Match commemorates World War One Christmas truce

A German football team is visiting Nottinghamshire for the first time to commemorate the World War One Christmas truce.On Christmas Day 1914, British and German troops at several locations in Belgium stopped fighting and came out of their trenches to meet each other.A soldier from Newark, William Setchfield, was present at one near the village of Messines and may even have provided the football which was used during the truce.For the centenary of the event, a team from Newark played a side from its twin town of Emmendingen at the site of the front lines. Now, the two sides will meet again on Saturday in what is being billed as a Peace Match.The first game between Newark Town and Emmendingen was held after the club submitted proposals to the government as part of events to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of war.The matches between the teams feature the presentation of a replica vintage football [Francis Towndrow]Francis Towndrow, local historian for Newark Town FC, said: "It was a wonderful event."We held it near a cross which marks the site of the truce, and various dignitaries came and a really moving ceremony was held."The only issue was that while we took an under-21 side, Emmendingen brought their senior team, so we lost 4-1!"Research carried out as part of this event revealed the story of William Setchfield, who had played for local team St Leonards before joining the Army.His unit, 1st Royal Warwickshires, moved up to the front line at Messines on 24 December.A cross set up at the site of the Messines truce in the 1990s has become a focus for remembrance [Getty Images]In a letter published by the local newspaper, he described a "wonderful Christmas" where "the Germans came over to us in the trenches in the afternoon and we had our photographs taken with them but it would be a big task to put everything that happened in a letter".The Christmas truce has become associated with a football match between the two sides, though this event is still debated by historians.Towndrow points to Setchfield - whose father made leather shoes and footballs - writing of being sent "something useful" and another soldier in the same unit recalling "an Old Bill" blowing up a football on Christmas Day they had been sent as a present.Lieutenant Kurt Zehmisch, a German officer in the trenches opposite, confirmed in his diary that the British kicked a football about - calling it "marvellous and strange" - but it is not clear if the Germans joined in.The football match played during the Christmas truce is still debated by historians [Press Association]After the success of the 2014 game, a rematch was held in the nearby town of Ypres in 2018 - but Covid and logistical issues have stopped planned fixtures in either home town until now.After a welcome ceremony with Newark's mayor, the 14:00 GMT kick-off at the YMCA centre in Lord Hawke Way will be preceded by a minute's silence and a playing of the Last Post.Towndrow said: "The Germans have been really keen to play again and it's fantastic it's finally happened."With everything that is going on in the world it's important to remember how precious peace is."This helps people and children to remember what happened and how this moment of humanity came through at Christmas."He said Setchfield survived the war and stayed in the Nottinghamshire area. He died in 1959 at the age of 71.William Setchfield was a keen footballer and may be the man in the light top and hat in this pre-war photograph [Francis Towndrow/Newark Library]Listen to BBC Radio Nottingham on Sounds and follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. More on this story 'We were laughing and talking with our WW1 enemies'Sir Tom Finney pitch twinned with WW1 truce siteWW1 letter recalls Christmas truce Related internet links Newark Town FC