Christmas Truce of 1914, World War I - For Sharing, For Peace

Peace at the war front on Christmas day during World War I. A century ago. A real story. An inspiration. Christmas is for sharing. By Sainsbury's.

Presenting the new Sainsbury’s Christmas advert. Made in partnership with The Royal British Legion. Inspired by real events from 100 years ago.

This year’s Christmas ad from Sainsbury’s – Christmas is for sharing. Made in partnership with The Royal British Legion, it commemorates the extraordinary events of Christmas Day, 1914, when the guns fell silent and two armies met in no-man’s land, sharing gifts – and even playing football together.

The chocolate bar featured in the ad is on sale now at Sainsbury’s. All profits will go to The Royal British Legion and will benefit the armed forces and their families, past and present.

Game of Truce commemorates WW1 football match
18 December 2014

On Wednesday night the spirit of the First World War Christmas truce lived on as the British and German armies played a 100th anniversary football match to mark the Christmas Truce of 1914. The match saw the British Army edging out their German counterparts, the Bundeswehr, by a single goal. All proceeds from the match will be donated to the Legion and the German Military's equivalent charity.

The match was jointly organised by the Football Association as part of its Football Remembers campaign, and Army HQ with sponsorship support from Team Army and Aldershot Town.

It honoured the spirit of the 1914 Christmas Truce using the international language of football as a fitting commemoration to the men on both sides who spent Christmas 1914 in the trenches but came together along the Western Front to joke, share whisky and schnapps and kick a ball about in no-man's land. It has come to represent a fleeting moment of humanity in a four-year conflict that killed more than 16 million troops and civilians.

Game of Truce teams

The game began with a rendition of 'Silent Night' as well as the national anthems of both countries and a minute's silence. Over 2,500 people turned out, including football legend Sir Bobby Charlton, FA Chairman Greg Dyke and Head of Army, General Sir Nicholas Carter.

Head of the Army General Sir Nick Carter was also at the game, where both sides were led out by flag bearers and mascots wearing military uniforms from 1914. "I think it shows the enduring ability of sport, and soccer in particular, to bring together factions and tribes and different people who are competing against each other, in a way that has comradeship right at the heart of the game."

British Army Team Captain Keith Emmerson said: "We are always proud to put on the Army shirt, no matter how many games you play, but especially tonight. We are all here for the rest of the Armed Forces, not just us as an army football team, but we're representing all of the Armed Forces."

The captains of the teams, British Army Sergeant Keith Emmerson (right) and German Armed Forces Master Sergeant Alexander Hess (left) shake hands prior to kick-off

The match wasn't about the final score but for the record, the British Army won 1-0.

The Legion is a firm supporter of sport within the military and is delighted to be a beneficiary charity from the Christmas Truce football match. The match is assisting the Legion to engage with a new generation of supporters and carry the Legion's message of comradeship to a broader community. Through commemorative events such as the Christmas Truce match, we are passing on the torch of Remembrance onto a younger generation ensuring there will always be a living legacy to those who sacrificed their today for our tomorrows.

Find out more about the Christmas Truce and Football Remembers here:

[darthflatdogg]

The saddest part is that these people didn’t hate eachother it was their leaders

[Jebatvole]

Today we're all brothers
Tonight we're all friends
A moment of peace
In a war that never ends!

[Hobos]

“We did not hate what was in front of us, we loved what was behind us” -my grandfather

[kuoseis]

105 years ago.. may they all rest in peace

[Sourcy]

''All wars are civil wars, because all men are brothers.''

-Francois Fenelon

[tommat]

this year, it will be the 109th anniversary of this amazing event.
props to the soldiers that fought for us during this great war.
Edit : Now the 110th. time passed too fast, wow.

[kalimamba]

It's become a tradition for me to watch this every Christmas. Merry Christmas my brothers and sisters from all parts of the world, tonight, as we feast with our families and open presents, let's remember the original reason we celebrate this holiday. The day we were all saved

[AbrahamLincoln]

*"Older men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die."*

[WetDrainHair]

the fact that this ACTUALLY happened is insane

[ivan_egorov_]

Although I’m Orthodox (we celebrate Christmas on January 7th, but it’s still December 25th in the Julian calendar) and our countries are some kind of opponents today, I wish all Western nations a Merry Christmas. 🎄🎅 🎁
We’re all Christians, we’re all sons and daughters of God. Merry Christmas to everyone from Russia. 🇷🇺

[Angelcynn_]

As an Englishman, I love my German brothers and sisters. We are a very similar people (Anglo-Saxon heritage). We should have fought together, 1914. Merry Christmas from England ❤🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🇩🇪 🍻 🌭

[SuperTfrocks]

When “no man’s land” becomes “every man’s land”

[IceCream-qqpu]

And the worst part is that most of the men died within weeks after this. Bless their souls.

[Pr.Wyvern]

Every time that it's Christmas, I play this video just to remind myself that humanity it's still the kind hearted beings that cared for everyone. Merry Christmas to all of you.

[Barnowl]

This is why I will always love Christmas, no matter how overcommercialized it might get. Because it is a holiday so powerful that it brought two sides of a war together in peace for one day. I still cry when I watch this ad. It's so beautiful.

[baphometghc]

In every war behind every iron sight is a human being

[inkaz]

I believe that somewhere out there, there is a alternative universe where the war ended right there on Christmas.

[John_the_Terrible]

Watching this video has become a Christmas tradition for me. It has taught me the power of the people, the good nature of Man, and the corruptness of government. For a few brief moments these men held the power stronger than their kings and made their own peace, if only for a short time. It lived

[assaulthetz]

I feel like this should broadcasted in every event in Christmas

[najial-hadban]

“War is when the young and stupid are tricked by the old and bitter into killing each other.” – Niko Bellic