6B letters from the trenches

This week, Year 6 have been writing letters home from World War One soldiers involved in the Christmas Truce. Here is Regan's letter. Can you work out how he has made it emotive?

                                                                                         Flanders Fields

                                                                                             North Belgium

                                                                                      December 26^th 1914

Dear my beloved mum,

                                             I am writing to you on a rather miserable boxing day,I have not kept my mind off of you for the whole time I have been in this unbearable, horrendous place. Especially, the trench.

First, let me begin by thanking you for the mouth-watering chocolate. I and the army were very happy, however, they did get something from their loved ones as well. Is it snowing at home Mum? Normally, at this bitter time of year it is. Is Christmas quiet without me? Haha! Have the boys been making our signature snow angels? Guessing, they obviously are, giggling sweetly and being ickle as always! The farm is probably filled with ice! Is the farm running OK? I wish I could be back at home giving you a hand, but instead I’m in this lacklustre battlefield.

Sit down now, Mum. What I am about to share with you is rather unbelievable… Well, last night, 8:00, we heard a beautiful graceful song. The lad sitting next to me recognised the song, it was Silent Night. However, it was the Germans singing it. Not very long after, we all found ourselves singing it. Not very long after, we found ourselves singing it as well! Shocking isn’t it!? I had never heard such amazing singing!

Gazing over the putrid trench's firestep, I couldn’t believe my eyes… I was seeing Christmas trees outside of the Germans trench, along with candles dancing, with fireflies dazzling like the sun. Failed, I thought that this was a dream, obviously not. Lighting the beautiful night sky with a hand by the stars. Amazed, everyone gazed up in the air looking at this amazing sight.

As Christmas day was running up to our hearts, it all fell silent for a second… We were all rather confused…The excitement began to resonate through my body. Off of the odds, apparently a German came out of his trench to salute our malicious commander. And it all basically went from there. Before I could even gain a blink, they were all up over no-mans land. I followed.

Whilst, I was out there I met a handsome, wonderful man called Rgna. (Rigna in English). He began to chat about his life back in Germany, I found it quite interesting. Then I started to talk about you and the boys, Mike and Tom. I tugged off my hat and placed it in his hands. Turning around, I saw a football match taking place, I went to play as well! If you would have watched you would be flabbergasted, amazed and speechless.

Probably, the most unexpected thing ever, you wouldn’t even go the near the thought of this! Looked like that we had been pals forever! All sharing cigars, chocolate and other gifts.

Christmas, which has definitely touched us all this year, it is going to be really hard to fight against the Germans, on this day. The Germans, who we once saw as savage monsters, are not bad people. Rgna was a really nice man, how am I going to defeat him?

Now I better leave you, and love you, its beginning to darken, and the paper is starting to fade because of the darkness. Hoping that this is not the last correspondence, if it is, I love you so, so, much. I would do anything to come back home.

However I’m not holding my breath.

Your husband Regan xx