All is Calm
Correction: in the story, we mentioned that a general brought rum. George Paynter would eventually be promoted to brigadier-general in August 1916, but at the time was not yet a major. At the time he led the 2nd Battalion, Scotts Guard. Hulse writes that “George, who has always dreaded being promoted ‘Major,’ has now got to it” on March 4, 1915. Given that, Paynter was probably a captain at the time of this story.
Incidentally, Hulse was a lieutenant at the time of this story, though he had been commanding a company for some time. He would be promoted to captain around the same time Paynter was promoted to major, and a few weeks before his death.
Our specific story comes from the letters of Sir Edward Hulse, who was killed at Neuve Chapelle on March 12, 1915, when he emerged from cover to help his commanding officer, Major George Paynter, who had been wounded. Sir Edward Hulse’s account of the Christmas Truce.
Captain Sir Edward Hulse
Edward Hulse and a Captain E. Warner on Christmas 1914
German and British soldiers mingling in No Man’s Land during the truce
We managed to get our hands on a physical copy of Captain Hulse’s book. This copy was printed in 1916, during the war!
