Thursday 11 December 2014
12:00hrs – 19:15hrs
Royal Shakespeare Theatre,
Waterside,
Stratford-upon-Avon,
Warwickshire,
CV37 6BB
Gus Hales & Vince Chittock will be leafleting prior to the matinee and evening performance of the Royal Shakespeare Companies production of the Christmas Truce, it is the intention to attend the matinee performance post leafleting, then leaflet the evening performance. All welcome to join us, seeing the play is optional. VFP Hoodies please if possible. This event is in response to the sentimentality of the Sainsbury’s television commercial.
On Christmas Day 1914 British and German troops stopped fighting,
put down their weapons and united in a spirit of true brotherhood to
sing songs, exchange gifts and play football.
The soldiers were eventually ordered back into their trenches and
few survived to see the end of the war. The reality is that the war
dragged on for a further four years with an additional bloody cost
of millions of deaths and shattered lives.
Members of Veterans for Peace UK have dutifully served in theatres
of war from the D-Day landings to Afghanistan and Iraq. We exist to
foster the spirit of those who stopped fighting and put down their
weapons on Christmas Day 1914.
veteransforpeace.org.uk
veteransforpeaceuk@gmail.com
facebook.com/veteransforpeace.org.uk
Email: gushales@hotmail.co.uk for more info
Veterans For Peace UK 
Hi Norman,
Do you think Sainsbury’s would put there name on this
A wonderful depiction of a wonderful happening: A tragedy the truce did not continue. I see no wrong in Sainsbury’s VERY brief mention of their own name, but I am revolted that the RBL should get in on the act. All the pomp around Poppy Day is a glorification of war, though I notice that this year they did try to make a pretence that it was about ‘Peace’. Yes, I myself was once a member of the RBL the RNA & the RCC, wore a poppy every year & marched past The Cenotaph with solemn face & glistening eye. .I am ashamed it took me until the age of 70 to realise how false it all is: That the cabals of Quislings who run all three organisations are Quisling puppets of The Police State which is Britain today. They would have marched past in exactly the same manner if Hither had conquered Britain & was taking the salute. .
Its interesting how the story of the Christmas truce is rapidly becoming known as the Sainsbury’s advert. However, isn’t that what the company wanted. This isn’t about a time in history where humanity and the exploited humble WW1 soldiers on both sides came to their senses, instead it’s about pushing the brand, marketing the product, off the back of dead men.
If this advert has taught me anything, it’s that Corporate Capitalism and relentless consumption has no shame, no shame at all. But then again I already knew that.
Hi, Gus
I live in the US at the moment, and I would like to see the commercial. Could you email me it? Ben Griffin has my contact details.
Yes, capitalism and corporate greed certainly is going to ruin society, just as all great societies have failed fir the same reasons!
Cheers
Garry
RAF 1987-2006
Gus
Someone has already uploaded it on YouTube. I don`t know what the f*** The Royal British Legion were thinking when they thought it was a good idea to promote a corporation on the back of this appalling time of recent human history. Too say that this add is grossly off the true message of this amazing true story is a very polite way of expressing my distain for it!
Cheers
Garry