Sport

GOC British Forces Germany Hands Over Game of Truce Cheque

The General Officer Commanding British Forces Germany has handed over to the German government a cheque for its share of the charity collection taken during the First World War Game of Truce commemorative football match between the Bundeswehr and the British Army, which took place in Aldershot last year.

Approximately £2,640 will be shared equally between two German military charities: Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgraeberfuersorge e.v. and Einsatzversehrte Soldaten Bundeswehr.

The Game of Truce was played on December 17 in honour of the 1914 Christmas Truce and the impromptu games of football that reportedly took place in no-man’s land a century prior, with the British Army football team taking on the German Combined Services.

VIP guests included the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Nicholas Carter, FA Chairman Greg Dyke and football legend Sir Bobby Charlton.

The only goal of a fiercely competitive game was scored after three minutes, with Lance Corporal Calum Wilkinson slotting in the rebound after German goalkeeper Andreas Forster fumbled a shot. It was to prove the German keeper’s only mistake of the night as he pulled off a string of superb saves to deny the Army. In the 90th minute the Germans hit the bar, only for the Army to break downfield immediately and hit the post - but the boys in red deservedly held on to win 1-0 in front of a crowd of nearly 3,000 supporters.