The mounted troops of the Queen’s Own Oxfordshire Hussars – or Oxfordshire Yeomanry – were in the vanguard of the British Army as it advanced through Belgium, returning to the ground where British and German forces had first exchanged fire in August 1914.

The Hussars had entered the war soon after, becoming the first Territorial Army unit to come under enemy fire and taking part in the desperate battles to hold back the Germans at Ypres in November 1914.

Four years later, on a bright, frosty morning, soon after the regiment rode out to try to find the enemy rearguard, word was received that the armistice would come into effect at 11am.

The unit’s final action involved D Squadron, at the Belgian border village of Erquelinnes, where they came under fire from German machine guns.

At 10.30am, as the Hussars moved round the outskirts, Captain Wellesley was met by a cheering crowd of Belgians, who had heard nothing of the Armistice, but were celebrating their release from occupation.

After he established that the Germans had fled, Capt Wellesley moved forward to the Givry to Beaumont road nearby, where he found that at least one German kept up the fight after 11am, writing: “At 11.15 it was found necessary to end the days of a Hun machine gunner on our front who would keep shooting. The armistice was already in force, but there was no alternative.

“Perhaps his watch was wrong, but he was probably the last German killed in the war – a most unlucky individual.”

The men’s reaction to the end of the conflict was low-key. In his account of the regiment’s war, Captain Adrian Keith-Falconer wrote: “Our impressions were very vague. Officers and men were very tired, and little inclined either for wild excitement or deep reflection. They felt pride in victory, perhaps, when they thought about it; but yet more they felt relief and relaxation after great strain, quietly thankful that it was all over.”

The Hussars remained in Erquelinnes for six days.

On the morning of November 17, as they set off to help ensure the Germans were leaving Belgium, the people of the town and their band turned out to see the troops off and the mayor read out a poem celebrating the events of November 11, before presenting the illuminated manuscript to the regiment.

The poem follows.

Our strength was nearly broken by the brutal Prussian hold, While our hearts were torn and bleeding after four long years of war, And although we had the courage of ancestors of old, The people cried aloud to God, ‘we cannot suffer more’

When the cursed German batteries began their hymn of hate, There were some among our numbers who were stuck with sudden fear, But now the filthy devils are about to meet their fate, Take courage, Men of Erquelinnes, The Englishmen are here.

Englishmen we thank you, we shall never forget that day, The eleventh of November, when we saw the harrassed Hun, Place machine guns in the Market Place, to hold your men at bay While we hold our breath and prayed to God that victory be won.

The people watching on the roof, see horsemen top the ridge, And cry that after all these years, deliverance is near, A squadron gallops down the street to seize the river bridge, Rejoice ye men of Erquelinnes, the Englishmen are here.

The enemy is routed and quickly put to flight, And we ask ourselves, ‘who is it that has burst our Prussian bars?’ So join me, fellow citizens, and greet these men of might, For you saved us, brave ‘D’ Squadron of the Oxfordshire Hussars.