Ding Dong Merrily On High

Hi folks, well all I can say is what a week!

I wasn't looking forward to going into the trenches with it being Christmas, the thought of being wet and cold and then being sniped on or shelled by the Hun was dreadful. If only I was at home like you folks or better still the war was over and everyone was with their loved ones enjoying Christmas as it should be. But it wasn't to be.

On Christmas eve we marched down to the communication trenches and then on into the front line trenches. We were relieving the Kings Own again. As they left they seemed pretty cheerful and I thought 'yes, you would be having a nice bed in billets and some good Christmas scoff to be had'.

We took up our usual positions, sentries on lookout and the rest of us climbing into scrape holes made into the sides of the trench. We could lift our feet up and keep them dry until we fell asleep and then they slipped back down into the freezing muddy water. That soon woke you or for some who were too tired and slept on they woke in the morning with their feet in a dreadful state. All sodden and frozen blue with the cold.

As we lay there, sometimes two or three of us huddled together ,we listened to the night, it had an eerie silence about it broken now and then be a few shells and shots in the distance. The temperature was falling fast and frost was settling on the mud and forming an icy coat on the muddy pools. We didn't feel like fighting and it seemed to us neither did the Hun.

It was a clear night and the stars were twinkling. We then heard the most beautiful voice singing a Christmas carol. It was a German, he was singing what sounded to me as Steala Nact, Heliga Nact, I certainly didn't understand the German words but it sounded heavenly to me. We all sat there and listened, it was beautiful, in the midst of all that devastation and death it was like an Angel of the Lord had descended to comfort us all.

When he finished we all sat there for a moment and then burst into applause. Someone shouted sing us another one. The voice started up again singing another carol, this time more voices joined in. We sat and listened and then applauded when finished. Fritz shouted back 'hey Tommy you sing'. We had a quick chat and then decided, we sang O Come All Ye Faithful. When done we were applauded.

So it continued well into the night, sometimes us singing, sometimes the Hun. It was marvellous to exchange songs instead of bullets. Sometimes we sang together, the Hun in his language us in ours. Sometimes they sang in English as well. Some must have been bandsmen because at times they struck up with their brass instruments. It was grand.

I fell into a deep sleep that night feeling safe for once because it didn't seem like either the Hun or we were going to breaking the peace.

I awoke next morning and everywhere was covered in a hoar frost. The water in the trench was frozen solid. My Pal brought me a nice warm cuppa with a tot of rum. It did the trick, it warmed me through. I shouted out to Fritz 'sing us that Heliga Nact'. To my amazement they struck up and sang it as beautiful as the night before. It was wonderful to here it for I knew there wouldn't be any shooting today, Christmas Day.

Our front line trench is very close to the Huns as you will be able to see from the following map. The Hun trenches are in red and the approximate line of our front line trench is shown in blue. We never show our trenches in detail in case the Hun gets his hands on our maps. The area our Battalion resides in is just to the south of the east/west road in Le Touquet up to the railway line crossing the road at the top of the map. You can see that our trenches and the Huns are only 40 yards or more apart in some places.

Proximity of British and German Lines

The close proximity to the enemy means we can hear them talking and smell their cooking. Previously we have thrown messages across but have never engaged in conversation before. Now in the true spirit of Christmas we have been singing carols to each other.

At one point in the morning a cry went up from the Hun, 'you no shoot Tommy, we no shoot'. We were happy enough to go along with this. After a few more minutes some of our lads got curious and looked over the top of the trench. Fritz was doing the same and at first our men ducked back down for fear of being shot but this didn't happen, no shot rang out.

Further up the line a German waved a stick with a white flag on it and then climbed out of the trench. He shouted 'you no shoot Tommy I come to speak with you'. He asked for a an agreement for a truce. Being Christmas and quite glad of the respite this was agreed upon. One of our officers was brave enough to go across to the German front line and discuss the same. So began a marvellous period where we were able to walk about without fear of being shot.

The Hun used the truce to retrieve their dead from no mans land, they had several fallen men having made several unsuccessful attacks on our lines in the past. Their dead had been left where they fell. It was a grim job for them, especially on Christmas day.

Some of our men climbed onto the trench top and began exercising to warm themselves up. Soon more were doing this. I climbed out and did likewise. It was grand to get out of that filthy dank trench and walk about without being hunched up or ducking and diving from shell or gun fire.

