One fact remains that no one can debate... one Soldier eventually stuck his head above the trenches (In a battle where snipers would not normally hesitate to shoot) hoping not to get shot... and the enemy did not shoot... That is enough to say a thousand words...
I think that is an essential observation. It leads to the much darker ending of this truce. Here we have soldiers not seeking to kill each other. So the commanders forced them to fight on. In quite ugly ways. Sometimes we should wonder much more, if the finger-pointing out the 'enemy,' might be the real enemy. US false flag and pretext invasions keep this actual.
@@babalonkie Very true. Sadly the empire that was the example (last century at the least) isn't an example anymore. Few countries look to NZ for guidance (awesome prime minister) and many to the USA. When the US invaded in Iraq it said to the world, "it's okay if you can get away with it." Was it a coincidence that the US bankers then went wild with faulty mortgage plans, which led to the 2008 collapse? The highest leaders in the world need to show high integrity because they indeed need to set the example. Bombing Yemen, selling arms to the Saudi's, facing an almost coup in the capital, allowing media channels to lie (which is, or should be different from freedom of speech), enriching the rich, and letting millions of citizens sink in poverty isn't a good example. Just saying.
@@KootFloris "Few countries look to NZ for guidance"... actually quite a few countries admire NZ and it's PM... I also hear they have great farms and amazing wine. Also... they have Sam Neill.
@@babalonkie Hahaha. Well, it is an awesome tourist destination. It seems they have dragons now as well, and a Taika Waititi. Oh, and the All Blacks. ;)
We are all human, no one wants war or to have to kill another... this commercial broke and still breaks my heart. It shows how we are all human and alike in many ways, how we can get along in the worst of circumstances, and in the blink of an eye it all goes to hell even though they didn't want it to. So sad; so much waste. Bless the troops, it would be nice if we never needed you ❤❤
The Belgian chocolate bar featured in this advert sold out in the Sainsbury’s store I worked in. The Royal British Legion support British veterans from all conflicts. The Royal British Legion Village in Aylesbury Kent is a place for veterans and their families to live and be cared for and their wound treated and also Royal British Legion Industries are based there where they make poppies, poppy wreaths among other products, they provide British veterans with work. I visited the village this year to visit The Wall of Honour in The Garden of Honour to see the plaque I had placed in November 2018 in memory of my great great uncle who died of wounds in August 1916.
The poppies, wreaths, Royal families poppies and Westminster Abbey’s are made in Richmond West London. They employ ex servicemen and disabled guys linked to the services. They have a huge warehouse in West London. Richmond makes every poppy all year round and treat their staff amazingly
It’s similar to the Royal Canadian Legion. People meet up there as a community gathering place, and a place to connect with your community. Vets can go to the RCL for help if need be as well. Marry Christmas, 2021
Pretty much yeah, I believe Waitrose & John Lewis are the most anticipated & seen as the best, they also usually have themes & messages in them, sometimes based on whats happened in the previous year.
It’s massive kudos for the company whose Christmas advert received greatest acclaim. John Lewis has made some corkers! Recently Aldi and Lidl have stepped up.
I've always been a "Merry", happy doesn't sound quite right and as someone else mentioned, wishing people a happy Christmas and a happy New year, is just weird 😂
In the UK it’s a bit of a modern tradition for stores, especially supermarkets like Sainsbury’s to do a Christmas Advert. This was their 2014 Christmas Ad. So centenary of the event. This is still one of if not the best Christmas Adverts in my opinion.
Merry Christmas! I’m in Scotland, and I remember in primary school we learnt about the Christmas truce and we even learnt to sing silent night in German
I'm from Scotland originally, live in Yorkshire now and learned Silent night in German at school too. I literally sing it in German whenever I hear it come on. It sounds really weird in English to me.
I've worked for Sainsburys for over 18 years now. Still remember watching the preview of this advert before it appeared on tv. So proud. There's always a battle between everyone over the xmas adverts. We definitely won it that year!
I personally believe Christmas is about unification no matter who you are. I cry every time I see movies portraying the Christmas Truce because it's such a beautiful human day taking place in a nightmarish inhumane event
It’s crazy this was based on a real event. That little moment of fun and respect between soldiers ended so abruptly and they had to go back to fight, sad story
Only thing is it helps if you watched the whole series 4. Cos you have to see how blackadder keeps escaping going over the top so when it actually happens in such a sombre way in a comedy series it's a bit of a shock
Brilliant presentation Brother. The guy who was sat on a chair getting his Haircut by a German Barber, who apparently gave Haircuts, to any British Soldier who wanted one. I don`t think we will ever see Chivalry in conflict like this gracious act, Ever again. Have a Happy Christmas all 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Off subject a little, British , French, German, American, Mexican, Japanese, Swaziland.... Ers, wherever you from, we've all been through the same s**t this year, hope you are having a great Christmas, think we all deserve it, and hope you all out there have a much better 2021!!! Take care of yourself wherever you!
When this ad (sainsburys) came out it was the start of the centenary commemoration of WWI in 2014 (It was commemorated for the next four years until 2018) and without a doubt it's the most powerful and best Christmas advert ever made. Still chokes me a bit to watch as I had four family members I never met in that war, one was my grandmother's brother, who being born in 1926 she never met either. He was 15 years old (lied about his age to get in) and was blown to bits and never recovered at the battle of the Somme. My Great grandfather on my dad's side was awarded the mons star and something else I can't remember through his action at the battle of Mons. We even had a relative in the German navy which I know next to little about other than my dad's middle name is after him , Ludwig. It basically reminds me of the struggles my ancestors went through for our/future generations.
