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Private William Coles of the 1st Battalion witnessed one of the most extraordinary and iconic incidents in World War One: the Christmas Truce.

Coles, from Wellingborough, joined the 1st Battalion, the Leicestershire Regiment prior to the Boer War. As a reservist, he was quickly called back to the battalion upon the outbreak of war in August 1914 and went with them to France in September.

As part of the 16th Brigade of the 6th Division, they were occupying trenches at Frelinghien and Houplines on 24 December 1914.

Messages were passed between the two trenches, carols were sung, and eventually soldiers from either side went out into no man鈥檚 land on Christmas Day.

More than 100 Germans were taken prisoner when they refused to return to their trenches. Fighting resumed after Christmas Day, although the Saxon regiment warned the British soldiers they were being relieved by a feared Bavarian battalion.

Location: 37 Bedale Road, Wellingborough NN8 4ER
Image shows soldiers during the Christmas Truce

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