The Christmas truce of 1914 is generally reported as a unique phenomenon not repeated as the conflict grew ever more brutal.

However, historian Thomas Weber, of the University of Aberdeen, has uncovered evidence that festive meetings continued throughout the war, with a significant number in 1916 despite the huge casualties suffered in the Battle of the Somme. 

Professor Weber has been given access to a large number of family memories of the war that show that, despite officers recording in official documents that no such friendly exchanges took place, the situation on the front lines was very different. 

He made the discoveries while conducting research for a new book on the untold story of the Great War.