“The war thus comes to an end.” Those were the words that President Woodrow Wilson delivered to Congress after announcing the terms of the armistice, signed hours earlier — ending a global conflict that killed an estimated 8.5 million soldiers across both sides and injured 21 million more. On 11 November 2018, that peace agreement will be 100 years old. To commemorate the anniversary, I asked readers to share stories and memories of their relatives who had a role in the Great War. I received hundreds of submissions, many of which went beyond the traditional definition of a war story; among the tales of loss, death and trauma were also stories of love, mischief and unexpected happiness. Countless families were forged during and after the war: young men and women, who may not have ever met otherwise, brought together under circumstances tied to their service. Other readers wrote of relatives who joined the military to earn their citizenship after immigrating to the United States. Sometimes even without understanding a word of English, these men put on a uniform and fought for a country they wanted to call home. Below is a selection of submissions from readers.