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Christmas 1914: The First World War at Home and Abroad
By December, 1914, it had become clear to even the most optimistic observer that the war would not be over by Christmas. That month brought the first enemy-inflicted deaths of the war, when German warships bombarded three northeast coastal towns; meanwhile, the recently invented airplane was being put to deadly use in raids over the southeast. In France that month, the Battle of the Marne gave a taste of the devastating power of modern warfare—a reality to which troops in the trenches on both sides tried to turn a blind eye in the famous Christmas truce. This book uses contemporary newspapers and magazines, diaries, and other records to present a comprehensive image of this extraordinary Christmas, both at home and abroad.
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 5, 2018
'Christmas 1914' is an excellently researched book that brings to life the troubles and traumas, at home and abroad, of the first festive season of World War I. And the various reports include both mainstream events and lesser known incidents, all taken from contemporary newspaper reports, diaries and first-hand personal reminiscences. Indeed, it is quite amazing to see the activity that was going on in December 1914 when many people believed that the Great War would soon be over and festive peace would be restored … how wrong they all were.
One of the nicest things was the so-called Christmas comfort tin that was issued by Princess Mary to all serving personnel be they fighting on the front line or stationed at home at Aldershot, Wellington Barracks and elsewhere. The gift was organised so late that many of the tins did not get out until January 1915 when, rather than a Christmas card, a 'Victorious New Year' card accompanied them. The tradition continued each Christmas throughout the War and by 1920 it was estimated that more than 2.5 million tins had been issued, with an estimated 400,000 having reached their destination by that first Christmas Day in 1914.
And in the run-up to Christmas 1914, Britain was shaken out of any complacency that it had by the German invasion of three communities on the north east coast, Hartlepool and West Hartlepool, Scarborough and Whitby. It was 16 December when Scarborough and Hartlepool were attacked almost simultaneously and Whitby about an hour later. The Hartlepool bombardment from three German battle cruisers, Seydiltz, Moltke and Blücher, lasted 40 minutes when 112 men, women and children, 86 of them civilians, died and more than 400 were injured as 1,150 shells rained down on the town. At Scarborough the damage was more widespread than in Hartlepool but the casualty toll was far lower, 17 killed and 80 injured as the battle cruisers Derfflinger and Von der Tann fired 500 shells into the town. Meanwhile the light cruiser Kolberg was laying mines a few miles to the south. The two cruisers then sailed south to Whitby where at 9.05am they pumped more than 100 shells into the town, wrecking 30 houses and killing two men. One of the latter, Frederick Randall, a coastguard, 'died as he was putting up the White Ensign - a shell nearby, blowing his head clean off' was how the Scarborough Mercury reported it. The horrors of these and other attacks are recalled in the words of many of those who were present.
But the first English town to have a bomb dropped on it was Dover when, on Christmas Eve 1914, Oberleutnant-zur-See Stephen von Prondzynski, at a height of 5000 feet, 'lifted the bomb from the floor of his cockpit and held it steadily over the side before letting go'. His target was Dover Castle but he missed by 400 yards and the bomb fell in magistrate Thomas Terson's kitchen garden at the end of Leyburne Road, where it made 'a large hole, broke windows up to 200 yards away and, in the garden of St James's Rectory next door, blew Mr James Banks off a ladder from which he had been collecting holly to decorate the church. Mr Banks fell 20 feet but was fortunately unhurt. And ironically Dover, having suffered that first aerial bombing, also suffered the last of the War on Whit Sunday night, 19/20 May 1918, when four bombs were dropped but only one person, a Miss Joad, was injured but with damage to property being quite considerable.
As for life at the front there is plenty of description of trench living and trench fighting, sometimes the latter taking place between opponents less than 60 yards apart. But Christmas did bring a little relief and, although the 'f' word was forbidden - fraternising that was - British and German soldiers did meet in no-man's land and exchange gifts, chat and even play a football match, which the Germans won 3-2! Carols were often sung during the festive season as each camp tried to outsing the other.
There are many stirring episodes in 'Christmas 1914', including German prisoners spending the Christmas holiday in Southend, the minesweeper Night Hawk striking a mine off the east coast and sinking 'in seven or ten seconds after the explosion', the service's first black commissioned infantry officer, former professional footballer Second Lieutenant Mark Tull, being killed at the second Battle of the Somme on 25 March 1918, submariner Lieutenant Norman Douglas Holbrook becoming the first submariner Victoria Cross winner for action on 13 December 1914 when his submarine B11 'dived under five rows of mines in treacherous currents to torpedo and sink the Turkish battleship Mesudiye', and, very tragically (as is all the action) two deserters being 'shot at dawn' at Christmas 1914.
'Christmas 1914' does truly bring to life all the horrific events of the time but it is told with real feeling and does, if it were at all possible, bring to life all the characters involved in a most sympathetic way. It is at least fitting that their names and deeds should be so brought back to the public's attention.
