A SPECIAL Turning the Pages ceremony is to be held in Oxford to mark the centenary of the Armistice which signalled the end of the First World War.

On November 11, 100 years ago, representatives of France, Britain and Germany signed the agreement to end fighting as a prelude to peace negotiations.

More than 700,000 soldiers lost their lives in the Great War, including those from Oxfordshire.

On Sunday, November 11, this year, veterans will gather at Christ Church Cathedral for the latest ceremony to remember the fallen from two county regiments, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and The Queen’s Own Oxfordshire Hussars.

Names of the dead from the First and Second World Wars will be read out.

Brigadier Robin Draper, president of the Oxford branch of the Royal Green Jackets Association, is hoping as many people as possible attend.

He said: “As November 11 falls on Sunday we have decided to have a special Turning of the Pages in Christ Church as part of the Evensong service.

“That means it will not clash with the service in St Giles and other commemorations and promises to be a very evocative service.”

On Wednesday this week the association paid tribute to Corporal Alfred Wilcox, who won a Victoria Cross while serving with the 2/4th Ox & Bucks.

The Oxford branch of the RGJ association held a service and wreath laying at the grave of Corporal Alfred Wilcox VC at Aston Church, north of Birmingham.

The ceremony marked the 100th anniversary of his gallant action at Lavantie in France in 1918 with the 2/4th Battalion.

Mr Draper said that while the Victoria Cross-winning exploits of Oxford's Sgt Edward Brooks were well known, the actions of Cpl Wilcox were not so well documented.

According to regimental records, Cpl Wilcox fought in close quarters with the enemy which was defending a section of trench with four machine guns.

Each of these guns Cpl Wilcox, followed by his section, successively captured or put out of action.

Cpl Wilcox was shortly afterwards wounded and was in hospital in England when news of the award arrived.

Alfred Wilcox was invested with his Victoria Cross by the King at Buckingham Palace on November 26, 1919.

He died at his home in Birmingham in 1954.

The countdown to the Armistice in Oxfordshire began last week when the Royal British Legion unveiled a Perspex ‘silent soldier’ outside County Hall in Oxford. Several more will be unveiled around Oxfordshire.