The Hun was doing likewise on their side of no mans land, we eyed each other up and gave each other a respectful glance and nod. We were curious about these fellows who we were previously trying to kill and them likewise trying to kill us. Shouts of greetings were sent across the gap such as 'Merry Christmas Fritz' and likewise was returned. Some enquired 'where you from' and 'you want try some rum or schnapps'.

After a period of getting used to being on top and nothing untoward happening we ventured forward to meet the Hun, they did likewise.We met in the middle of no mans land, we weren't willing to go too near their trenches for fear of being snatched and they were likewise with ours.

We shook hands and enquired names, we swapped cigarettes and cigars, we changed bully beef for sausages, we changed beer and rum for schnapps. The Hun were just the same as us, they were mighty glad of the truce.We spent a good time talking with them, some of them spoke good english. We then returned to our respective trenches with our goodies to settle down and enjoy a heartily good time tucking into the grub we had just acquired and smoke the cigars as though we were lords.

Some of our lads fixed up a sandbag as a football and had a game on the tops. It was a marvellous time. We forgot about the war and as far as we were concerned we weren't willing to return to it.

All that day there wasn't any shooting, we did hear in the distance some machine gun fire, we suspected that someone had got too close for comfort and had been given some warning shots. The day passed quietly and somewhat comfortably without the usual sniping and shelling.

We didn't venture out on top again, the original truce that had been brokered was for a few hours only but neither side was willing to break the peace. Nightfall came and we once again sung carols and shouted to Fritz to sung us carol. Once again I slept peacefully despite the cold and wet.

The 26th passed very quietly except for a few shots. One of our chaps got killed by a sniper. The Hun must have been over eager on this occasion, no further shooting was done after this and the day ended as the one before.

On the 27th we were relieved by the Kings Own and returned to the billets in Le Bizet. We had hot baths again and some good scoff. We settled back and reflected on the last few days, our first Christmas at war and the truce it had brought. I could hear the guns starting up again and realised it was over now. The Top Brass had decided to put an end to it and had ordered the Kings Own to fire on the Germans.

My next stint in the front line will be on January the 2nd. I'm going to get some good rest and recreation until then and make the most of the Christmas I haven't had.

I leave you with a photo of our mixed ranks of the British Tommy and the German Fritz. A Christmas like none I've had before and if I'm lucky I'll be at home next Christmas and the war will be over.

Yours truly

Albert x

Not Long To Christmas

I'm back in billets in Le Bixet again chums, yours truly is still alive and kicking.

This week was pretty much like last week, constructing and draining trenches, and the damn Hun sniping on us all the time. Unfortunately some of our boys got hit this time, one poor chap was killed and two got injured. How I hate this sitting in trenches and taking potshots at each other, if only we could get up and at them on an open field with cavalry charges and the like.

Things started out ok, we relieved the Kings Own on the night of the 15th. No sooner had we entered the trenches than we were spectators to a huge fireworks display. Our artillery was shelling Frelinghien. They gave the Hun a good pasting, we just sat back and watched in awe of the spectacle. By the end I was feeling sorry for the poor chaps over there, it must have been carnage and mayhem.

On the 16th it was quiet and we got on with the job of draining the trenches, widening them and shoring them up. The Hun was very quiet, they must have been knocked out by the previous evenings bombardment and were licking their wounds.

On the 17th we were out draining the trenches again and doing construction work when the Hun sniped on us again. This is when one of our chaps got hit and killed, then two more got hit but were only wounded. They were carried back to the field dressing station, there wasn't much we could do for them at the front other than put a small dressing on their wounds. How I felt for the family back home of the poor chap who died. What a Christmas present they were going to get.

On the 18th it was pretty quiet and we got on with the work of draining and constructing. The snipers weren't about so we were untroubled, we kept our heads down though.

On the 19th our artillery opened up again and shelled an area to the north opposite 'Plug Street', this place is actually spelt Ploegsteert but we refer to it by our name. The 11th Brigade was attacking a position known as the Birdcage. They had orders to take it and deny it to the Germans. It was carnage though.

This is a map of the Birdcage

The attack was carried out according to the following plan

The idea was for our artillery to support the attack. The barrage started at 9:00am and was intended to shell the Huns front line and then second and third lines. The bombardment lasted from 9:00 until 2:00pm. The 11th Brigade then moved out of the woods and attacked.