One of the nicest things was the so-called Christmas comfort tin that was issued by Princess Mary to all serving personnel be they fighting on the front line or stationed at home at Aldershot, Wellington Barracks and elsewhere. The gift was organised so late that many of the tins did not get out until January 1915 when, rather than a Christmas card, a 'Victorious New Year' card accompanied them. The tradition continued each Christmas throughout the War and by 1920 it was estimated that more than 2.5 million tins had been issued, with an estimated 400,000 having reached their destination by that first Christmas Day in 1914.
And in the run-up to Christmas 1914, Britain was shaken out of any complacency that it had by the German invasion of three communities on the north east coast, Hartlepool and West Hartlepool, Scarborough and Whitby. It was 16 December when Scarborough and Hartlepool were attacked almost simultaneously and Whitby about an hour later. The Hartlepool bombardment from three German battle cruisers, Seydiltz, Moltke and Blücher, lasted 40 minutes when 112 men, women and children, 86 of them civilians, died and more than 400 were injured as 1,150 shells rained down on the town. At Scarborough the damage was more widespread than in Hartlepool but the casualty toll was far lower, 17 killed and 80 injured as the battle cruisers Derfflinger and Von der Tann fired 500 shells into the town. Meanwhile the light cruiser Kolberg was laying mines a few miles to the south. The two cruisers then sailed south to Whitby where at 9.05am they pumped more than 100 shells into the town, wrecking 30 houses and killing two men. One of the latter, Frederick Randall, a coastguard, 'died as he was putting up the White Ensign - a shell nearby, blowing his head clean off' was how the Scarborough Mercury reported it. The horrors of these and other attacks are recalled in the words of many of those who were present.
But the first English town to have a bomb dropped on it was Dover when, on Christmas Eve 1914, Oberleutnant-zur-See Stephen von Prondzynski, at a height of 5000 feet, 'lifted the bomb from the floor of his cockpit and held it steadily over the side before letting go'. His target was Dover Castle but he missed by 400 yards and the bomb fell in magistrate Thomas Terson's kitchen garden at the end of Leyburne Road, where it made 'a large hole, broke windows up to 200 yards away and, in the garden of St James's Rectory next door, blew Mr James Banks off a ladder from which he had been collecting holly to decorate the church. Mr Banks fell 20 feet but was fortunately unhurt. And ironically Dover, having suffered that first aerial bombing, also suffered the last of the War on Whit Sunday night, 19/20 May 1918, when four bombs were dropped but only one person, a Miss Joad, was injured but with damage to property being quite considerable.
As for life at the front there is plenty of description of trench living and trench fighting, sometimes the latter taking place between opponents less than 60 yards apart. But Christmas did bring a little relief and, although the 'f' word was forbidden - fraternising that was - British and German soldiers did meet in no-man's land and exchange gifts, chat and even play a football match, which the Germans won 3-2! Carols were often sung during the festive season as each camp tried to outsing the other.
There are many stirring episodes in 'Christmas 1914', including German prisoners spending the Christmas holiday in Southend, the minesweeper Night Hawk striking a mine off the east coast and sinking 'in seven or ten seconds after the explosion', the service's first black commissioned infantry officer, former professional footballer Second Lieutenant Mark Tull, being killed at the second Battle of the Somme on 25 March 1918, submariner Lieutenant Norman Douglas Holbrook becoming the first submariner Victoria Cross winner for action on 13 December 1914 when his submarine B11 'dived under five rows of mines in treacherous currents to torpedo and sink the Turkish battleship Mesudiye', and, very tragically (as is all the action) two deserters being 'shot at dawn' at Christmas 1914.
'Christmas 1914' does truly bring to life all the horrific events of the time but it is told with real feeling and does, if it were at all possible, bring to life all the characters involved in a most sympathetic way. It is at least fitting that their names and deeds should be so brought back to the public's attention.
December 29, 2015
After reading a book about the famous Christmas truce of 1914 last year, I was interested to read this book, which gives a fuller picture of what Christmas was like that year. It does cover the truce on the Western Front, but also looks at the other theatres of war and how the season was celebrated on the home front.
There are many interesting extracts from local newspapers in the UK, as well as other contemporary records like diaries and letters, and plenty of illustrations. I learned a lot I didn't know, for instance about attacks on the Scarborough area and seaplane missions. However, overall I was slightly disappointed by the book because it jumps around a lot, with many very short chapters making it feel rather disjointed. Also, often the writer goes off at a tangent with passages which jump several years forward in time. All in all, I'm glad to have read this but would still like to read something more comprehensive on the same subject.
There are many interesting extracts from local newspapers in the UK, as well as other contemporary records like diaries and letters, and plenty of illustrations. I learned a lot I didn't know, for instance about attacks on the Scarborough area and seaplane missions. However, overall I was slightly disappointed by the book because it jumps around a lot, with many very short chapters making it feel rather disjointed. Also, often the writer goes off at a tangent with passages which jump several years forward in time. All in all, I'm glad to have read this but would still like to read something more comprehensive on the same subject.
