Christmas on the Italian Front

[harry palmer]

Two experiences of Christmas in Italy….

“Cpl Mickser Mahon was in the line on Christmas Eve night 1943. The front was quiet on the run-up to Christmas and it was hoped all the men would get their Christmas dinner out of the trenches. Despite the hardship the men were in good humour. Many of them were replacements for those lost in the long haul through Africa and had yet too see action. The troops had got their extra Christmas ration; 200 capstan cigarettes and a belt of rum. Then they were given a small bottle of beer. Anyone who did not drink gave their beer to the ones who did.”
“Later in the evening the Germans, who were only a few hundred yards away, called over to them “Froeliche Weihnachten” (Merry Christmas). Then the strains of “Silent Night” reached them, sung in German,which makes this most beautiful of hymns sound even lovelier. “The Germans called to us singing “Silent Night,”. Mickser Mahon said. “We did nothing for an hour. The men wanted to go out to meet the Germans, just like in the First World War.But I didn’t trust them and told the men to stay where they were. They kept calling us ,”Merry Christmas, Tommy, Peace on earth.” The Germans pretended to be drunk , staggering around with bottles in their hands. So about ten o’clock the lads went out to join them. They were waiting for us and opened up on us with everything they had. They were crafty bastards , the Germans. You could never trust them.”
“When the British went out into no-man’s land a flare shot into the sky as heavy machine guns opened up. Machine pistols rattled and grenades exploded, followed by artillery and mortar fire. The British ran back to their own lines, screaming and cursing. Some fell and lay still. Others were wounded and crawled towards their own lines and safety. “They threw everything at us for over an hour, until near midnight,” Mickser said. “I was glad I didn’t go out.” When it was all over a cold calculating voice called over, “Merry Christmas, Tommy.”

FAR FROM THE SHORT GRASS, James Durney


However, the Royal Irish Fusiliers, facing Fallschirmjager at Christmas 1944, had this experience, “that Christmas Eve and Day when no shot fell and, dead on midnight, the German Spandaus fired tracers into the sky while bells rang out in the battered little village in their lines. When Brian Clark sent the piper to play on Christmas Day in the snowfields on the ridge the German paratroopers applauded and I wish I could have shaken hands with that Tiny Tim of the German army who wandered into our lines with a bottle of Cognac to drink a Christmas toast with his brothers of the front.”

FRONT OF THE LINE, Colin Gunner

[james durney]

Just noticed this piece from my book Far From the Short Grass about Mickser Mahon's initiation to the Italian front while serving with the 5th Buffs. This is a story Mickser told me several times. It has always amazed me as I thought the Germans in Italy fought like those in North Africa. However as someone once said "War is hell".
James Durney.