Found your channel about a week ago, dropped a sub after the first video Glad to see an American respecting us Brits as well as you do, usually too much trash talking! This is one of the best adverts that ever graced the screens in the UK imo. I know the Ad is WW1, but My Great Grandad was a WW2 vet have amazing memories of his stories in the Navy. Merry Christmas brother 🇬🇧🇺🇲
Good video... Note that Silent Night was originally written in German, by two men in Austria in 1818. It was written in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars... It made it first appearance in America, sung in German, in 1839. In 1859, a priest at Trinity Church in New York City translated it into English (well, he translated three of the verses into English; the German original had six verses). I can imagine it would have been something for the Germans to hear their own song sung back to them in English.
1915 on Christmas Day On the western front the guns all died away And lying in the mud on bags of sand We heard a German sing from no man's land He had tenor voice so pure and true The words were strange but every note we knew Soaring or the living dead and dammed The German sang of peace from no man's land They left their trenches and we left ours Beneath tin hats smiles bloomed like wild flowers With photos, cigarettes, and tots of wine We built a soldier's truce on the front line Their singer was a lad of twenty one We begged another song before the dawn And sitting in the mud and blood and fear He sang again the song all longed to hear Silent night, no cannons roar A King is born of peace for evermore All's calm, all's bright All brothers hand in hand Its gas and rusty wire in no mans land And in the morning all the guns boomed in the rain And we killed them and they killed us again with Bayonet, bomb, bullet gas and flame, and neither we nor they at all to blame. There was heavy fighting right throughout the day, for one nights peace we bloodyly did pay, that night they charged we fought them hand to hand And I killed the boy that sang in no man's land Silent night no cannons roar A King is born of peace for evermore All's calm, all's bright All brothers hand in hand And that young soldier sings And the song of peace still rings Though the captains and all the kings Built no man's land Sleep in heavenly peace
The Royal British Legion, sometimes called The British Legion or The Legion, is a British charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants.
Great video, another one that covers this event was Paul McCarney’s video for Pipes of peace. This was also also highly accurate - down to proper regimental insignia. Merry Christmas
There's a Germam movie from 2015 called Merry Christmas about this truce. It's very touching, I remember sobbing all through the credits when I watched it in the theater.
I'm late to this but you know what the royal British legion is. The poppy symbolises the poppies that grew in the fields where they fought after the war. It's been a symbol ever since. We celebrate specifically on the 11th September at 11am. There are also different variations of the poppy for different people. You may need too look up on that. The red is the one most people see and look at. Hope you've had a good Christmas :)
@@iamjames8200 Yes, my dad served in the forces in the 50s and was a member of the Royal British Legion until the day he died. They even attended hus funeral in proper attire to make it special.
There's an entire movie about this event, I don't know how accurate it is but it's a great movie, I recommend it very much, it's called "Joyeux Noël" (Merry Christmas in French)
@@OzzieOzzieOzzieOyOyOy I never said it mattered just more the fact it’s not like no one says merry Christmas in the U.K. as it’s usually ‘merry Christmas and a happy new year’
@@PIRANHA_MAN maybe it’s regional then because ‘have a merry Christmas and a happy new year’ is almost exclusively what people in London and Essex say. I mean it’s even printed on all the Christmas cards I’ve sent or got. Nevertheless some other regions must say ‘happy Christmas’ instead.
I'll mirror what everyone else said. It's said pretty much equally but usually the poshos/traditionalists who say happy, a red mostly kept alive by the royal families usage of it.
Every Christmas at church when we sing silent night I think about this event. So sad. I also think of my life at 18 and these poor boys seeing these horrors, particularly as I've had such brilliant times in Germany. Such a waste. Cool video mate. Also love the Yorkshire tea behind you 😂 merry Christmas to you.
someone probably spoke about this already in previous comments, but adverts/commercials here in the UK are just like regular adverts/commercials but there is always an unspoken and unofficialk competition between businesses to create the most moving christmas advert that they can. Sainsbury's, morrisons, John Lewis being the most well known company to have started this trend of adverts. All in all it's basically nearly every retail company now that makes these adverts at christmas.. where it used to be mainly john lewis which would get people talking and looking forward to what they will come up with each year, they're very emotional.
I've been watching and commenting on your videos, especially on specific finnish related content. Your non-judgemental approach to things is so refreshing. I wish you a merry late christmas, happy new year and non-eventful deployment.
It's still amazing, the Christmas truce in WW1. So beautiful how they celebrated together and made friends. Actually, there is a rumour that when the fighting was supposed to continue, the soldiers on both sides refused to shoot at each other and they were replaced and probably reprimanded. Also, surely neither of them thought the war would still be going on for years.
Btw i feel like saying that at the dlstart of the war they had lots of trouble getting soldiers from each sides to fight since they basically didnt care about killing eachothers
Merry Christmas marra. The RBL are a forces charity that take care of Vets etc. They have been going for decades and are the main organisers of the remembrance day parade in London. Any forces ex or otherwise can join them, including our brothers and sisters over the pond.
