"Christmas in the Trenches" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Francis Toliver

Francis is a lad from Liverpool telling the story two years after the fact.

"My name is Francis Toliver, I come from Liverpool.
Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school.
To Belgium and to Flanders, Germany to here,
I fought for King and country I love dear."

Answer: France

The song is set in the trenches of the southern portion of the Ypres Salient in France where sometimes the distance between the trenches was a few hundred feet apart or less.

"Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung.
The frozen fields of France were still, no Christmas song was sung.
Our families back in England were toasting us that day,
Their brave and glorious lads so far away."

Answer: A German singing

"I was lying with my mess mate on the cold and rocky ground,
when across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound.
Says I, 'now listen up me boys', each soldier strained to hear
as one young German voice sang out so clear."

Answer: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

"'He's singing bloody well y'know', my partner says to me.
Soon one by one each German voice joined in in harmony.
The cannons rested silent, and the gas clouds rolled no more.
As Christmas brought us respite from the war.

As soon as they were finished, and a reverent pause was spent,
'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' struck up some lads from Kent."

Answer: "Stille Nacht" or "Silent Night"

"Oh the next they sang was "Stille Nacht", 'tis Silent Night' says I,
and in two tongues one song filled up that sky."

Answer: A German with a white flag in no-man's land

" 'There's someone coming towards us', the front line sentry cried.
All sights were fixed on one lone figure trudging from their side.
His truce flag like a Christmas star shone on that plain so bright
as he bravely strolled unarmed into the night."

Answer: Brandy

"Then one by one on either side walked into no-man's land,
with neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand.
We shared some secret brandy and we wished each other well."

Answer: soccer(football)

"And in a flare-lit soccer game we gave 'em hell."

Soccer is probably one of the most portable games in the world. It can be played in many places.

Answer: Chocolates and cigarettes

"We traded chocolates, cigarettes and photographs from home.
These sons and fathers from far away from families of their own.
Young Sanders played the squeezebox and they had a violin,
this curious and unlikely band of men."

Answer: Daylight

"Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more.
With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war.
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wondrous night,
'Whose family have I fixed within my sights?'

Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung.
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung.
For the walls they kept between us to exact the work of war
had been crumbled and were gone forever more.

My name is Francis Toliver, in Liverpool I dwell.
Each Christmas comes since World War I, I've learned its lessons well.
For the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame,
And on each end of the rifle we're the same."

From what I've read about the truce the soldiers had to be rotated off the front lines because they had no heart in killing the enemy after meeting them and realizing they could be friends. The truce reportedly took a while to end as neither side wanted to be the first to fire a shot and each side kept in communication by shouting to each other all of Boxing Day, December 26th.