Unfortunately it didn't go well, Lots of our shells fell short and killed or injured our own troops. At 2:30pm the Brigade attacked but was mown down with machine gun fire.Not only that our artillery was still covering their attack and laying down fire but this was also falling short and onto our boys. It was tragic.

To us in the trenches it wasn't known and we cheered the volleys of fire. We couldn't see the battlefield, it was two miles to the north of us but we could hear the shells bursting and the machine guns rattling away. It sounded like a right old dust up. We thought we were giving the Hun a good beating.

The attack stopped at about 6:00pm and the Brigade retreated to the woods, they couldn't break the Hun and they had lost lots of men. News filtered through to us when we got back to the billets, we were absolutely horrified. To think of those poor chaps, to have been killed so close to Christmas and by our own fire as well, it doesn't bear thinking about. We were dejected.

Whilst the support fire had been laid down for the attack on the Birdcage, the Hun returned fire on our Headquarters Building. None were injured at HQ but in the trenches we had been sniped on again and another man was killed and two more wounded. What a war! sat about in trenches being picked off by snipers or going over the top and being blown up by our own artillery or mowed down by enemy machine guns. It wasn't what I thought it would be.

On the 20th we were relieved by the Kings Own. This was becoming regular now, us and the Kings Own swapping places, them spending so many days in the trenches and then us taking over and vice versa. To give them their full name they are the Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment.

We have now been in billets for the last two days and mighty glad of it am I. The trenches we have to occupy at the front are in ppor shape and always full of water to some extent. Here's a picture of one. Not good I can tell you, it plays havoc with our feet, always being wet and damp.

By contrast Le Bixet is a grand place as this photo shows. Its relatively unscathed and the locals are most welcoming to us. There's always plenty to do whilst in billets but were glad of the dry land and the roof over our heads

Well chums we've been told we are being inspected by the Brigadier General tomorrow (the 23rd) so were busy getting ready, smartening ourselves up. Shaving, washing, polishing, pressing. We need to look our best.

Were going back into the trenches on the 24th. Christmas Eve! Can you believe it?

Well we'll put that thought behind us and see what the General brings tomorrow. He might give us leave to Blighty, but I doubt it.

So chums once again its goodbye from me. I hope the Hun is quiet over Christmas, I can't bear the thought of anyone being killed or having to kill anyone over the season of goodwill. We'll see what happens.

Goodbye from me, and think on whilst your eating your Christmas pudding because I shan't have none.

Albert x

Water, Water, Everywhere

Hi Folks, it's the end of my second week and what a week!

I would say its lovely weather for ducks, you need a boat to get to the front! I dare say its the same for the Hun as well though.

The trenches and land around here are saturated and flooded. The land is quite flat and low lying. There are loads of drainage channels taking the water off the land and down to the river, or that's what they are supposed to do, it seems like the reverse is happening. The rain is torrential and the water is just getting more and more, its like a boating pond.

In amongst this we are building more support and communication trenches as well as widening and repairing the front line trenches. Some of the trenches have become so waterlogged we have had to abandon them, they are chest deep in water!

The main action this week has been sniper fire from the Hun. The buildings he occupies at the end of Le Touqet give him an ideal advantage point to spy down on us and pick us off, its like a rabbit shoot only we are the rabbits.

It wasn't like this before, the war was fought on open ground with cavalry charges and pitch battles. The Battalion had the Hun on the run. The Battalion had arrived in this area of France on the 12th of October and had attacked him in Meteren, bayonets were fixed and house to house clearing was done.Several of the enemy were captured but the majority retired to the south east. The Battalion chased quickly behind to find them holed up in Le Touquet. This was attacked on the 18th and after much fighting the Hun retired to the houses at the junction in the village. The next day they sniped on the Battalion, the houses they were using were identified and shelled by our artillery. The Hun vacated these and moved to others with the majority falling back to Frelinghien.

This position then remained, the Hun in Frelinghien and the houses at the end of Le Touquet, and us in the rest of the village. They attacked several times and we repulsed them, we attacked them but their positions were too strong and well protected for us to take so we dug in, and so did Fritz. So that's how come we are now in trenches. I'm sure it won't be long before we get reinforcements and are on the move again.

The current week went like this:

On the 7th we had moved back into the trenches and spent our time watching for the Hun, repairing and draining the trenches. The day went quiet without incident.

On the 8th all the available men were draining the trenches, the water was pouring in everywhere. We were much hampered by the Hun who was sniping on us throughout this.