Thanks for taking the time to make a video. We're on lockdown again in the UK. Banned from seeing our loved ones. Merry Christmas to you and your subscribers.
The truce and the football match which, naturally, Germamy won (as they still tend to do) To quote Blackadder: 'both sides advanced more during one Christmas piss up than in the next 3 years of war.'
it is actually highly debatable if there was an actual football match. It is more likely they simply had a kick about, just like we had at times when we were children/teenagers. Standing around, kicking the ball to each other and talking
This beat all christmas adverts in 2014 in my eyes a great fitting tribute to all those who sacrificed so much fighting for king country, god and peace.
We say merry Christmas lol. Its merry Christmas and a happy new year. The implication being we're supposed to spend Christmas a bit drunk, but sober up and put on our stiff upper lip and get on with our work in the new year. The sainsburys advert is just about a tradition we now have, where retailers compete to make the most emotionally moving Christmas advert possible. Can't comment on ww1, but I presume the human aspect is the same all the time. Both my grandads fought in ww2 though, and both said the same, as did every veteran I know or knew personally did. That is that the German soldiers didn't want to fight any more than our side did. In fact I never heard anyone that was there say a bad word about their enemy soldiers. 'they were just scared young boys like us, doing what they'd been ordered to do, like us' was how my grandad put it. The royal British legion are a fantastic organisation. Without them, most civilians would probably not see the human side of the military. They organise many of the remembrance services and do all sorts for veterans.
If you ever get the time you should react to ‘the fallen of WW2’ it’s about 20 minutes long and shows all of the deaths from WW2, it is really powerful and moving to watch, one of the best videos to really grasp the severity of WW2
Great video. Happy Christmas. The Christmas Truce was an amazing story that came out of the horrors of that war. What the video doesn't share about the Christmas Truce is that not everywhere at the front did this same event happen. Think of it as a horrible game of broken telephone. Word passed along the frontline that some units were meeting in the middle of no man's land and were sharing Christmas cheers and they joined in the festivities and other places along the front the message was garbled, changed or completely misunderstood. In those places soldiers thought the war had ended and were coming out their trenches only to be killed by the enemy.
The reason Sainsburies did that particular advert was to commemorate the christmas truce (obviously) but the reason for the chocolate bar was because the year of that advert Sainsburies and the RBL decided to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Christmas truce and raise funds for the RBL by producing the chocolate bar in a 1914 wrapping and all profits went to the RBL. They chose the chocolate bar as a way of doing it because the year of the Christmas truce was also the first time in history the British monarch King George the 5th decided that because the British Soldiers couldn't be with their families or receive Christmas presents from them on Christmas day he would commission a small gift so that every British soldier on operations would have something to open on Christmas morning and in it was some shaving supplies, a letter from the King thanking them and a bar of cadbury's chocolate (hence the 1914 design on the sainsbury's bar). This is a tradition that is still carried on today for all British forces on operations. When I was in Iraq for Christmas 2007 for many of us it was our first time away from home and our tour had only started a few weeks before Christmas so many of us didn't have a phone card to call home yet and our parcels from home hadn't arrived. The British commanders had made an agreement with the locals that their would be no hostilities on Christmas day (effectively a Christmas truce), The officers took over all our duties so that we could all have the day off then we went into the mess tent and they had decorated it all with Christmas decorations, the Chefs had put on a proper Christmas dinner then when we were all sat down our officer commanding walked in dressed as father Christmas carrying a huge sack over his shoulder and walked around handing out these little metal box's and when we opened them they had the latest disposable electric razor, a little bottle of shaving gel, a printed letter from the Queen and a bar of chocolate in them. It sounds like nothing but to a 19 year old soldier, in a warzone, spending Christmas away from his family for the first time with no way of contacting them it meant the world and gave a huge boost to our morale especially those of us who were young and on our first tour because it reminded us that we weren't forgotten back home.
Merry Christmas is what we always said growing up in northern England. Happy New Year. ad shows comrades in arms and how we are all the same basically.
Man this will always be my favourite Christmas ad. I was a history buff in school and found the truce so so fascinating. To me it just showed the humanity even in the darkest moments
UK retail companies likke Sainsbury and Marks & Spencers, have quite long and expensive Christmas commercials each year. Have a great Christmas dude, and I hope you get to see your family soon. x
'Merry Christmas' is the usual general greeting, especially to several people (as in a room) or to a group of people. 'Happy Christmas' is a more personal greeting, which is probably more usual to say when, for example, you hand a Christmas present to someone.
I recommend a mark Felton video called mills marauders. About a handful of royal marines engaging an Argentine warship with small arms. Merry Christmas dude
There's an old song about the Christmas truce that you should check out, I'd recommend the rendition by John McDermott "Christmas in the trenches". I can't hear silent night with thinking of that story! My great grandfather was there. (British soldier, artillery)
Merry Christmas to you and the videos were awesome. The Christmas truce has always been under-appreciated and overlooked by many. The guns in the 2nd video were scary. In a good way.
Someone has probably already said but sainsburys has a high budget Christmas advertisement/message every year (so do some other big chains) its kind of a Christmas tradition.
