Carol service to mark Christmas Truce
A Trowbridge church will be marking the moment when British and German soldiers put down their guns for a remarkable truce in the First World War.
The unauthorised ceasefire spread across the Western Front on Christmas Day in 1914 with soldiers exchanging gifts and even playing football together.
Zion Baptist Church in Union Street, Trowbridge is holding its annual carol service this Sunday at 6.30pm and will be remembering that truce in music and pictures as part of it.
Director of music Heather Skull said, ‘The accounts of this time tell a remarkable story. The trenches between the two sides were often very close together so that conversations could be held between the two lots of soldiers.
‘It would seem those conversations led to an agreement to a ceasefire on Christmas Day, a season associated with peace and goodwill.
‘For me, the saddest part was those soldiers who exchanged presents and banter on Christmas Day went back to shooting at each other the following day.’
Pastor Stuart Burgess said, ‘The church felt it would be good to remember those soldiers and that remarkable Christmas of peace and goodwill.
‘It’s also good to remind ourselves in this centenary year of how much we owe our freedom to worship today to those who have fought and died in the service of their country.’
The carol service will open with the commemoration led by members of the church and the children and young people.
Baptist Times, 16/12/2014