Abbotsholme’s School honoured the Christmas Truce football match with a football match of their own, Silent Night sung in German and English and two minutes’ silence.
Additionally, Mrs Eppie Wells, a former pupil read from her grandfather’s diary, the diary which inspired a current Christmas supermarket advert. She also read from a German soldier’s diary reliving both sides’ experiences of this remarkable event in history.
It was a memorable occasion which pupils, parents, staff, former pupils and friends joined together. It started with pupils sharing chocolate coins with another member of the Abbotsholme community that they did not know, and was quickly followed by football matches on the front lawn which ended in a mud bath – which seemed very akin to the mud baths that were the trenches of 1914.
As the sun started to go down, pupils were given candles in jars as they walked to the Roseyard which began the candle light remembrance.
The event ended with everyone singing “All together now” as the darkness fell over the Roseyard in which a number of flags from across the world were hung along one side, and all that could be seen were candles and torches in the shape of the School Star as Abbotsholme voices rang out.
Mrs Wells said of the event, “This was my first visit back to Abbotsholme since being a pupil, and I have really enjoyed being a part of such a unique event.”
“To know this unique event in history has been marked by my old school is really very lovely, and to be able to share my grandfather’s story at the event, has been very special.”