Royal British Legion has something called the battle back centre at Lilleshall in England. They help injured service men and women from physical and wounds that aren't visible. I did my training there for the MoJ and I spent a good amount of time with the squaddies. Absolutely brilliant bunch. I remember 1 lad who lost both legs below the knee taking the piss out of another who had only lost 1 leg. He said he was the lucky 1 because he asked the doctors fitting the prosthetics to give him a couple extra inches and the lad with 1 leg was still a short arse. Some of the best people we have in this country. The reason for the red poppy. It was the 1st thing to grow on Flanders field after the great war had finished. The first life after so much death. Purple poppies are also worn for the animals of war. The only 2 officially recognised poppies although there have been other colours but the money doesn't go to the service personal then.
If you want to know more about the Royal British Legion you should watch the Festival of Remembrance. In the UK every year the RBL commemorate all those British and Commonwealth Servicemen and Women who lost their lives in Service to their Country, those who were wounded, and the families left behind. They also thank those who are currently Serving and tell the stories of individual Service personnel. The 2020 one commemorated all the nurses (military and civilian) and the NHS and their work during the pandemic. I would advise watching the 2014 Festival. The Festival is a thank you to those who have Served and those who are Serving.
The Legion supports, campaigns for and generally looks after both serving forces members and veterans as well as their families, including through rehabilitation and long term care for the wounded and disabled. It’s the Legion that carries out the annual poppy appeal and coordinates remembrance events across the country in November. Pretty much every official memorial (of which there are thousands upon thousands) will have Legion representatives there on Remembrance Sunday with their colours, to lay wreaths. They also have sub units such as the bikers section which ride with the bodies of the fallen when they are repatriated and the Legion sends representatives both to funerals of those killed in combat and to veterans of past wars.
Hey. Hope you're well. First of all, Thank you for your service. The Royal British Legion (RBL) supports Armed Forces Veteran's like myself & those who are still serving. They are famous for selling poppies every year, organising the Remembrance Day services & parades and is the main Armed Forces charity here in the UK
One fact remains that no one can debate... one Soldier eventually stuck his head above the trenches (In a battle where snipers would not normally hesitate to shoot) hoping not to get shot... and the enemy did not shoot...
That is enough to say a thousand words...
I think that is an essential observation. It leads to the much darker ending of this truce. Here we have soldiers not seeking to kill each other. So the commanders forced them to fight on. In quite ugly ways. Sometimes we should wonder much more, if the finger-pointing out the 'enemy,' might be the real enemy. US false flag and pretext invasions keep this actual.
@@babalonkie Very true. Sadly the empire that was the example (last century at the least) isn't an example anymore. Few countries look to NZ for guidance (awesome prime minister) and many to the USA. When the US invaded in Iraq it said to the world, "it's okay if you can get away with it." Was it a coincidence that the US bankers then went wild with faulty mortgage plans, which led to the 2008 collapse? The highest leaders in the world need to show high integrity because they indeed need to set the example. Bombing Yemen, selling arms to the Saudi's, facing an almost coup in the capital, allowing media channels to lie (which is, or should be different from freedom of speech), enriching the rich, and letting millions of citizens sink in poverty isn't a good example. Just saying.
@@KootFloris "Few countries look to NZ for guidance"... actually quite a few countries admire NZ and it's PM... I also hear they have great farms and amazing wine.
Also... they have Sam Neill.
@@babalonkie Hahaha. Well, it is an awesome tourist destination. It seems they have dragons now as well, and a Taika Waititi. Oh, and the All Blacks. ;)
We are all human, no one wants war or to have to kill another... this commercial broke and still breaks my heart. It shows how we are all human and alike in many ways, how we can get along in the worst of circumstances, and in the blink of an eye it all goes to hell even though they didn't want it to. So sad; so much waste. Bless the troops, it would be nice if we never needed you ❤❤
The Belgian chocolate bar featured in this advert sold out in the Sainsbury’s store I worked in. The Royal British Legion support British veterans from all conflicts. The Royal British Legion Village in Aylesbury Kent is a place for veterans and their families to live and be cared for and their wound treated and also Royal British Legion Industries are based there where they make poppies, poppy wreaths among other products, they provide British veterans with work. I visited the village this year to visit The Wall of Honour in The Garden of Honour to see the plaque I had placed in November 2018 in memory of my great great uncle who died of wounds in August 1916.
Thank you for the info and thanks for sharing 🤙
God bless them. ❤️
The poppies, wreaths, Royal families poppies and Westminster Abbey’s are made in Richmond West London. They employ ex servicemen and disabled guys linked to the services. They have a huge warehouse in West London. Richmond makes every poppy all year round and treat their staff amazingly
It’s similar to the Royal Canadian Legion. People meet up there as a community gathering place, and a place to connect with your community. Vets can go to the RCL for help if need be as well. Marry Christmas, 2021
So in the UK there’s kind of a big competition between the shops for who has the best Xmas adverts on tv
yes
Pretty much yeah, I believe Waitrose & John Lewis are the most anticipated & seen as the best, they also usually have themes & messages in them, sometimes based on whats happened in the previous year.
Still not xmas until the coke advert
@@thomasbrown3281 true but they keep appearing earlier every year
It’s massive kudos for the company whose Christmas advert received greatest acclaim. John Lewis has made some corkers! Recently Aldi and Lidl have stepped up.
We say both 'Merry' & 'Happy' Christmas. Just personal preference.
I have heard plenty of happy Xmas in both Canada and the UK. And I say both.
