From the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph, April 10th, 1915.

In a letter from the front, Surrey Street School old boy Pte J. A. Gurney wrote of his narrow escape at the battle of Neuve Chapelle.

Writing to Mr George Warren, chairman of Luton Education Committee, Pte Gurney said the 2nd Bedfords advanced over a field with the Germans firing shell after shell into their midst, but only two men were lost and seven wounded, as far as he knew. Then, when they had dug in, their trenches were shelled for a whole day, and four days of deafening bombardment by 400 British big guns followed.

"I myself had a very narrow escape," he wrote. "I and seven more were told on the second night were told to fetch rations. A shell in its flight passed right amongst us, smashing one fellow's rifle and also smashing his hand badly. He and I were thrown across the ground to the right for about seven yards, and the rest to the left into a hedge. Had the shell burst in our midst (it burst about 50 yards further on) it would have been serious for us. As it was, we were not injured at all."

Pte Gurney, who lived in Queen Square, Luton, said he hoped the war would soon be over, but he thought it would want a lot of hard work and grit to force the Germans out of France and Belgium. He hoped the young men of Luton would realise this and enlist. "Let all who can come now, and the war will come to a speedy end."

• The Rev A. Stanley Bishop, formerly of the Chapel Street Wesleyan Circuit and now a chaplain with the North Midland Division (TF), wrote to the Methodist Recorder about holding an impressive little Communion service in a cart shed at the front. "We managed to get it fairly clean and put everything outside, but even so it was crowded with men and was so densely packed that we had to remain standing during the prayers, those who could not get in remaining just outside and taking part."

• Luton Chamber of Commerce received a letter from the postal authorities saying it was not yet possible to say when circumstances would permit work to start on the new General Post Office in Upper George Street, but it would be kept in mind. Government policy was to not undertake schemes involving large capital expenditure until after the war and so save up employment for a possible period of depression after the war. Facilities at the Cheapside post office [pictured, right, c1900] had been proving inadequate.

• The war was now absorbing the whole output of the Vauxhall Motors factory at Luton, the company's ordinary general meeting in London was told on Thursday. In the first instance the war had caused a near stoppage of business at the works.

• The Rev H. Coate's 21st year at St Matthew's Church looked like being a difficult one. At a poorly attended vestry meeting, eight men declined to have their names submitted to be people's warden. When it seemed the meeting would end in deadlock and have to be adjourned because it could not proceed without a people's warden, a former warden, Mr Cain, decided he would after all have his name put forward, and was duly elected.

• Luton Fire Brigade tackled a blaze at a house at 456 Hitchin Road being used by the 3rd/1st North Midland Field Company, Royal Engineers, as stores. Flooring in a first floor front room was cut away, the ceiling below was damaged by water, and the rest of the house suffered heat and smoke damage.

• The YMCA centre at Waller Street Plait Hall was accommodating nearly 1,000 soldiers every evening since it opened. Future attractions were to include a 12-a-side billiards match between the 2nd/6th Sherwood Foresters and the 2nd/8th Sherwood Foresters.

• A pair of horses attached to a wagon belonging to a Signal Company stationed at Stopsley got out of control while being driven down Hitchin Road and collided with a plait van, smashing the front part of the van. No-one was injured.

• With the military expected to vacate the Davis Institute building in Dallow Road it was hoped the Davis Athletic and Social Club would be able to resume a more normal programme. The club's annual meeting heard that more than 500 Davis employees had joined His Majesty's Forces.

• In danger of relegation from the Southern League, Bristol Rovers were expected to put up a good fight at home to Luton Town after losing 3-1 on their trip to Bedfordshire in October. A below-strength Luton were without captain Hawkes, whose father died shortly before the team were due to travel. The results was a 1-0 win for Rovers.