The most moving eye witness account of the wonderful human event and the Spirit of Christmas is best captured in the autobiography of Fr. Wille Doyle S.J. who was chaplain to the British forces. He was with the Irish soldiers in the front line. He recalls how one 'Paddy' a bit the worse for wear stayed on in no man's land after the cease-fire ended, singing his intoxicated heart out.

All his comrades kept shouting " Get down, Paddy. Get down". Eventually, he got the message and stumbled back into the trench. But the Gerries held their fire until he had got down. Then all the horrors of the war broke loose again. Read it. It is moving.