I've always been a "Merry", happy doesn't sound quite right and as someone else mentioned, wishing people a happy Christmas and a happy New year, is just weird 😂
@@liamloxley1222 Not at all we say both pretty much equally
@@liamloxley1222 happy Christmas 🎄
A "merry Christmas" is just a "happy Christmas" after more alcohol.
In the UK it’s a bit of a modern tradition for stores, especially supermarkets like Sainsbury’s to do a Christmas Advert.
This was their 2014 Christmas Ad. So centenary of the event.
This is still one of if not the best Christmas Adverts in my opinion.
My favourites are this one and bear and the hare
Man on the moon is a pretty good one too
You asked about Sainsbury’s; what makes this special is that this is the very company that supplied the chocolate in British rations of WWI
Merry Christmas! I’m in Scotland, and I remember in primary school we learnt about the Christmas truce and we even learnt to sing silent night in German
I'm from Scotland originally, live in Yorkshire now and learned Silent night in German at school too. I literally sing it in German whenever I hear it come on. It sounds really weird in English to me.
Me too!
Every year I used to get asked to sing the german version to my grandad, I still sing it every year now even though he’s been dead 8 years
@@Jazzinthedark84 I'm a Yorkshire man born and bread, I learnt the German here.
I am Scottish also , we got to learn silent night in deutsche too. Think I was 11 or 12 at the time.
Merry Christmas from the UK. One of the best Christmas adverts I've ever seen.
I've worked for Sainsburys for over 18 years now. Still remember watching the preview of this advert before it appeared on tv. So proud. There's always a battle between everyone over the xmas adverts. We definitely won it that year!
I personally believe Christmas is about unification no matter who you are.
I cry every time I see movies portraying the Christmas Truce because it's such a beautiful human day taking place in a nightmarish inhumane event
It’s crazy this was based on a real event. That little moment of fun and respect between soldiers ended so abruptly and they had to go back to fight, sad story
You must react to blackadder WWI, the last scene of the series, makes me cry 😢
I added a vote for this :)
Definitely watch blackadder goes fourth. You'll really enjoy it
"I put a entry into my diary it simply said..............bugger", "Good Luck Everybody!"
Yeah please do this
Only thing is it helps if you watched the whole series 4. Cos you have to see how blackadder keeps escaping going over the top so when it actually happens in such a sombre way in a comedy series it's a bit of a shock
Brilliant presentation Brother. The guy who was sat on a chair getting his Haircut by a German Barber, who apparently gave Haircuts, to any British Soldier who wanted one. I don`t think we will ever see Chivalry in conflict like this gracious act, Ever again. Have a Happy Christmas all 🎄🎄🎄🎄
As a Brit I've seen this umpteen times but I still tear up everytime I watch it !
It should also be noted that some parts still continue fighting
Also, some people just die trying to greet the enemy
very sad
Yeah that's rough
That goes without saying, but thanks for bringing us down
Off subject a little, British , French, German, American, Mexican, Japanese, Swaziland.... Ers, wherever you from, we've all been through the same s**t this year, hope you are having a great Christmas, think we all deserve it, and hope you all out there have a much better 2021!!! Take care of yourself wherever you!
Thanks you too
Swaziland is called Eswatini now... just pointing that out. Happy new year!
@@darryljones3009 now I know ☺
you mean spanish?
@@darryljones3009 is it? Wow. When did that happen?
When this ad (sainsburys) came out it was the start of the centenary commemoration of WWI in 2014 (It was commemorated for the next four years until 2018) and without a doubt it's the most powerful and best Christmas advert ever made. Still chokes me a bit to watch as I had four family members I never met in that war, one was my grandmother's brother, who being born in 1926 she never met either. He was 15 years old (lied about his age to get in) and was blown to bits and never recovered at the battle of the Somme. My Great grandfather on my dad's side was awarded the mons star and something else I can't remember through his action at the battle of Mons. We even had a relative in the German navy which I know next to little about other than my dad's middle name is after him , Ludwig.
It basically reminds me of the struggles my ancestors went through for our/future generations.
Found your channel about a week ago, dropped a sub after the first video
Glad to see an American respecting us Brits as well as you do, usually too much trash talking!
This is one of the best adverts that ever graced the screens in the UK imo.
I know the Ad is WW1, but
My Great Grandad was a WW2 vet have amazing memories of his stories in the Navy.
Merry Christmas brother 🇬🇧🇺🇲
Good video... Note that Silent Night was originally written in German, by two men in Austria in 1818. It was written in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars... It made it first appearance in America, sung in German, in 1839. In 1859, a priest at Trinity Church in New York City translated it into English (well, he translated three of the verses into English; the German original had six verses). I can imagine it would have been something for the Germans to hear their own song sung back to them in English.
My family used to vacation in Berchtesgaden and visited the Sille Nacht Kapele several times. It's absolutely wonderful in winter.
1915 on Christmas Day
On the western front the guns all died away
And lying in the mud on bags of sand
We heard a German sing from no man's land
He had tenor voice so pure and true
The words were strange but every note we knew
Soaring or the living dead and dammed
The German sang of peace from no man's land
They left their trenches and we left ours
Beneath tin hats smiles bloomed like wild flowers
With photos, cigarettes, and tots of wine
We built a soldier's truce on the front line
Their singer was a lad of twenty one
We begged another song before the dawn
And sitting in the mud and blood and fear
He sang again the song all longed to hear
Silent night, no cannons roar
A King is born of peace for evermore
All's calm, all's bright
All brothers hand in hand
Its gas and rusty wire in no mans land
And in the morning all the guns boomed in the rain
And we killed them and they killed us again
with Bayonet, bomb, bullet gas and flame,
and neither we nor they at all to blame.
