Arras Memorial

Private Cuthbert William Hall

Pte Cuthbert William Hall, 32392, 9th Battalion Norfolk Regiment, was reported wounded and missing, and later presumed killed in action in France on March 21st, 1918, at the start of the German spring offensive of that year. He was aged 19 the third of three brothers to die in the war.

At the time of the 1911 Census, Cuthbert plus four brothers, two sisters, father Joseph Henry and stepmother Annie were living at Stockton, Warwickshire, where Cuthbert was born in 1898.

Private Thomas William Dean

Pte William (Thomas William) Dean, 60131, 26th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action in France on March 24th, 1918, according to his family's entry in the Luton Book of Life compiled at St Mary's Church.

The Commonwealth War Grave Commission website gives a date of death of April 2nd, 1918, with William's commemoration on the Arras Memorial.

Private Arthur William Biggs

Pte Arthur William Biggs, 46000, 11th Battalion Essex Regiment, was killed in action in France on March 21st, 1918. He was single and just approaching his 20th birthday.

Parents William and Sarah Elizabeth Biggs, of 23 Vicarage Street, Luton, were informed that their only son was wounded and missing but were unable to find out more at the time, and no messages had arrived from his comrades.

Private Joseph Walter Shackleton

Pte Joseph Walter Shackleton, 307487, 2/6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), was reported missing, later presumed killed, in one of the first engagement of the German spring offensive begun on March 21st, 1918.

The only son of Joseph Walter and Cecilia Shackleton, of 189 High Town Road, Luton, he had joined the Army a little over two years earlier and had served in France for 13 months. At the time of enlistment he was engaged on building a breakwater at Dover. His death came at the time he was expecting leave to return home.

Private Percy Young

Pte Percy Young, 33150, 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, was reported missing, presumed killed, on May 3rd, 1917. It was nearly a year later that parents William and Louisa Young, of Breachwood Green, received confirmation of his death on that date.

Percy was the youngest of the couple's four serving sons. He initially joined the Bedfordshire Regiment (5513) in October 1915 and was trained at Halton Park. He went to France and was transferred to the 8th Leicesters in January 1917.

Private John Wood

Pte John Wood, 30700, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on March 27th, 1918. He had joined the Beds Regiment in July 1916 and was wounded about a year before his death.

Born in Luton in 1882, a son of George and Louisa Wood, he married Annie Louisa Young at St Matthew's Church, Luton, on October 7th, 1908. The couple had one child, Percy John, born in late 1909.

Sapper Sidney Mooring

Sapper Sidney Mooring, 522873, 12th Field Company Royal Engineers, was killed in action in France on March 21st, 1918. He was aged 33 and left a widow, Alice, living at 7 St Paul's Road, Luton.

He joined the East Anglian Royal Engineers in May 1916 and trained at Maidenhead and Marlow before going to France in May 1917. Prior to enlistment he worked as a painter for house decorator Mr Fred Pearce, of Cowper Street.

Private Alfred Edward Draper

Pte Alfred Edward Draper, 80023, 16th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, was killed in action in France on March 21st, 1918, the first day of the final major German offensive of the war.

He was one of six sons of Emma Clara and the late Frederick Draper, of 13 Newcombe Road, Luton, and had been employed in the warehouse of hat manufacturer Mr H. Clark, of Dumfries Street, before joining up.

Private Cyril Almond

Pte Cyril Almond, 33161, 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, was killed in action in France on May 3rd, 1917. He was reported missing after the Battle of Arras, but it was nine anxious months before his parents at Chiltern Green received the official intimation of his death.

Private John Anderson

Pte John Anderson, 37585, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on June 28th, 1917. It was nearly a further two months before widow Annie learned from a chaplain that her husband's body had been found on the battlefield by a member of another regiment.

The chaplain wrote that Pte Anderson had taken part in the successful attack on enemy trenches on June 28th and was killed as the Bedfords were coming out of the line. He had been shot through the head. John had enlisted in February 1917 and had been in France only six weeks.

Lance Corporal Sidney Thomas Andrews

L-Cpl Sidney Thomas Andrews, 33003, 8th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, was listed killed in action in France on May 3rd, 1917, after at first being reported missing.

A letter from Capt J. Abbott to widow Alice at 93 Butlin Road, Luton, said nothing had been heard of her husband since he went into action on May 3rd. Several men of the platoon were cut off from the reminder of the company during the attack and were taken prisoner. The writer said he could only conclude at that stage that L-Cpl Andrews was also a prisoner in German hands.

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