A SOLDIER from Barnoldswick fighting on the Western Front wrote to his wife in John Street about one of the Christmas 'truces'.

The Craven Herald of January 8, 1915, reported that Private Fred Ralph, of the 4th Division East Lancashire Regiment, had described having his photograph taken with German soldiers and of exchanging 'cigs' and cigars.

The two days of peace and good spirits had livened everything up and improved what would have been a very 'poor' Christmas, wrote Pte Ralph.

Christmas Eve, 1914, was very quiet after both sides had been firing all day, but then, the German soldiers started shouting.

"They were shouting out asking us what we were going to have for dinner, and if we had any rum or whisky," he wrote.

"They had a band playing and were all singing songs, and they had big fires alight all night."

Christmas morning was 'very misty and foggy'.

"We could not see the German trenches, though they were only about 100 yards away - the Germans were walking about all morning until the fog lifted."

When the fog lifted, the German soldiers stood on top of their trenches, followed by the English, both wishing each other a merry Christmas.

"One of the East Lancashire's shouted for one of the Germans to come half way, and they both met in the middle and shook hands," wrote Pte Ralph.

"The Germans gave our fellow a box of cigars and cigarettes, then all the Germans and the English left the trenches and met and shook hands and exchanged cigs with each other just as if the war was over.

"I got three cigars and a handful of cigs, and a few of us got our photos taken along with the Germans by one of their officers. "

Pte Ralph added: "Things were going on like that nearly all Christmas Day - anyone who did not see it would hardly believe it - but if it had not been for this friendly spirit we should have had a very poor Christmas. It just livened things up a bit."

Every man in the regiment also received a Christmas box from Princess Mary containing a pipe, a packet of tobacco, a packet of cigarettes, and a Christmas card.

"They are very nice boxes," wrote Pte Ralph, "We are expecting to receive our Christmas pudding and other presents on the 28th, when we come out of the trenches for four days so that we can enjoy it better. Some got lots of currant loaf and fancy cakes sent. I got a share from Thornton, of Earby. "