There was heavy fighting right throughout the day,
for one nights peace we bloodyly did pay,
that night they charged we fought them hand to hand
And I killed the boy that sang in no man's land
Silent night no cannons roar
A King is born of peace for evermore
All's calm, all's bright
All brothers hand in hand
And that young soldier sings
And the song of peace still rings
Though the captains and all the kings
Built no man's land
Sleep in heavenly peace
The Royal British Legion, sometimes called The British Legion or The Legion, is a British charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants.
Great video, another one that covers this event was Paul McCarney’s video for Pipes of peace. This was also also highly accurate - down to proper regimental insignia. Merry Christmas
There's a Germam movie from 2015 called Merry Christmas about this truce. It's very touching, I remember sobbing all through the credits when I watched it in the theater.
That Sainsbury's advert always makes me cry. Wonderful true story.
We say Merry Christmas too in the UK, I know I'm a little late but same to you & a happy new year :)
Love the fact that he has Yorkshire teabags in the background.
The spiffing brit would approve!
For Yorkshire, best place in England!!
I'm late to this but you know what the royal British legion is. The poppy symbolises the poppies that grew in the fields where they fought after the war. It's been a symbol ever since. We celebrate specifically on the 11th September at 11am. There are also different variations of the poppy for different people. You may need too look up on that. The red is the one most people see and look at. Hope you've had a good Christmas :)
When I first saw it i was so emotional and it still hits to this day.
Royal British legion is a charity that’s helps veterans and there families :)
And a great job they do too.
@@cmdfarsight I have had the pleasure of meeting some of them there great people.
@@iamjames8200 Yes, my dad served in the forces in the 50s and was a member of the Royal British Legion until the day he died. They even attended hus funeral in proper attire to make it special.
@@cmdfarsight awww what a lovely thing for them to do for you.
@@iamjames8200 Yes it was lovely. The legion's chaplain even did the service.
Have a wonderful New Year and a blessed 2021.
There's an entire movie about this event, I don't know how accurate it is but it's a great movie, I recommend it very much, it's called "Joyeux Noël" (Merry Christmas in French)
In the U.K. it’s still merry Christmas so a merry Christmas to you
We say both. Either one is right, it doesn’t really matter, mate!
@@OzzieOzzieOzzieOyOyOy I never said it mattered just more the fact it’s not like no one says merry Christmas in the U.K. as it’s usually ‘merry Christmas and a happy new year’
@@oldgreggscreamybaileys6618 No its not both are said pretty much equally.
@@PIRANHA_MAN maybe it’s regional then because ‘have a merry Christmas and a happy new year’ is almost exclusively what people in London and Essex say. I mean it’s even printed on all the Christmas cards I’ve sent or got. Nevertheless some other regions must say ‘happy Christmas’ instead.
I'll mirror what everyone else said. It's said pretty much equally but usually the poshos/traditionalists who say happy, a red mostly kept alive by the royal families usage of it.
Every Christmas at church when we sing silent night I think about this event. So sad. I also think of my life at 18 and these poor boys seeing these horrors, particularly as I've had such brilliant times in Germany. Such a waste. Cool video mate. Also love the Yorkshire tea behind you 😂 merry Christmas to you.
Merry Christmas from the UK, I say either it's just whatever comes to mind first
Also this is my favourite ad ever and they show in school.
someone probably spoke about this already in previous comments, but adverts/commercials here in the UK are just like regular adverts/commercials but there is always an unspoken and unofficialk competition between businesses to create the most moving christmas advert that they can. Sainsbury's, morrisons, John Lewis being the most well known company to have started this trend of adverts. All in all it's basically nearly every retail company now that makes these adverts at christmas.. where it used to be mainly john lewis which would get people talking and looking forward to what they will come up with each year, they're very emotional.
In uk we say merry Christmas as well. It might depend where in the uk.
It's pretty Interchangable.
@@choughed3072 yea it is.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year it's been my full life. Happy Christmas and a merry new year?? Never heard it and would sound weird as hell.
@@randommadness1021 People say Happy Christmas as much as Merry Christmas. Very few say Merry Newyear.
Love this guy, one of the best military RUclipsr I've watched 🇬🇧
Watching this is giving me goosebumps and teary eyes.
What makes me cry about the Sains add, is how young they were. Breaks my heart.
My Great Grandad was 14 (he lied to sign up) thankfully he came home safe 🙏🏼🙏🏼
I've been watching and commenting on your videos, especially on specific finnish related content. Your non-judgemental approach to things is so refreshing. I wish you a merry late christmas, happy new year and non-eventful deployment.
It's still amazing, the Christmas truce in WW1. So beautiful how they celebrated together and made friends. Actually, there is a rumour that when the fighting was supposed to continue, the soldiers on both sides refused to shoot at each other and they were replaced and probably reprimanded. Also, surely neither of them thought the war would still be going on for years.
Yup the fight came back when they changed shift
Btw i feel like saying that at the dlstart of the war they had lots of trouble getting soldiers from each sides to fight since they basically didnt care about killing eachothers
Merry Christmas marra.
