Pte Percy Edward Roe, 203850, 1/1st Hertfordshire Regiment, was into only his third day in the trenches when he died on September 25th, 1917, from wounds sustained on the battlefield near Ypres. He left behind a young widow whom he married only about three months earlier.

His section commander wrote that he and his men were in a support trench when a heavy bombardment started. A shell burst near and blew up eight men, including Pte Roe.

And comrade Pte H. Huggins wrote that Pte Roe had gone with him and others to fetch rations. They had just returned when a shell burst in the trench, killing five and wounding others.

Born and raised in Luton, Percy Roe was the son of the son of Henry James and Annie Roe, of 27 Cambridge Street. In 1911 he was working in the foundry of engineers E. W. Hudson & Co, of Langley Street, at the age of 14.

He left Luton in May 1917 to train at Halton. On June 30th he came home to marry Flitwick girl Maud Mary Bunker in Flitwick. He left England at the end of August and died of wounds three days after going into the trenches. Maud remarried in 1923.

A Luton News report based on the letter received from the Front said Pte Roe was killed on September 24th. Possibly he was among the wounded mentioned and died the following day, as military records suggest.