The Countdown to Armistice
On November 11, 1918, the world stood on the brink of peace. The armistice had been signed earlier that morning, set to take effect at 11:00 a.m. Despite this, fighting continued in the final hours as troops awaited the official ceasefire.
An American Soldier’s Determination
Henry Gunther, a 23-year-old American private from Baltimore, Maryland, was stationed near Chaumont-devant-Damvillers, France. Gunther, recently demoted from sergeant for expressing anti-war sentiments in a letter intercepted by military censors, had been eager to redeem himself.
The Last Charge
As the clock neared 11:00 a.m., Gunther charged toward a German machine gun nest. Witnesses reported that the Germans, aware of the impending armistice, waved him back, signaling not to attack. Ignoring their gestures, Gunther pressed forward and was shot at 10:59 a.m.
The War’s Final Death
Henry Gunther was the last soldier killed in World War I. Official records marked his death as occurring one minute before the armistice came into effect. His sacrifice closed the chapter on one of history’s deadliest conflicts.
At 10:59 a.m. on November 11, 1918, just one minute before the World War I armistice, Henry Gunther became the war’s last casualty. The 23-year-old American soldier charged a German machine gun nest despite knowing the ceasefire was imminent. pic.twitter.com/H5eRkeQauM
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