Intro:

British and German soldiers faced each other on a football field to mark the Christmas Day truce 100 years ago when rival WWI troops stopped fighting and are said to have played football instead.

Script:

On Christmas Day in 1914, the beautiful game brought a temporary halt to one of the ugliest wars in history.

And now 100 years on both the British and German armies marked that special moment during World War One where football replaced bombing with a commemorative match in Aldershot.

In a poignant moment, The Christmas hymn 'Silent Night' was sung in both English and German, and greats of the game such as Sir Bobby Charlton, were present to show their support.

Germany's deputy defence minister Ralf Brauksiepe paid tribute to the actions of those soldiers a century ago.

SOUNDBITE: (German) Ralf Brauksiepe, German deputy defence minister:

"I'm really thankful for the spirit of humanity and for the people who took such risks to do this 100 years ago. It wasn't easy for them, nor was it a normal thing to do. The event wasn't mentioned much in military history books. I'm grateful to those who did this in the name of humanity, and I'm also thankful that we have such a close friendship today, and that we have come together to mark this event. We have advanced light years, in political and human terms, over the past 100 years, and I thank everyone involved."

The British side won the match one-nil, but Britain's army chief Sir Nick Carter admitted that on this reflective day, football's power to unite and inspire was the most important result.

SOUNDBITE (English) Sir Nick Carter, British army chief:

"I think it shows the enduring ability of sport, and soccer in particular, to bring together factions and tribes and different people who are competing against each other, in a way that has camaraderie and comradeship right at the heart of the game."