On the 9th we had to abandon the left support trench because it flooded.

On the 10th it was a quiet day but the water was rising all the time in the trenches and some were impassable due to being chest deep in water!

On the 11th our artillery shelled the snipers houses in Le Touquet. We cheered. The houses were demolished and the sniping ceased. In the evening we were relieved in the trenches by the Kings Own Regiment.

Boy was I glad to get back to the billets in Le Bizet. I was able to get out of my wet and muddy uniform and climb into a nice hot bath. After putting on some clean clothes and having some lovely hot scoff I started to feel human again.

From the 12th until today, the 14th, we have been in billets. Two companies have been out route marching each day. On the 13th Lt Hawkins arrived with 108 men. They were warmly welcomed. With this increase in numbers we may be able to mount an attack and drive the Hun out of Frelinghien.

On the 12th I wrote a letter back home to my Grandma in Rotherham, my first from the Front. I just let them know I was ok and asked how they were, I told them how we got plenty of food and cigarettes in abundance. I asked about the allotment money that should be repaid to me back home. I wished them all a Happy Christmas and that was it, I couldn't think of any more to say. Anyway if your interested my letter it is copied onto a page of this blog, the link is on the right.

well I thought  would send you some snaps of the place so here they are. The first is some chaps in one of the baths having a lovely time after all the cold, wet muddy trenches. They wouldn't stay still so they have come out blurred.

This snap is of the Railway Station at Le Touquet, as you can see its taken a direct hit in the tower. We pass this station on marches to and from the Front, its on the Bizet-Le Touquet Road.

The final snap is of the Battalion HQ that has been established at a Farm in Le Touquet. This is now known as Barkenham Farm. You can see it on the map I gave you in my last post, its just to the south of the road leading west from the junction in Le Touquet. On the map its labelled Barkenham Ho.

Then after some shelling the slates on half of the barn roof have been blown off.

We'll I hope you enjoyed those snaps. I'm now back off into those cold, wet, freezing trenches. We're relieving the Kings Own who have been in there for the last 5 days.  know how those boys feel, I must say I don't fancy going back but 'must needs', its for King and Country, for you folks back home. Wish me luck and hopefully see you in a weeks time.

Albert x

Into the Fray

Well folks I've survived my first week. So far so good.

I can tell you my stomach was as tight as a knot, my mouth as dry as furnace and my heart was racing like the clappers as I was led down the communication trenches to the front line. I met my commanding officer and the troops of the platoon I was joining. They were jolly cheerful considering where we were and the danger we were in. Their easiness and good cheer eased my nerves but that first night I was alert and aware of everything, my senses heightened by my fear. We were on sentry duty, watching out for any attacks by the Hun. None were forthcoming and the night passed quietly.

We spent the following days repairing the front line trenches and the communication trenches. The Hun were quiet, there was little firing or exchange of shots and we got on with the repair work in hand. The work was hard, digging, draining and shoring up. It was almost like working down the pit except we were digging muck in daylight in the freezing cold with the Hun ready to pick us off if we showed too much.

It seemed to me that being at the front wasn't as bad as a I thought it would be, not much firing, shooting or shelling, just digging, repairing and being on lookout. No doubt this is the lull before the storm.

This map shows the village of Le Touqet and the surrounding area, it is next to Frelinghien.

Our frontline runs roughly north south along the road to the north of Le Touquet, then comes around the western side of the T junction in the village and finally along the south of the eastern road to the River La Lys. The Hun is the on the eastern side of this line and the river. He has full control of Frelinghien.

Our communication trenches run to the west away from the T Junction. Le Bizet and Nieppe are a little further along this road and a large town called Armentieres is 2 miles further along. We sing a song about this place whilst we are on route marches, it makes us jolly happy. I'll teach you the words to this later.

Anyway back to the business, on the 1st of December the Boche opened up on us with machine guns. I dived for cover, muck and bullets were flying everywhere. Some of my chums fired back, the noise was deafening. I kept my head down. It was soon over. It reminded me of how vulnerable we were, I kept a weary eye on my movements after that. The strafing by the Boche didn't hit anyone, how no one was hurt I don't know, we can thank our lucky stars.

The term Boche is a word we have learnt from the French, its what they call them all the time and it has rubbed off on us.

