Madam, - During the early months of the Great War, three myths arose. The first was that burly Cossacks, sent by the Czar to help the Allies on the western front, were seen embarking from British railway stations for Dover bound for France. The second myth came about in France. During the British retreat from Mons, angels were reportedly seen in the sky protecting the retreat. Finally, to the dismay of the British generals, along the front line in December 1914, British and German soldiers laid down their arms and celebrated Christmas together in a spontaneous gesture of peace. Only one of these myths - the last - was true.
It is now exactly 90 years since the Christmas Truce of 1914 occurred along the frozen trenches of the Western Front. On Christmas Eve 1914, the weather around the french village of St Yves was bitterly cold. That day, the 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers came out of the front line and moved back into Brigade Reserve near St Yves. They were relieved in the front line by the 1st Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
At some time during Christmas Eve, two Dublin Fusiliers were killed and one was wounded, perhaps by a sniper, as there was no shelling reported. Their names and cause of death did not even warrant a mention in the battalion diary.
Now, after 90 years, let me mention their names as a mark of respect. They were Private Patrick McCarthy, aged 26, and Private Thomas Delaney, both from Dublin, where exactly is not known. The next day was Christmas Day, the day of the truce. The Dubs' battalion diary noted: "Very quiet day, no shelling or sniping heard. Slight frost." Sadly, during Christmas Day, the man who was wounded on Christmas Eve died. He was Private John Cashman, aged 19, from 23, Gerald Griffin Avenue, Cork.
Things were quiet over the next few days. On December 28th, the 2nd Dublins went back into the front line to relieve the Warwickshires and by that time the local truce had ended and the killing had begun again.
So, in this week of myths and good will to each other, let us remember the dream born in a herdsman's shed and the names of Privates McCarthy, Delaney and Cashman who were denied the chance to live that dream. - Yours, etc.,
TOM BURKE, Ayrfield Road, Dublin 13.