimentary. Eventually some sort of order obtained, and lo! A party of our men got out from the trenches and invited the Germans to meet them halfway and talk.

And there in the searchlight they stood, Englishman and German, chatting and smoking cigarettes together midway between the lines. A rousing cheer went up from friend and foe alike. The group was too far away from me to hear what was being said, but presently we heard a cheery ‘Good Night. A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all’, with which the parties returned to their respective trenches.

After this we remained the whole night through, singing with the enemy song for song.

Sergeant A Lovell, 3 Rifle Brigade
Christmas Day 1914

Silent Night is the country’s favourite Christmas carol

Silent Night has been named the UK’s favourite Christmas carol – ousting O Holy Night from the top spot after a twelve year run.

It’s said that Silent Night was written to help fill a gap in an Austrian midnight mass service after nibbling mice had put the church organ out of action!

First translated into English in 1863, the beautiful carol was sung between the trenches in the famous Christmas truce of 1914, which may help explain its return to number one as the country commemorates the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War. The hugely-popular O Holy Night had previously held top spot for twelve years.

Thousands of Classic FM listeners voted in the radio station’s annual poll and the the full Top Thirty countdown will be broadcast on Christmas Day from 1pm in The Nation’s Favourite Carol.

I don’t want to spoil your enjoyment of the programme, but completing the top five are Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, In The Bleak Midwinter and O Come All Ye Faithful!

Whats your favourite Christmas song? Let us know!

They came, they saw, they cleaned up!

Residents give Granton Mill a right good going over!

Granton Mill residents rolled up their sleeves and joined city council staff to clean up their community recently. A small but enthusiastic band picked litter, cut back vegetation and cleared dumped rubbish and soon had the area looking spick and span (whatever spick and span looks like!)

Community council secretary Willie Black lives in Granton Mill and he initiated the area clean up. He said: “We wanted to encourage residents to join together to clean up their community and take pride in where they live – we want Granton Mill to be a place people want to stay.

“We were looking for a commitment of even just an hour or two and it was good to see local people answering the call. You can see the difference it’s made and the challenge now is to keep this momentum going and build on what we’ve achieved.”

The Granton Mill cleanup follows a similar day of action in West Pilton as part of the #StrongerNorth initiative. It’s ikely that more will follow in the New Year.

Willie has sent in some pictures of the Sunday morning cleanup (below) and there are more to follow:

Food Bank information

Food bank Christmas Opening Hours

Gorgie Salvation Army – South West

Monday 29 December 2-4pm
Friday 3 January 10 – 12noon
Monday 5 January 2-4pm
Friday 10 January 10 – 12noon

We also have a Christmas Day lunch and entertainment for those who are struggling alone or cannot have a Christmas lunch etc. It is from 12 noon to 3pm and places are available.

North East (not available via Advice Line)

Closed on Christmas Day and New Years Day and otherwise open as usual.

North West

Broughton DC – Christmas Eve, 10am to 12noon (note earlier finish, not usual 1pm).
Tollcross DC will be open throughout on Monday 29 December 2pm to 4pm.

South East

Closed 24th, 25th, 26th) Open on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 December (closed 31st, 1st and 2nd). Normal hours resume on 5 January

Broomhouse

Open Christmas eve until 12. There is then an emergency foodbank contact number on 0131 443 6223 available all throughtout Christmas and New Year and reopens first Monday in January.

Foodbank Christmas Opening Hours

Don’t dump – re-use!

So many items are needlessly thrown away when they could be put to good use by others. Local Environmental Warden Andrew Barnett has passed on information about a useful FREE service:

National re-use phone line 0800 0665 820

National re-use phone line is a service that easily allows you to pass on household items to be used again. Call the phone line on 0800 0665 820.

Examples of items that re-use organisations will accept:

• Sofas and armchairs (fire regulation tags must be attached)
• Beds and Mattresses (fire regulations must be attached)
• Wardrobes and chest of drawers
• Dining furniture
• Fridges, freezers , electric cookers, washing machines and tumble dryers
• Bicycles

Examples of items that re-use organisations will NOT accept:

• Items which are soiled, ripped or damaged
• Gas appliances of any kind
• Bulky style televisions
• Large wall units
• Items that have been left outside

Why use the re-use phone line?

• It’s a free collection service for re-usable items
• Our experienced call operatives are highly trained to meet your requirements
• You’ll be benefiting your local community and charitable organisations by supporting employment and volunteering opportunities
• You’ll be helping to reduce the amount of items being sent to landfill, reducing the environmental impact of waste
• You’ll be saving your Local Authority in landfill disposal costs; money which can be better spent in your community

Please call and speak to one of our advisors for more information on 0800 0665 820

National re-use phone line is funded by Zero Waste Scotland and ensures that you can find an alternative way to disposing of your unwanted items whilst helping your local community and reducing the volume of waste sent to landfill.

http://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/reuse-phoneline