CHRISTMAS 1914 and the "war to end all wars" has been reduced to a dreadful stalemate with trench warfare firmly established all along the Western Front.

But on Christmas morning the guns on both sides fell strangely silent. German soldiers began shouting "You no shoot, we no shoot" before emerging with gifts for the men they were trying to kill just a few hours before. This unofficial truce extended to games of football and posing for photographs before the military leaders restored discipline.

Now letters, written by Hampshire soldiers detailing in first hand the remarkable truce, have been brought together in a new booklet, Plum Puddings For All.

The letters were sent to relatives back home but were then taken to the Hampshire Chronicle and published in the paper. The booklet reprints these letters - and other reports denying any truce took place.

Lance-Corpl Henderson, for example, wrote to his Auntie in Fairfield Road, Winchester, saying: "We could not make out why there was no firing on either side.

"When we got within a quarter of a mile of the trenches we could hear both sides singing. Our men were singing carols and as they finished one of the Germans would give a cheer, and our men also gave them a cheer."

Soon the Germans and allies met in no-man's land. "They wished each other merry Christmas" continued Lance-Corpl Henderson in the Chronicle "and exchanged cigarettes with each other. Then out of their holes came three German officers with some cigarettes and cigars, and shook hand with our men and gave them a drink. The sapper of ours was artful; he made a German officers have a drink out of the bottle first - we know too many of their dodges now to trust them far."

Chronicle editor, Alan Cleaver, who compiled the booklet with sub editor Lesley Park, said: "There are some astonishing accounts from the soldiers. Censorship was obviously still in its early days!

"Most realised that they had taken part in one of history's greatest moments. It remains one of the great what-ifs of the war."

Just as remarkable as reports of the truce, are the tales of how the truce came to an end with soldiers having to "shoo" the Germans away.

Plum Puddings For All - the title is taken from a headline in a 1914 issue of the Chronicle - also features the testimony of Pat Collard, son of the landlord of The Chestnut Horse, Easton. He wrote to deny any such truce took place and writes instead of the appalling conditions in the trenches. He wrote: "We landed in a trench full of water; that night (Christmas Eve) it froze very hard, and you may guess what I was like. I thought of the dear old father and mother I left behind at the dear old Chestnut Horse.

"I am sending you my card which the King sent out to us. Keep it and if I don't come home again it will do to remember me by."

Pat Collard would not survive the war. He died on June 22nd, 1916 and is buried at Essex Farm Cemetery, near Ypres - the cemetery that inspired John McCrae to write the poem, In Flanders Fields.

Plum Puddings For All is only available from the Chronicle office at 57 High Street, Winchester. It is priced £2.50. Or by post at £2.85. Cheques payable to Hampshire Chronicle.