The RBL are a forces charity that take care of Vets etc. They have been going for decades and are the main organisers of the remembrance day parade in London. Any forces ex or otherwise can join them, including our brothers and sisters over the pond.
Hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta. Great work and all the best from the UK. 🎄🇬🇧
Great topical choice, Merry Christmas to you too
Thanks for taking the time to make a video. We're on lockdown again in the UK. Banned from seeing our loved ones. Merry Christmas to you and your subscribers.
The truce and the football match which, naturally, Germamy won (as they still tend to do)
To quote Blackadder: 'both sides advanced more during one Christmas piss up than in the next 3 years of war.'
We won last game
As a Welshman I think the English goal was offside. But Jerry xmas anyway.
@@daistoke1314 Well let's not start with the Tommies having a goal gifted to them just as it was at Wembley ;)
it is actually highly debatable if there was an actual football match.
It is more likely they simply had a kick about, just like we had at times when we were children/teenagers. Standing around, kicking the ball to each other and talking
@@meganoob12 "it was only a kick around"said always by the losers!
First video I've seen of yours and it was enjoyable throughout, hoorah from England
This beat all christmas adverts in 2014 in my eyes a great fitting tribute to all those who sacrificed so much fighting for king country, god and peace.
The Royal British legion is a charity for vets mainly focused on the wars although still supports veterans from modern conflicts
Love this Christmas advert, makes me cry every time.
That "Jenga" was a real cliff hanger. Nice one, made me smile. All the best to you and your mates
Haha yes it was intense. Happy holidays!
Merry Christmas C.A.C. Thanks for all your uploads over the last 12 months. The time and effort you put in is hugely appreciated!! 👍🏼👊🏼🏴
Glad to have made 'em for y'all!
Thanks for reacting to this and happy Christmas
We say merry Christmas lol. Its merry Christmas and a happy new year. The implication being we're supposed to spend Christmas a bit drunk, but sober up and put on our stiff upper lip and get on with our work in the new year.
The sainsburys advert is just about a tradition we now have, where retailers compete to make the most emotionally moving Christmas advert possible.
Can't comment on ww1, but I presume the human aspect is the same all the time. Both my grandads fought in ww2 though, and both said the same, as did every veteran I know or knew personally did. That is that the German soldiers didn't want to fight any more than our side did. In fact I never heard anyone that was there say a bad word about their enemy soldiers. 'they were just scared young boys like us, doing what they'd been ordered to do, like us' was how my grandad put it.
The royal British legion are a fantastic organisation. Without them, most civilians would probably not see the human side of the military. They organise many of the remembrance services and do all sorts for veterans.
If you ever get the time you should react to ‘the fallen of WW2’ it’s about 20 minutes long and shows all of the deaths from WW2, it is really powerful and moving to watch, one of the best videos to really grasp the severity of WW2
Great video. Happy Christmas. The Christmas Truce was an amazing story that came out of the horrors of that war. What the video doesn't share about the Christmas Truce is that not everywhere at the front did this same event happen. Think of it as a horrible game of broken telephone. Word passed along the frontline that some units were meeting in the middle of no man's land and were sharing Christmas cheers and they joined in the festivities and other places along the front the message was garbled, changed or completely misunderstood. In those places soldiers thought the war had ended and were coming out their trenches only to be killed by the enemy.
Thanks for this , they say every family in Britain lost someone, merry Christmas 🎄🍻🇬🇧🇺🇸☃️
I hope you had a good Christmas ❤️
It's sad that even though so many millions have died and nothing has been learnt from it all.
@Zsuzsanna Varga both.
Well one thing was learnt, at the end of the day we're all human.
Thank you for your service and merry Christmas to you and your family. Love from the UK
In my mind this is the best advert ever.
The reason Sainsburies did that particular advert was to commemorate the christmas truce (obviously) but the reason for the chocolate bar was because the year of that advert Sainsburies and the RBL decided to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Christmas truce and raise funds for the RBL by producing the chocolate bar in a 1914 wrapping and all profits went to the RBL. They chose the chocolate bar as a way of doing it because the year of the Christmas truce was also the first time in history the British monarch King George the 5th decided that because the British Soldiers couldn't be with their families or receive Christmas presents from them on Christmas day he would commission a small gift so that every British soldier on operations would have something to open on Christmas morning and in it was some shaving supplies, a letter from the King thanking them and a bar of cadbury's chocolate (hence the 1914 design on the sainsbury's bar).
This is a tradition that is still carried on today for all British forces on operations. When I was in Iraq for Christmas 2007 for many of us it was our first time away from home and our tour had only started a few weeks before Christmas so many of us didn't have a phone card to call home yet and our parcels from home hadn't arrived. The British commanders had made an agreement with the locals that their would be no hostilities on Christmas day (effectively a Christmas truce), The officers took over all our duties so that we could all have the day off then we went into the mess tent and they had decorated it all with Christmas decorations, the Chefs had put on a proper Christmas dinner then when we were all sat down our officer commanding walked in dressed as father Christmas carrying a huge sack over his shoulder and walked around handing out these little metal box's and when we opened them they had the latest disposable electric razor, a little bottle of shaving gel, a printed letter from the Queen and a bar of chocolate in them.
