Friday Flash - Lest We Forget

Walter Graves huddles at the back of the dug-out. He nibbles a square of chocolate as he reads his book. Walter has learned to appreciate these snatched moments of quiet before the next onslaught begins.



"Captain! Captain! Oh, you 'ave to come 'n see this!" says Freddy Hamilton. He bounces up and down at the entrance to the dug-out.



"What is it?" asks Walter.



"No, no, you 'ave to see it!"



Walter sighs, and slips a photo into his book to mark his place. He hopes the war will be over soon; he did not bring another and he is almost finished.



Walter's boots sink into the thick mud of the trench as he steps outside. His grimace turns to shock when Freddy heads up the ladder to the parapet.



"Are you insane, man? Do you have a death wish?" cries Walter. He tries to grab Freddy's foot, to pull him to the safety of the cold, filthy trench.



"No, it's alright, sir! Come 'ave a look!"



Freddy clambers over the parapet and stands up. Walter's shock subsides when he realises he cannot hear gunfire. No shells burst overhead. The machine guns keep their staccato laughter to themselves. Christmas carols and jovial banter drift on the freezing air.



"Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!

Alles schläft; einsam wacht..."



"What the deuce is going on?" asks Walter.



"You need to come 'n see, sir!" says Freddy. He mimes a man climbing upwards, determined that his captain should join him.



Walter hauls himself up the ladder, fingers already numb with cold. He gazes across No Man's Land in disbelief. A line of Christmas trees marks the parapet of the German trench. Four of his men stand nearby, swapping rations with the enemy. To his left, a handful of Germans are smoking with two of his corporals.



"By Jove, they were right," says Walter.



"What do you mean, sir?" asks Freddy.



"Well, they did say it would be over by Christmas!"



Walter watches a group of privates from both sides follow the stretcher-bearers across the desolate plain. They carry away the wounded or dead. The barbed wire entanglements are mercifully free of twitching bodies. Walter sighs. Yesterday saw heavy losses on both sides.



A short distance away, a football match is in full swing. Owen Peterson stands between two cloth caps that form the goal. Young Jack Benson tries to kick the ball towards Dougie Birstall but his foot catches on a frozen clump of Ypres soil. The ball skitters away, and is intercepted by a German player. He passes it to another private.



"Howay, Jackie man, divvn't pass to Fritz!" shouts Dougie. The German offers Dougie a sheepish grin and runs off after his teammate.



"Merry Christmas, sir," says Freddy. He holds out his hand toward his captain.



"Merry Christmas to you too, Freddy. I wish you many of them," says Walter. He shakes Freddy's hand.



They stand and watch the football match. Later, after a heated debate over the final score, they will all have a drink in a last act of defiance towards the generals.



Tonight will be the last silent night they ever enjoy. Tomorrow, the machine guns will begin again.



* * *

I've broken my usual tradition of posting my Friday Flash on a Friday for today, in order to mark Armistice Day. Everyone has their cause close to their heart, and this is mine. I wrote an entry about it last year, which you can read here - I'd appreciate it if you did. I also urge everyone to go and donate to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal. I don't agree with war, but I respect and admire those men, women and animals who risk their lives for others. For once I agree with John Lennon. 







Imagine there's no countries 

It isn't hard to do 

Nothing to kill or die for 

And no religion too 

Imagine all the people 

Living life in peace