The Christmas Truce of 1914 was a brief moment of humanity amid the horrors of the First World War. But when Tommies and German troops emerged from the trenches to shake hands and swap gifts in no man’s land, the festive goodwill clearly did not extend to the French, a newly discovered letter reveals. Lance Corporal William Loasby tells how a shared contempt for Britain’s Gallic ally in the Great War helped the opposing sides briefly find common ground when they met, with one German officer even remarking: ‘Ten Frenchman don’t make an Englishman.’ Scroll down for video Living history: A letter written by the soldier who sparked the famous 1914 Christmas Day Truce between the German and British soldiers has been sold for £20,000 at auction. Pictured is auctioneer Richard Westwood-Brookes holding the letter written by Lance Corporal Willie Loasby
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Lance Corporal Willie Loasby instigated the remarkable act of humanity
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He described how the soldiers were trading insults across No Man's Land
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Soldier said they were calling us 'English pigs and something a bit worse'
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But the 25-year-old says they then made jokes about the French
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A German officer said: 'Ten Frenchman don't make an Englishman'
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They eventually exchanged gifts and the remarkable armistice began
Group of German soldiers with two @placeholder soldiers, one in great coat (left) and one in rear wearing a balaclava