A night patrol would almost always consist of one or two sections, either six or twelve men.

Very seldom was there any fighting during these nightly walks, they were undertaken in oder to keep tabs on the enemy positions.  However, there were times when these patrols turned to our, and Jerry's advantage.

I first experienced this when Mr. Vernon, our platoon commander, detailed our section for patrol.  Just before we set off, we were told that the lads who had done the previous night's walk were volunteering to do our shift.  The teal they came up with was that they had made contact the night before, but that the corporal in charge had lost his wallet and knew exactly where he had dropped it.

Fair enough, no complaints, you lot go, we get a good night's kip.  Our suspicions were aroused the next morning when two fo the lads who had been part of the patrol were sick as pigs.  It was then discovered that they had a crate of Schnapps in their truck.  To cut a long story short, they had met up with these Krauts and, instead of doing each other mortal damage, had struck a deal: Schnapps and black bread in exchange for tins of bully beef and some English cigarettes!

It doesn't take much imagination to work out how these encounters happened. The six-man patrol creeps forward towards the enemy position, probably only a lance jack in charge.  They became aware of movement to their front almost at the same time as the enemy becomes aware of them.  Men being what they are, nobody is too keep to start hostilities.  Some bright spark calls out:  "Oi, Fritz, you speakada English?"

"What you want, Tommy?"
"Got any Schnapps?"  A longish pause,
"Ja, you have English cigarettes?"

And so an arrangement would be made for a rendezvous the following night, to the mutual benefit of all concerned.  These exchanges went on for about three weeks before some officer lets the cat out of the bag.

From Rifleman by Gregg

Pretty cool story.  The Christmas Truce comes to mind.  In the American Civil War pickets would often congregate and trade items too.

You should read Panzer Commander by Hans Von Luck.  Great book from German perspective.

You should read Panzer Commander by Hans Von Luck.  Great book from German perspective.

Thanks for the suggestion.  I have.   I've been looking for some perspectives from Tommy.

4v50: you might like "The Recollections of Rifleman Bowlby" by Alex Bowlby.  It follows a British soldier in Italy during WW2.

Thanks for the suggestion.  I'll see if I can find it.  My research has many American, German and Soviet accounts.  Not enough British and one paltry book for the Japanese.

"Oh, What a Lovely War" by Stanley Swift is an account by a British soldier in Africa and Asia.  "Tales by Japanese Soldiers" by Tamayama & Nunneley has a collection of short accounts by Japanese soldiers.

Thanks.

Tales by Japanese Soldiers is a good read.  It shows the human element and even glimpses of compassion towards the enemy.  Most of the time the Japanese were sombeotches who needed annihilation by the Allies.

I've been trying to get Rifleman Bowlby but no luck. Sent the wrong book and got a refund.   I wanted to read Bowlby.  Got Tales earlier this week.   I just ordered Swift and found another vendor for Bowlby.

Just grabbed the Kindle version. Thanks for the suggestion !

@DefensorFortis  -  I did enjoy it and it was useful for my research.  Thank you so much.

Just finished Swift's book.  It was a good read. Thank you.

Oral history

Rifle Brigade NCO and later officer Joe Swann talks about the snipe action in the Desert.  The CO of RB unit earned himself a VC for the Snipe  action.
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80024714

@NoMoAmmo - have you read it yourself and what do you think?

Not yet, I just got it In but I'm also looking for more UK views to add to the collection.

Thanks.

The thing about first hand accounts is that you can glean things long forgotten or ignored by mainstream historians.  The ShermiesRule thread on WW II reenacting is a good example as is the thread about Who is interested in WW II?  I learned from Sherrick13 that the PLF was not used by our airborne in WW II and that it is post-war.

I agree, most of my books are first hand accounts just for that reason. I really enjoy the similarities too across all nations during World War 2 and even how a lot of the little nuances of military life were very similar to my time.  One of the more interesting things Ive noticed is how propagnada influenced so many of the Russian accounts especially those of the officer corp.................almost to the point they are hard to read becasue ou have to read between so many lines lol

On Soviet accounts I always how much was written/rewritten by some propaganda stooge.

Remember Sniper Zaistev?   He never mentions shooting women or children but he did.  Whitewashed for the glorious Great Patriotic War and the heroic peoples of the freedom loving Soviet Union.

Brazen Chariots by Robert Crisp is a pretty good account of armored warfare in the Western Desert from the perspective of a Stuart (Honey) crew.

That is an outstanding book and I read that back in the '70s (Dayam but I'm dating myself).  Too bad he didn't follow up with post Western Desert (maybe he was invalided out after his injuury?) experience.  If he didn't rise above major, then he never reached regimental command (lt. col.).  Majors generally led one squadron and three captains the other three squadrons in a regiment.  If the Regimental CO was killed/wounded, then the major naturally  assumed command and  his captain (who was squadron XO) assumed command of the squadron.