ON NOVEMBER 11, 1918, the Armistice was signed between the Allied and German armies, ending the so-called War for Civilisation that had lasted had four years and extinguished millions of lives.

In Oxfordshire, men of all ages had left families and jobs to travel overseas, many for the first time, to fight the enemy – Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey’s Ottoman Empire.

Some of those in uniform were not even old enough to fight but had lied about their age.

In the late summer of 1914, there was a belief that the war would be over by Christmas.

But the war would rage for four long years and thousands of men from what is modern Owould perish in those foreign lands.

The Oxfordshire and Buckingham-shire Light Infantry lost 5,878 men. The Queen’s Own Oxfordshire Hussars, also known as the Oxfordshire Yeomanry, lost 150.

The Royal Berkshire Regiment, which drew many recruits from the Vale of White Horse and towns that today lie in south Oxfordshire, lost 6,688 dead.

Many more suffered wounds that would affect them for the rest of their lives.

And for many of those left behind, the only memories of their loved ones were letters and postcards they sent from the war.

Ronald Shepherd never knew his older brothers Albert and John. The young men from St Clement’s, Oxford, both left for France with the Ox & Bucks and were killed in 1917 — just 13 days apart.

Mr Shepherd, now 90, of Westlands Drive, Headington, was born a year later. But he said his mother Louisa never recovered from losing her two other sons and died, still heartbroken, in 1929.

Mr Shepherd said: "Albert was in the Territorial Army and mum knew she couldn't stop him going to war, but John was only 17 years old and my older sister told me that the day he went to war, mum chased his train along the platform at Oxford station calling for his commanding officer to put him off – the CO didn't listen."

Private Albert Shepherd, 20, went to France with the 1/4th TA battalion of the regiment and was wounded twice. Research by Ronald revealed he died at Bray, on the Somme, on April 11, 1917.

Records that day showed seven Ox & Bucks soldiers lost their lives and 24 were wounded.

Young John — or Jack as he was known to his family — was killed during a raid on Fayet on April 28.

During the same raid, Company Sgt Major Brooks would win the Victoria Cross for bravery.

Mr Shepherd said: "Mum received their death telegrams just a couple of weeks’ apart. She collapsed with grief. We heard from Jack's friends who were lucky enough to return that he was literally blown to bits — they also said he should have received the VC for his bravery.

“Sadly, he was buried in an unknown soldier's grave and although I went to visit Albert's last resting place, Jack never had that.”

Mr Shepherd became choked with grief at this point.He added: “I am proud both their names are on the Roll of Honour in St Clement’s Church. It’s the very least they deserve."

The brother’s medals are part of the Soldiers of Oxfordshire collection, mounted and framed together.

This year, as November 11 marks the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War, Mr Shepherd said he would spend the day alone, thinking of the brothers he never knew.