Christmas Day, 1914

Dear Harley,

I hope you are doing ok and that the war hasn’t affected you too much I was writing to tell you that the most bizarre thing happened! We were in the middle of shooting when we heard someone from the Germans side singing Silent Night then some others joined in then somebody in our trench started humming along which then turned into singing well, I thought the only reasonable thing to do was to join in! So, there we all are singing with the people who killed many of our friends I would have nether thought that would happen!

Sadly, I can't tell you what the trench was really like as our leader reads them and he doesn’t want a bad impression o he wouldn’t send it if I did.

Any way, back to the story! We were singing along when one of the new commers decided to poke his head up from the trench before slowly stepping out. WAS HE MAD?! Everybody knows No-mans land was called No-mans land for a reason! You step out there they will hunt you down like sharks at pray! Even the people who joined last night would know that! Honestly after all the people that went there got shot and all our ear drums practically bursting when we herd them shoot the people, we knew you would think he would have known that! ‘he's dead then he's dead’ I heard somebody mumble from the other side of the trench and that made me angry as you should shout to him to come back not just let it happen at least try to help!

Suddenly the strangest thing happened! Somebody shouted from the other side the most bizarre thing! ‘oi you put your guns down we’ll put ours down!’ to be honest I didn’t believe them at all put your guns down they would have shot us dead knowing we put our defence down!

But then, we saw somebody roll what looked like a football as I wasn’t stupid as i didn’t just go kick it as it could have been a baronial which is a type of bomb which is very helpful. But obviously nobody else thought that as they all charged out at the ball and so did the Germans and in the end sadly the Germans won but hopefully not the war! It hurt me to think that soon we would be back to fighting I think one of the Germans saw me looking sad as he came up to me and handed me a little pouch but I was a bit scared as it could have been anything in there but by the smile in his face, I could tell it wasn’t. ‘thank you’ I said looking him in the eye as I said it. But he said nothing. I suddenly remembered the chocolate bar that mum had sent me to give to a friend along with one for me. I turned around and ran as if my life depended on it and tapped his shoulder. He turned round in an instant a smile on his face when he saw the neat parcel waiting for him.

Sadly, after that it was back into the pain and brutal war again the moment, I had been dreading but life must go on, I guess...

Well, this is the end of my letter I wish you good luck and I hope to see you soon!

From your brother,

Ryan