Christmas Message from the Mayor of Stroud

On Christmas Day in 1914 German and British soldiers made a truce. They met each other in No Man’s Land and swapped food and drink and played football. This was after five months of the bloodiest war in history; they had seen their comrades killed and maimed in their thousands. It must have taken an immense act of faith to climb out of their trenches and stand up in the open when the day before to do so would have meant instant death from a sniper’s bullet.

I have spoken to many veterans from that war and very few bore a grudge against the Germans. As one man who was at that truce, put it; "We didn’t hate them, they were just ordinary lads like us." After all that they had seen and suffered they still did not hate their opponents and could see them as fellow human beings. This must have been truest ever demonstration of the Christmas message of ‘Peace and Goodwill to all Mankind’.

We do not face the same immediate threat to our lives, nor the same physical privations as they did in the mud and cold, yet today many around us seem to show a hatred for others that would have been alien to those brave and honourable men.

If they could show forgiveness and tolerance, despite all that that they had been through, how much easier is it for us to try to do the same. Now as the last of that generation of old soldiers fades away what better memorial can we give them than to try to emulate that spirit of trust, forgiveness and tolerance. If we all could put that age-old message of Peace and Goodwill into practice how much better the world would be. Just think, by being more tolerant and forgiving: no more family rows, no road rage, no racism or religious bigotry, no wars. It all starts at home, within us and spreads out. If enough people make the effort the world could become a better place and we would all feel the benefit.

I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.

Kevin Cranston
Mayor of Stroud

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