At exactly 7.14pm on Christmas Eve Bathurst’s War Memorial Carillon will join other carillons throughout the world in playing Silent Night to mark the centenary of the Christmas Truce in 1914.
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During World War I, on and around Christmas Day 1914, the sound of rifles firing faded in a number of places along the Western Front in favour of holiday celebrations in the trenches and gestures of goodwill between enemies.
The Bathurst community is invited to remember this moving moment by coming along to Kings Parade to listen to the carillon bells ring out.
Bathurst Regional Council has invited local carillonist Ian Bates to play the carillon bells for this special event.
Mr Bates has been playing the Bathurst War Memorial Carillon bells since 2001 and will commence at 7:14pm with Silent Night followed by other Christmas carols.
Honorary carillonist Ted Grantham, from Sydney, wrote to Bathurst Mayor Gary Rush about the World Carillon Federation event, requesting support from Bathurst Regional Council. Mr Grantham will play at the Sydney University War Memorial Carillon.
Cr Rush was very supportive of the idea as Bathurst will be one of many cities around the world taking part in this special event.
The Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare.
It was never repeated.