We enter Christmas in the midst of a national emergency that has brought great sacrifice and loss. But 106 years ago, the nation was beginning its first Christmas in a devastating war that took countless lives and was followed five years later by a global pandemic that cruelly targeted young people, in many cases the very people who had survived four years of fighting.

The Roll of Honour for Maldon lists 248 young men who died in the Great War. They represent all three services, and regiments up and down the country, but understandably there are many who served in our county regiment, the Essex Regiment, now represented by C (Essex) Company, the Royal Anglian Regiment.

Members of the 2nd Battalion were sent to Flanders in 1914, and ended up in trenches at the Belgian village of Ploegsteert (referred to by the Tommies as "Plugstreet"). There, at Christmas 1914, they experienced the almost miraculous event we know as "The Christmas Truce". Up and down the front line, spontaneously, soldiers of both sides left their trenches and met in no-man's-land, exchanging greetings and gifts. The Sainsbury's Christmas advert commemorating this in 2014 captures the spirit of this unique event.

Although this is generally remembered as happening on Christmas Day, the Essex men were actually the first to be recorded taking part in a truce, a full two weeks before the events of Christmas Day.

A letter published from a Private Scrutton in the Chelmsford Chronicle records that on 10th-11th December 1914, the Essex men were stationed opposite the 181st Regiment, 19th Saxon Corps, well within earshot as the trenches were so close.

A soldier called out, "Good morning Fritz" twice with no reply. The third time a "Good morning" was heard. Private Scrutton continues, 'Our trench, "How are you?", from the German trenches, "All right." "Come over here Fritz", reply "No, if I come I will be shot.

Scrutton reports that reassurances were given, and a British soldier filled his pockets with cigarettes and got out of the trench. A German came across and shook hands, exchanging chocolate for the cigarettes.

Eventually about 18 men of each side met in the middle, while soldiers of both sides waved their caps and cheered.

The truce lasted a short period, and Private Scrutton sadly reports "[then] each side returned to their trenches to shoot each other again."

The Christmas Day truce lasted a little longer, but the High Command on both sides issued orders to put a stop to it. Some local efforts were made in 1915, but after that the slaughter was too intense to allow such events.

However, a quiet "live and let live" philosophy did prevail in many quiet areas of the Front during the war, with firing only taking place at predictable times and locations, and sometimes even being pre-announced. Perhaps this is best summed up in an exchange between a soldier and a visiting general.

General: "Tell me my man, do you ever see the enemy?"

Soldier: "Yes sir, there's a gentleman who pops his head up over there from time to time."

General: "Then why don't you shoot him?"

Soldier: "Why bless you sir, he's never done me any harm!"

Merry Christmas everyone.