After six Christmases at war, the world was ready for peace.

"It'll all be over by Christmas", they said at the beginning of the Second World War; but which Christmas? Sixty years ago the question was answered, after six Christmases of conflict which had destroyed the lives of millions along with cities, towns and villages world-wide.

Even with the "peace" life was hard: deprivations continued and a return to normality seemed a long way away as did the families of the service personnel who that Christmas were still on active service.

Amongst the servicemen remaining in mainland Europe to stabilise the situation was Sergeant Fred Petrie M.M. of the Royal Engineers, a native of Cirencester.

On Christmas Eve 1945 his unit was based in a small village in the forest region around Hamburg and Fred and his mate and fellow Sergeant, Walter, were making their way to the canteen. This had been set up in part of the Inn, the largest building in the village and a rare consignment of NAAFI beer had been delivered that day.

As they walked they remembered the previous Christmas clambering under the bridge across the River Meuse at Liege to set explosive demolition charges, only to discover the Americans removing them at the other end not wanting to be trapped on the wrong side of the bridge.

Fred had fallen from the bridge and Walter, being the true comrade, had pulled him out of the icy water on to the bank looking the epitome of a White Christmas!

However, now a year later they were both looking forward to demobilisation and with routine duties done they walked in the darkness towards the Inn. On entering they found it decorated with fir branches and lit by the yellow glow of candles.

Amongst the few locals there, was a one-legged former soldier of the Wehrmacht, who had been injured fighting in Russia and who eked out a living making carpet bags, one of which Fred purchased for 25 Goldflake cigarettes. Ignoring the non-fraternisation regulations, conversation turned to the huge piles of timber lying around the village.

The former soldier said they were for decoy fires to lure the bombers away from Hamburg, a forlorn hope as the city lay in ruins, victim of such allied bombing operations as "Gomorrah" which killed over 45,000 people in a firestorm in July 1943.

The high Summer temperatures and old timber buildings ignited by incendiary bombs created a firestorm of such ferocity that the tar boiled on the streets and the victims struggled to breath as the oxygen was consumed by the flames.

It was to evacuees from these horrors that Fred and Walter were next introduced as the soldier asked them to follow him to the large barn at the rear of the Inn. As they entered one of a large number of children took Fred's hand and led them to sit on straw bales against stalls where cows were lying.

With a signal from an accordion player the youthful choir sang carols starting with the poignant words "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht. Alles schlaft, einsam wacht". By the time the concert ended Fred was moved to reflect on war's evil legacy against the true message of Christmas and the hope for every Christmas to come expressed by those innocent victims of war.