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Henry Williamson

Henry Williamson, a Private with the London Rifles and later a Junior Officer with the Bedfordshire Regiment, recalls life on the Western Front and the Christmas Truce of 1914.

Henry Williamson joined the 5th London Regiment as a Private in January 1914, and was greatly excited when the order for mobilisation came in August. He was one of many who believed the war would be over by Christmas. Initially exhilarating, he soon found life in the trenches to be almost unendurable as mud and death became part of the daily routine. The Christmas Truce of 1914 - a short moment of peace and civility in the otherwise relentless reality of gunfire and shelling - left a deep impression on him.

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30 minutes

Clip

The Great War Interviews Collection

The Great War Interviews Collection
This programme is part a collection of interviews with World War One veterans and civilians filmed in the 1960s for the landmark Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ series The Great War.

Credits

Role Contributor
Interviewed Guest Henry Williamson
Producer Detlef Siebert
Executive Producer Sandra Gorel

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