Alan Cowling, of Occupation Lane, Keighley, outlines the final moments of the War to end all wars

At eleven o'clock on the morning of November 11 it was exactly 80 years since the end of one of the bloodiest conflicts in history, the First World War.

The carnage had lasted exactly four years and 100 days. Although it has never been possible to calculate accurately the number of dead and wounded one thing is certain - every family in Britain was touched by 'The War To End All Wars'. Everyone had family, friends, neighbours or sweethearts killed or maimed across the channel or on the sea.

Now it was coming to an end. The armistice was signed at 5.05 in the morning and the message was sent out from Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haigh's headquarters at 6.50. It read: 'Hostilities will cease at 11.00 hours today, November 11th. Troops will stand fast on the line reached'.

Private George Lawrence Price (Serial number 256265) of the Northwest Battalion, 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade, has a special place in history. He was almost certainly the last man killed in the war. He died at 10.58 on the front near Mons. But why? Surely the generals on both sides could have ordered their troops to hold fire once the message had been received at 6.50. Was it necessary to continue the blood-letting for another four hours?

As the hour approached on the front near Mons an amazing thing happened. The gunfire had been intense leading up to the ceasefire but gradually began to die down as the final minutes approached. Then, at 10.58, a lone German machine gun opened up in a long, coninuous burst. The gun hammered away incessantly until exactly 11.00, then the grey uniformed gunner stepped up from his trench into full view, took off his helmet, performed an exaggerated theatrical bow before turning and walking away. The war was over.

How ironic that the only way the German soldier could find to express his relief that the killing was over was to spread a murderous hail of lead towards the people whom in seconds would cease to be his enemies.

Private Price was killed in a similar symbolic end to hostilities but the main significance of his death lies in how unnecessary it was. The war had really been over for four hours and the loss of this Canadian soldier will forever testify to the low cost of life in the trenches.

Sadly, history has proved that The Great War did not end all wars, but it provided us all with food for thought. Life is not cheap. Although it has been necessary to fight international tyranny, never has the British public plunged readily into mobilisation as it did in the early days of this war.

The sacrifices of our ordinary men and women were not in vain. Especially that of George Lawrence Price.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.