From the war diary of Colonel W.N. Nicholson, Staff Officer Suffolk Regiment:

  ...it is a commentary on modern war that commanders should fear lest the soldiers on each side become friendly. Our soldiers have no quarrel with `Fritz`, save during the heat of battle, or in retaliation for some blow below the belt. If whole armies fraternised politicians on both sides would be sore set to solve their problems. Yet it is possible that if there had been a truce for a fortnight on the whole trench line at any time after the Battle of the Somme the war might have ended - and what would mother have said then?...

Colonel W N Nicholson served in the Suffolk Regiment. He was author of the history of the Suffolk Regiment (1928-1946) and of a book about World War One, entitled ‘Behind the lines’, which was based on his diary.