The story of the final day of the First World War will be uncovered by Michael Palin in a TV programme marking the 90th anniversary of the end of the conflict.

The story of the final day of the First World War will be uncovered by Michael Palin in a TV programme marking the 90th anniversary of the end of the conflict.

Using new research and photographs, with contemporary film and newspapers, the Monty Python star turned travel writer and presenter embarked on a quest to unravel what happened to soldiers who fought to the last minute and beyond.

His sombre film reveals how there were thousands of casualties in the hours after the Armistice was signed 90 years ago.

A total of nine million soldiers lost their lives in the 1914-1918 conflict that was supposed to be "the war to end all wars".

The amateur historian uses the research to tell the stories of four men - British, French, Canadian and American - who died shortly before the 11am ceasefire on November 11, 1918.

In a sobering personal odyssey, Palin visited the battlefields of northern France and Belgium and also discovered the grave of his great-uncle Harry who died in the Battle of Somme in 1916.

Palin's film, for the BBC Timewatch series and co- produced by the Open University, will be shown on BBC2 on November 1 as part of a season of BBC programmes commemorating the anniversary of the end of the war.

He said: "The First World War has been so firmly etched in my mind since my schooldays that this Timewatch programme seemed a quite natural thing to be involved with.

"It may be a little different in tone from my usual offerings but in a small way it was as important to me as anything I've ever done."

The Armistice between the Allies and Germany was signed in a railway carriage at 5.10am on November 11, 1918 but the peace treaty did not come into effect on the frontline until six hours later and the killing continued on that last morning.