On the 3rd of December some whizz-bangs were sent over by the Hun. I heard them whistle overhead and then explode. They were shrapnel shells and burst near the Brigade HQ. I can tell you it caused a bit of stir with the top brass, a lot of them running around and diving for cover. No one was injured though.

On the 4th December we were relieved in the trenches and retired to the billets at Le Bizet. I was ready for the rest and thankful to get out of the firing line. At the billets we had hot baths and plenty of scoff, it was much welcomed after the hard work and stress of the trenches. We were given one day of rest and recreation and then we went on a route march the following day, the 6th of December. The army wanted us in good shape and fit for anything so we always had to carry out marches. We may be needed anywhere on the front as reinforcements so we had to be ready and able to go.

I should tell you my full regimental address, it is:

Private Albert Kyte 4451

B Company 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers

12th Brigade

4th Division

British Expeditionary Force

Also you should know the disposition of the 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers, it is currently as follows from the roll call taken on the 30th of November:

Officers                                        17

Other Ranks                                 805

Army Service Corps                    4

Royal Army Medical Corps        1 Officer, 5 Other Ranks

This totals 18 Officers and 814 Other Ranks. No small force and yours truly is part of this. If you could see the men on parade you would be as proud as punch.

The force is divided into four Companies, A, B, C and D, each roughly 200 men in size. As you can see I am in B Company.

Well folks we are now currently back in billets waiting for the evening darkness to fall and then we are going back into the trenches. I'm not as frightened as I was the first time but the thought of what could be still strikes me now and then. My pals are a good bunch and are always cheerful, it lifts my spirits and I think on of how they are a good bunch. If only we were back home, at a football match or the likes, we would have a grand old day. Alas the Hun has put a stop to that and so we must deal with him first. Its hard to believe we are less than three weeks from Christmas, a rum old do. No good thinking about it though.

So its back to the trenches for me folks, wish me luck and hopefully I'll be here to talk to you again in a weeks time.

Albert x

Off to the Front

Well folks today is Sunday the 29^th of November 1914.

I have been transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers and I’m on my way to the Front to do my bit for King and Country. Me and my pals are going to give Kaiser Bill and his cronies a bloody nose.

I’m currently in camp awaiting directions to my Battalion in the trenches. I can tell you I‘m as nervous as a church mouse waiting to be shown through to a room full of cats.

I have been in the 3^rd Lancashire Fusiliers since enlisting in 1913 and have been at the Sutton-on-Hull camp. I got my transfer on the 23^rd of November and embarked with a group of 50 men commanded by Captain Vivian J Forbes-Smith. He is oversaw our transfer to France.

We have travelled by train and then ferry to France, then train again and finally route march to the battalions billets in Nieppe. We are now awaiting collection to go into the front line at Le Touqet to face our first night in the Trench.

I’m going to write up all my experiences and everything that happens to me and the Battalion on a weekly basis so you folks back home know what happens and hear all about it. I will write the truth, I will say it as I see it and experience it, nothing will be hidden.

This is my first post so I thought I would tell you more about myself.

I originally come from Rotherham in West Yorkshire. My Ma still lives there but I have been travelling with my Pa and brothers getting work where we can. We are coal miners by trade. We have been living and working in Wigan in Lancashire and have spent some time recently in Merthyr Tydfil. My Pa is still there.

I have two brothers, Bill and George, a sister called Doris, and I have two half brothers, Alex and Alfred.

Our family originally comes from Pinxton near South Normanton in the Midlands. Great Grandma Mary and Grandpa George moved to Rotherham to get work back in the 1880s. I was born in Rotherham in 1894 at 9 Kenneth Street. We lived at several addresses in Rotherham, moving as the family grew and as we could afford the rent.  Bill was the first born in 1890, then George in 1892, yours truly in 1894, and finally Doris in 1899.

Ma and Pa aren't together any more, shan't say more about that, a sorry do. Pa now has a new wife and two children in Merthyr. He got married again in Wigan in 1907 when we were living and working there. He now has a boy called Alex, who was born in Wigan, and another boy called Alfred who was born in 1911 in Merthyr.

Ma is still living in Rotherham, she is currently lodging at 22 Neville Street. My sister Doris is living with our Grandparents at 1 Pashleys Yard, Howard Street in Rotherham. 

Well that’s all for now, got the shout to go. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I hope I do well and don't show myself or my family up, don't want any shame brought on us.

Wish me luck, speak to you soon.

Albert