December 6, 2020
Brilliant book covering the 1914 Christmas truce, also concentrates on life in the UK at the same time and how Christmas was celebrated whilst loved ones were fighting on the front line. Also covers when the German warships bombarded three north east coastal towns, which i wasn't aware of, and the attempt bombing of Dover Castle, highly recommended read.
June 18, 2019
A book of short chapters - some no more than a couple of pages - covering different facets of the first Christmas of the Great War. Covering a multitude of subjects - from front line troops experiences under fire, of the last Christmas Armistice and Football games and general fraternization in certain places along the Western Front, of civilians at home and life on the Home Front, including the bombings of places in Lincolnshire, East Anglia and the infamous shelling of Scarborough on Christmas Day itself which bought home to those in Britain that this was a conflict that they would be exposed to danger themselves, and an early attempt at what in WW2 would be ENSA and their short tour over Christmas and New Year behind the Front Lines.
Not a deep study of the subject, but a good short sharp and informative but easy read about a period of time that should have been about joy, peace and light and instead bought a very different experience to those who lived through it and bought the Edwardian Golden Period to a bloody end.
Passing onto my Dad to add to the local Western Front Association library.
Not a deep study of the subject, but a good short sharp and informative but easy read about a period of time that should have been about joy, peace and light and instead bought a very different experience to those who lived through it and bought the Edwardian Golden Period to a bloody end.
Passing onto my Dad to add to the local Western Front Association library.
December 30, 2018
This great collection of WW1 memories is simply charming. By the title one might be inclined to believe the whole book deals with the already well known event that took place in no-man's-land on Christmas, 1914. But in this book the author went to great lenghts to evoke the realities that led to the Christmas truce.
Thus, this whole book acts like a genuine cultural and historical study, painting in detail the realities and struggles of Brits, both at home and on the field.
Hudson manages to bring out the finer moments of the Great War, all while bringing back into to spotlight events of the War not so well known after 100 years, as well as elements of pop culture and social issues of those times.
Thus, this whole book acts like a genuine cultural and historical study, painting in detail the realities and struggles of Brits, both at home and on the field.
Hudson manages to bring out the finer moments of the Great War, all while bringing back into to spotlight events of the War not so well known after 100 years, as well as elements of pop culture and social issues of those times.
December 24, 2017
A short work that covers various aspects of World War I from the British point of view. This work pulls from news accounts, journals, literary works and official histories to try to convey a sense of life during that time in history. Hudson offers a situation or scenario that happened over the holidays of 1914 and then expands upon that action in how it relates to the war at hand. It is a fast read that offers some insights, but probably best suited for those with little to no knowledge of World War I. A short, solid holiday read for the historian in the family, or even if not a historian, still a solid read.
March 25, 2018
Really disappointed in this book. Thought it was going to be more about World War 1 and the Christmas truce but Hudson goes on about British culture during the war. Don’t get me wrong, I can see how that is important to building context, and detailing what was happening other than the war. However, I felt it was overwhelmingly over balanced with information about singers and actresses. The book doesn’t even really have a conclusion, just a last chapter about movie pictures. It would be like buying a book about the Iraq war, getting chapters on American Idol, and the last chapter on Julia Roberts.
November 29, 2020
I quite enjoyed this book for many of the reasons others didn't. I liked that it jumped around and the chapters were short, as if you were given a very brief window into an aspect of life around Christmas 1914.
It would have been nice, however, to have had more of a window into everyday life as well. I feel that was one aspect that was missing and could have really provide context as to how many were spending the days around Christmas. In addition, whilst I know there are many books on the subject, I do wish there was more on the Christmas truce.
It would have been nice, however, to have had more of a window into everyday life as well. I feel that was one aspect that was missing and could have really provide context as to how many were spending the days around Christmas. In addition, whilst I know there are many books on the subject, I do wish there was more on the Christmas truce.
September 14, 2018
I expected a book about the famous Christmas truce in 1914. It's not exactly what I got, but I'm not disappointed. I really enjoyed all the snapshots of small events going on around that time - some tragic, some odd, some on the absurd side. I really enjoy reading about these small things and the human perspective on life - war is more than great battles and strategy. Overall a very interesting read showing the absurdity of the massive loss of life.
June 9, 2018
I really enjoyed the short stories in this book— and the fact that the author refused to be caged by the truce that everyone knows. Good bedtime book.
December 26, 2023
Loved it I love the fact that it didn't just tell the account of the western front but the home front which I thought was amazing
December 27, 2015
It wasn't what I expected as I expected the entire book to be about the Truce of Christmas 1914 and the football played in No Mans Land. Instead it covered the war right through December and instead of a novel was excerpts of media published in 1914 and strung together with explanatory paragraphs/chapters between them. Despite not being what I anticipated the book was more poignant because it was made up of media excerpts from the time.
December 27, 2015
Nice selection of snapshots of life at home and on the frontline in 2014. Enjoyed the occasional wry tone of the narrative.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews