Canadian forces played a significant role in the final push of the war. On 9 November 1918, they crossed into Belgium and reached the outskirts of Mons, a city whose occupation by German forces in August 1914 had marked the beginning of Britain’s involvement in the war. For many, Mons symbolized both the opening and closing chapters of a conflict that had claimed millions. Orders from high command called for the liberation of the city despite strong rumours circulating at all levels of the army that an armistice was only hours away. Canadian soldiers prepared for an assault scheduled for 10 November, knowing full well that the end might already be near.

The advance toward Mons was not without controversy. Among the ranks, whispers of frustration and sorrow could be heard. Officers and men alike questioned the necessity of launching another attack so close to a likely ceasefire. Was it worth the risk? Could the lives of young men still be justified when peace seemed inevitable? But orders were orders, and the Canadians moved forward with discipline and resolve. On 10 November, intense street fighting erupted as they pushed into the city, confronting German resistance in narrow alleys and along cobbled streets.

It was in Mons that many Canadians fired their final shots of the war. In a moment thick with irony and emotion, the sounds of rifles and machine guns echoed through the same streets where the first British soldiers had fallen over four years earlier. At 11 a.m. on 11 November 1918, the war officially ended. The guns fell silent, and in Mons, cheering crowds poured into the streets to welcome the Canadians as liberators. Some cried, others embraced, all knowing the nightmare had finally come to an end. And yet, for the families of those who died that very morning, peace arrived too late.

Today, if you travel from Flanders to Mons, you can follow the “Route of Remembrance.” Bronze plaques and information panels mark the path taken by Canadian units. The Mons Memorial Museum offers powerful exhibits on the city’s wartime experience, including stories of civilians caught in the final days of occupation. As you follow this route, pause at each site, read the names, and reflect on the weight of each final step. The Canadians who fought there remind us that even in the eleventh hour, the cost of freedom was paid in full. Their sacrifice lingers not just in the landscape, but in our collective memory.