Another Unhappy Christmas

Tuesday 28th December 1915: Lance Corporal H Steele tells us: “Christmas night in the trenches. I, being a Bedfordshire man, would like to ask a favour through The Times and Independent. We have been in the trenches four days up to our ankles in mud and water, in places much deeper. Just to tell you our Christmas dinner. We sat in the trenches very close to the Huns and ate eight small tins of bully beef and one loaf of bread between nineteen British fighting soldiers. I just wonder what Fritz had for his dinner. Of course we were being fired at and shelled at the same time – that was our pepper and salt. Some of our men are worse off than that so we are very fortunate. We have the same dinner for Boxing Day and the weather is our Champagne and this is the second Christmas some of us have had in the trenches. I will be glad when I see my good old native village of Wootton; the lads of Wootton are doing their bit. I myself have been right through the lot. Unfortunately I have but four pals left that were called up when I was – August 4th, 1914. We will stick to it until we reach a glorious and victorious end for the sake of Noble and Glorious King, Queen and country. I must say that the 1st Beds have also done some of the finest work out here, and many a Bedfordshire lad has given his life for dear old England”.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 7th January 1915