(Originally posted in 2013.)
Recently, my dad posted about the famous “Christmas Truce“ during World War I. My uncle (on my mother’s side) responded with his recollection of my grandfather’s experience:
“This reminds me of an account my father related from his World War I experience during the trench warfare of the summer and fall of 1918. He and a French soldier were stationed in a foxhole close to the German lines and the French soldier, noticing that Daddy didn’t smoke, suggested that he crawl out into ‘No Man’s Land’ after dark and leave his cigarette allowance in clear sight. He did, and then a few hours later returned to the site and found a German soldier’s allowance of chocolate in exchange. He did this several times. Being a child-warmonger, I was somewhat disappointed to hear this, almost as disappointed as I’d been when I asked Daddy how many Germans he’d killed and he said he hadn’t killed any. Knowing that he was an excellent shot, I asked, ‘Didn’t you even shoot at them?” He replied, “We shot in their general direction, but I doubt that anyone was hit.’”
I can honestly say I am proud of what my grandfather did (and didn’t do) in the war.