It sounds like nothing but to a 19 year old soldier, in a warzone, spending Christmas away from his family for the first time with no way of contacting them it meant the world and gave a huge boost to our morale especially those of us who were young and on our first tour because it reminded us that we weren't forgotten back home.
Merry Christmas is what we always said growing up in northern England. Happy New Year. ad shows comrades in arms and how we are all the same basically.
We say Merry Christmas too, there is no "rule" to it.
Merry Christmas in the UK too.
Thanks alot for doing it man, hope ya got a Merry Christmas!
Omg this is one of the best ads ever especially for Christmas time. Love from the UK 🇬🇧
Merry Christmas Mukka
hope it all going well for you, and happy xmas from UK
Love this channel 👍 it's absolutely fantastic. Merry Christmas all 🎄🎆
Merry Christmas and a happy peaceful and healthy New year. from the uk.
We usually say Merry Christmas and happy new year. Good stuff. :),
No we dont. We use both pretty much equally. The only people who do what you say are companies who print christmas cards
"And the devils clock rang midnight and the skies lit up and then, the battlefield where heaven stood, was blown to hell again"
Merry Christmas bro! 🎄☃🤗
Man this will always be my favourite Christmas ad. I was a history buff in school and found the truce so so fascinating. To me it just showed the humanity even in the darkest moments
In the darkest of times, all it takes is for someon, to remember, to turn on the light.
MEEEEERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄 God bless you
UK retail companies likke Sainsbury and Marks & Spencers, have quite long and expensive Christmas commercials each year.
Have a great Christmas dude, and I hope you get to see your family soon. x
'Merry Christmas' is the usual general greeting, especially to several people (as in a room) or to a group of people. 'Happy Christmas' is a more personal greeting, which is probably more usual to say when, for example, you hand a Christmas present to someone.
I recommend a mark Felton video called mills marauders. About a handful of royal marines engaging an Argentine warship with small arms.
Merry Christmas dude
Yea...Merry Christmas and a Merry "Hic" New Year for 2021
and take care everyone!
I have really enjoyed your video, thank you for some more background
Happy & Merry Christmas we use them both in the UK. But all the very best for 2021 to you all.
Merry Christmas in Scotland and a happy New year. 🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧
There's an old song about the Christmas truce that you should check out, I'd recommend the rendition by John McDermott "Christmas in the trenches". I can't hear silent night with thinking of that story! My great grandfather was there. (British soldier, artillery)
A reaction video to ww1 related stuff would be cool, I think. Pretty much the worst conditions of any war ever
Merry Christmas to you and the videos were awesome. The Christmas truce has always been under-appreciated and overlooked by many. The guns in the 2nd video were scary. In a good way.
Being a veteran this advert made me cry
Acknowledges 'Happy' Christmas as a Britishism, has Yorkshire tea in the background ... subbed
Someone has probably already said but sainsburys has a high budget Christmas advertisement/message every year (so do some other big chains) its kind of a Christmas tradition.
Loads of goodies to help you enjoy the holidays over the right shoulder.......make sure you enjoy !! Best wished for the holidays.
Great reaction video. I like to watch your take on things.
Royal British Legion has something called the battle back centre at Lilleshall in England. They help injured service men and women from physical and wounds that aren't visible.
I did my training there for the MoJ and I spent a good amount of time with the squaddies.
Absolutely brilliant bunch. I remember 1 lad who lost both legs below the knee taking the piss out of another who had only lost 1 leg.
He said he was the lucky 1 because he asked the doctors fitting the prosthetics to give him a couple extra inches and the lad with 1 leg was still a short arse.
Some of the best people we have in this country.
The reason for the red poppy. It was the 1st thing to grow on Flanders field after the great war had finished. The first life after so much death.
Purple poppies are also worn for the animals of war. The only 2 officially recognised poppies although there have been other colours but the money doesn't go to the service personal then.
If you want to know more about the Royal British Legion you should watch the Festival of Remembrance. In the UK every year the RBL commemorate all those British and Commonwealth Servicemen and Women who lost their lives in Service to their Country, those who were wounded, and the families left behind. They also thank those who are currently Serving and tell the stories of individual Service personnel. The 2020 one commemorated all the nurses (military and civilian) and the NHS and their work during the pandemic.
I would advise watching the 2014 Festival. The Festival is a thank you to those who have Served and those who are Serving.
Gives me goosebumps bro
Merry Christmas from the UK
The Legion supports, campaigns for and generally looks after both serving forces members and veterans as well as their families, including through rehabilitation and long term care for the wounded and disabled. It’s the Legion that carries out the annual poppy appeal and coordinates remembrance events across the country in November. Pretty much every official memorial (of which there are thousands upon thousands) will have Legion representatives there on Remembrance Sunday with their colours, to lay wreaths. They also have sub units such as the bikers section which ride with the bodies of the fallen when they are repatriated and the Legion sends representatives both to funerals of those killed in combat and to veterans of past wars.
Sainsburys is a large grocery store in the UK. All the big supermarkets battle to have the best Christmas Ad. The best make you cry.
Hey. Hope you're well.
First of all, Thank you for your service.
The Royal British Legion (RBL) supports Armed Forces Veteran's like myself & those who are still serving.
They are famous for selling poppies every year, organising the Remembrance Day services & parades and is the main Armed Forces charity here in the UK
The truce has become a legend and also a powerful symbol
a real show of humanity is still there even in times of war