The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-12-26
SHELLS SING
XMAS CAROLS
TO THE MEN IN THE
WESTERN TRENCHES
Nevertheless the Day Was
Joyously Observed by the
'Tommies Big Dinners.

WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN
FRANCE, Dec. 25. via London 6:40 p
M.-(From staff correspondent OF
| The Associated Press.) - Christmas
has sent throb Of good cheer to all
| the British armies in the battle lines
| Of France, and wherever IL British SOL
dier ate his Christmas dinner today
whether in the front fire trenches or
In the secluded security of the reserve
/ camps, enthusiastic tOaGts were Offer
ed to King and empire and to Tie com
ing new year, which Britons cnnrldnnt
! ly believe will bring victory TO The EN-
tente Allied cause.
| The soldiers from overseas, the Ia
madam, Australians, New Zealanders
and South Africans, drank somewhat
wistfully to the folks at home, but
soon shook away any tendency u
inconsistencies in the sturdy work oi
war, for war, grim and determined
went forward today as relentlesSly as
yesterday, and rs it will tomorrow.
The Christmas carols. which rose u,
from all parts of the world were not
far reaching enough this year TO muf
file the roar OF angry guns or shut out
the unceasing song of flying shells.
| 1t was a Christmas Of 5ounteous
plenty along the sBritish front and the
soldiers in the field were ioyouSly I'M
mune from the three course dinners
prescribed for the British Isles. Each
individual company Of the vast army
organization had jubilant Christmas
spread and there was mich rivalry III
the elaborateneSS OF the company
menus.
| Pooled Assets
The members of the various com
panies pooled their assets, both edible
and monetary. and the canteeus and
small French shops which persist ano
prosper in the war zone were calico
on for all their sweets and delicacies.
Mess halls were splendidly decorated
| in many instances with holly and mis-
tletoe and paper flowers made by the
soldiers themselves. many Of the flow
ers being worked into Christmas mot
| tOS.
| AT various places along the lines
bands visited the mess halls, giving
concerts for the soldiers. The Young
Mems Christian Association and other
organizations arranged countless en-
tertainments and special program
prevailed in the movie nails and SOL
diers theatres, most Of the latter being
! battered French barns. with the shell
holes barricaded against ile wintry
blasts and the noises Of battle waging
not far away.
Every British soldier had his indy
Iidual plum pudding this particularly
indispensable item of the Christmas
bill of fare having been looked. after
! by the London newspapers, which
raised in the neighborhood of 100000
pounds sterling for their purchase.
Where conditions permitted, as
many Of the men as possible we're re'
| lieved from front line duty for dinner
| but in the mid-ditches of inc Somme
and in other sectors Christmas dinner
steaming hot. was carried up through
the communication trenches. some
times under the pelting Of shells, 10
the men held by duty at The outposts
of war.
Satirical Greetings
Some Of the men serving The biz
guns chalked satirical greetings OH
the shells before firing them. "lf its
dead shell and doesn't explode" eX.
plained a gunner. "Brothcr Bocne can
read what we think Of him. On the
other hand, if il does its duty, he'll
know without reading.
This third Christmas nf The British
armies in France WIS vastly different
| from lis two predecessors and prac'
tically the first when onl va pitifnl
handful Of original cXpeditionary force
was left to form Il thin khaki line
against the Gray-clad enemy. The field
army was then so small that King
George personally sent Christmas
package TO every one. The mutiplica-
ition Of that army of tens Of thousands
| into the present force of 50 many Ell
lions has somewhat altered the situa'
ton.
The news Of President Wilson's
peace note had percoated throughout
the army by today, but it cannot be
said TO have been favorahly received.
While il can truthfuiiy be said that
officers and men alike realize The
| hardships of the coming winter, all an-
! pear ca ger for new offensive in the
spring and say They can make that Of
! Jocici,-o