Throughout the Christmas of 1914, during World War 1 on the Western Front, a series of unofficial ceasefires took place.

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Through the week leading up to Christmas, parties of German and British soldiers began to exchange seasonal greetings and songs between their trenches; on occasion, the tension was reduced to the point that individuals would walk across to talk to their opposite numbers bearing gifts.

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On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, many soldiers from both sides ventured into "no man's land", where they mingled, exchanging food and souvenirs and sung Christmas carols.

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Troops from both sides were also friendly enough to play games of football with one another.

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The truce is seen as a symbolic moment of peace and humanity amidst one of the most violent events of modern history.

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Plans to commemorate the centenary of the First World War in 2014 include recreating the football match played against German troops to mark the Christmas truce, which remains one of the most poignant moments of the conflict.

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BBC drama reconstruction of the first world war Christmas truce football match. Photograph: Lion Television/BBC