Pioneer Thomas Henry Williams, 244645, 2nd Field Survey Company Royal Engineers, died of wounds in France on July 26th, 1917. He was aged 27 and single.

A letter from Capt W. Coates to parents John and Emma Williams, of 10 Essex Street, Luton, was however dated July 26th and said:"Yesterday, while coming off duty, he was caught by a shell and, I regret to say, died in the hospital soon after."

Thomas Williams had been in the Army for 14 months, ten of them spent in France. Previously he was an employee of Vauxhall Motors.

Gunner Albert Bunnage, 365941, 308th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery, died on July 22nd, 1917, from wounds sustained on the battlefield. He had been attended to by the No 6 Canadian Field Ambulance. He was aged 32 and single.

In a letter to parents William and Ann Bunnage, of 47 Windmill Road, Luton, Second Lieut F. Gardner said their son was killed in the performance of his duties. A chaplain had conducted his burial service.

L-Cpl Philip Herbert Watkins, 200985, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Palestine on July 20th, 1917. He was aged 27 and married to Maud, living at 14 Highbury Road, Luton.

Capt Armstrong said he had died leading his men, and Lieut W. A. Shaw wrote: "On July 20th we attacked a Turkish position at night time. He was under my command and behaved in a most gallant way. He showed the greatest coolness. On reaching our lines he was hit in the head by a flying fragment of shell."

Friday, July 20th, 1917, was a day of double tragedy for widower William Hull, of 34 Buxton Road, Luton. Three weeks later he learned that on that day youngest son Lance-Sgt Charles Hull, 200294, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, had been killed in action in Egypt. And two weeks later still he was informed that eldest son Pte Frederick Hull (200592) was missing - presumed killed in the same battle on the same day, fighting with the same regiment. Two sons lost on one day.

Friday, July 20th, 1917, was a day of double tragedy for widower William Hull, of 34 Buxton Road, Luton. Three weeks later he learned that on that day youngest son Lance-Sgt Charles Hull, 200294, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, had been killed in action in Egypt. And two weeks later still he was informed that eldest son Pte Frederick Hull (200592) was missing - presumed killed in the same battle on the same day, fighting with the same regiment. Two sons lost on one day.

Pte Frederick James Bysouth, 200992, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Palestine on July 20th, 1917 - a day of particularly high casualties for the regiment. He was aged 32 and married with a wife living at 123 Russell Street, Luton.

Frederick had joined the Bedfords in October 1915 and, after six months training at Halton, set sail for Egypt 15 months before his death.

Pte Thomas Felks, 203179, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was confirmed killed in action in Palestine on July 20th, 1917, after initially being reported missing. He was aged 33.

He was the unmarried son of John and Mary Felks, of 23 John Street, Luton. He had joined up at the beginning of 1917 and, after a short period of training, was sent to Egypt.

A brief report in the Saturday Telegraph said that before enlistment Tom Felks was employed by fishmongers D. Hammett & Son, of 18-20 Hitchin Road, Luton.

Cpl Bertie Breed, 200662, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Palestine on July 20th, 1917 - in a battle with a growing casualty list described by the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph as almost, if not quite, as severe as that in the struggle on the Gallipoli Peninsular.

Bertie Breed had also fought at Gallipoli and was wounded in the leg in the August 15th, 1915, charge there. The wound meant he was in hospital for three months in Cairo, underwent three operations and became ill with dysentery.

Pte Samuel George Whittington, 200564, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action under shell fire near Ypres on July 18th, 1917. He was aged 34, married and had a daughter.

Capt S. Tabor sent the news to widow Nellie at 79 Hastings Street, Luton. Pte Whittington had seen only eight weeks service with the battalion in France, although he had joined the Beds Regiment in another battalion at the outbreak of war.

Sgt Albert Mullett, 19166, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on June 2nd, 1917. He was in charge of a Lewis gun company.

In a letter to parents William Frederick and Emily Mullett, of 142 Castle Street, Luton, his commanding officer wrote: "We were heavily shelled in the early hours, and he went off with a Lewis gun and team to a piece of trench isolated by two blocks, the outcome of the bombardment. Just after he had arrived a shell blew in the parapet and he, poor man, was pinned between two pieces of rivetting timber, and died there at once.

Gunner Frederick Charles Mead, 315376, 1st (Wessex) Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery, died of wounds in France on May 6th, 1917. He was aged 23.

 Leighton Buzzard-born Gunner Mead, the son of William and Fanny Mead, of 54 Dallow Road, Luton, enlisted in the R.G.A. in October 1915 and went to the Front at Easter 1916. Prior to joining up he was employed at the Cocoa Works in Dallow Road, Luton.

Pte Sidney Soper, G/42342 (G/5152 in some records), 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action near Arras on April 23rd, 1917.

A letter from Capt Pollard, a Lutonian in his regiment, wrote to parents Walter and Elizabeth Soper at 241 High Town Road to say their son was missing after going over the top with his company in an attack on the morning of April 23rd. He was not present when the roll was called the next day.

Second Cpl Eli Thomas Wilson, 522361, 486th Field Company Royal Engineers, was killed in action in Egypt on April 21st, 1917. He was aged 33 and had been in Egypt for nearly two years.

A letter to his widow, Rose Gertrude Wilson, at 14 Maple Road, Luton, said her husband was at work with a small party when a shell dropped among them, killing Cpl Wilson instantly. He was buried by the Brigade Chaplain, the Rev C. F. Johnson, in the evening.

Pte Alfred George Titmuss, 32174, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was presumed killed in action during the second Battle of Arras in France on April 23rd, 1917. He was aged 21.

A letter from Lieut Dudley to parents George and Sarah Kate Titmuss, of 40 Milton Road, Luton, said their son was reported as missing and he was afraid he must now be either dead or a prisoner of war. Many inquiries had been made, but none of his comrades could say what happened to him.

Rifleman Horace Edward Bates, 392299, 1/9th Battalion London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles), died of wounds in the 2nd Stationary Hospital, Abbeville, France, on April 22nd, 1917. He was aged 24.

Parents Edward and Elizabeth Bates, of 57 Buxton Road, Luton, were informed by the hospital matron that their son had been admitted on April 19th with severe wounds to the chest and damaged lungs. He grew gradually worse, passing peacefully away on April 22nd. He was to be buried in a local cemetery, in a section reserved for British soldiers.