Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, September 6th, 1917.

Just 11 lines in a public notice in The Luton News were to lead to the formation of an organisation that would feature large and dramatically in the life of Luton, especially in the years immediately after the war - the local branch of the Discharged Sailors and Soldiers Association.

A meeting was to be held at Franklin's Restaurant (pictured above, behind the cars) at 72 George Street, Luton, on Tuesday, September 11th, at 8 pm, called by discharged Royal Engineers sergeant Herbert W. Booth (120663). The meeting was described as of great importance and interest to all men discharged from H.M. Forces.

Admission was to be restricted to wearers of the silver badge issued to service personnel who had been honourably discharged from service in WW1 due to wounds or illness.

• Another unfortunate accident occurred at one of the large [munition] works near Luton yesterday afternoon. Two girl workers, a Bucks girl named Gladys Bandy, aged 17, lodging at 96 Grange Road [now St Peters Road] and Londoner Hilda Sherlock, aged 21, lodging at 75 Oak Road, Luton, were working machines side by side. An accident on Miss Bandy's machine caused a similar one on Miss Sherlock's bench. The girls were badly injured about the face, arms and hands. First aid was rendered and the girls were subsequently taken to the Bute Hospital, where they are being carefully tended.

• Much interest was centred in two observation balloons which travelled over Luton from the south on Tuesday afternoon. One came down in the meadows at the rear of Downs Road, and the other in a field towards Stopsley. Insp Janes assisted in packing the balloon and case at the Downs on to a motor van belonging to the Luton Dyeing and Bleaching Co and it was taken to the Midland Station. The other balloon was removed in a like manner.

• A moonlight trip on the Thames at Maidenhead in the early hours of Monday resulted in an accident to an electric canoe containing a party of 10 friends and three lives were lost. Among the dead was Mr C. A. Theed, an Admiralty Inspector of Steel, who was employed at Luton and resided at Gordon House, Cardiff Road. His body was found later wedged against a weir.

• The sad accident in which Francis Albert Euinton, aged 13, son of Ernest Euinton, a brass finisher of 23 Henry Street, was terribly scalded was the subject of an inquest at the Court House yesterday afternoon. On Saturday, August 25th, the deceased stood on a copper containing boiling water to reach a box of tools on the shelf above. The lid of the copper tipped up and one of the boy's legs went into the boiling water. He died in the Bute Hospital at about 2pm on Monday, September 3rd. Cause of death was given as septic exhaustion as the result of burns, and a verdict of accidental death was returned by a jury.

• The month of August this year has been distinguished by the excessive rainfall, deficiency of bright sunshine and corresponding lack of sunshine. The total rainfall for the month was 6.64 inches, compared with 2.20 inches in August last year and 4.78 inches in December, the second highest month for rainfall.

• Mrs Susan Large, of 43 Chobham Street, Luton has received official notification of the death in action of her son, Pte Alfred Large, of the Royal Sussex Regiment. He was 26 years of age.

• Pte Ernest George Chamberlain, of the Royal West Kent Regiment, whose home address is 361 Hitchin Road, Luton, has been killed in action, but no particulars have yet been received. He joined up in April 1916 and was drafted to France the following September.

• On August 29th, Mrs W. Smith, of 7 Chobham Street, Luton, received a letter from her son, Pte Frederick David Smith, saying he was a prisoner in the hands of the Turks. He had been reported missing on July 20th in Palestine.

• Mr Rogers, of 32 Maple Road, Luton has received official notification from the War Office that his son, Pte Harry Rogers, was wounded in the chest and thigh in France on August 17th. Pte Rogers went out to Gallipoli with the Bedfords, was invalided home with dysentery, and later transferred to the Dorset Regiment to go out to France. He is in the London General Hospital in Boulogne.

• News has been received that Cpl Harold George Francis, the husband of Mrs Lilian Francis, of 115 Park Street, Luton, was wounded in action in France on August 9th and now lies in hospital at Southampton. He was in the employ of Messrs W. Lacey and Son at their Wellington Street shop until June 1916, leaving them to join the Essex Regiment.

• Major Coe, a well-known figure in Luton when the North Midland Division were stationed here, has been severely injured in the back whilst taking part in some regimental sports in France. He had been largely instrumental in starting the Veterinary Hospital off London Road.

• A pleasing addition to the list of honours conferred on Luton men serving in the various field of warfare is that notified of the award of the Military Cross to Temp-Lieut (Acting Capt) Arthur Henry Atkins (Royal Garrison Artillery, attached to the Royal Engineers), the youngest son of the late Mr and Mrs Alfred Atkins, of Leagrave Road. Educated at the late Mr Thurnham's College for Boys in Havelock Road, he subsequently applied himself to the surveying and civil engineering profession, holding responsible positions in several parts of England. His father was for many years Editor of the Beds Advertiser.

• Lieut L. R. Harwood (Royal Engineers), the brother of Mr F. L. Harwood, stationer and newsagent of Dunstable Road, has been promoted to the rank of Captain for distinguished services in the field. Previous to the outbreak of war he was employed at the Vauxhall Motor Works.

• Luton Town Council's Parks Committee recommended that half the potatoes grown at Wardown should be given to the V.A.D. Hospital at Wardown and the other half shared between the Bute Hospital and the Children's Home. There were only 10 or 12 bushels to share.

• The splendid facilities at Leagrave for the erection of an open air swimming bath were brought before the managers of the Caddington group of schools at a meeting at the Union House on Monday evening. A letter was read from Mr W. J. Harner. who said he had several children attending school there and asking if facilities could be found for teaching swimming. Mr Bradshaw said he was afraid at this time the County Council would be very unfavourable. After the war they might have it done.

• Luton's Libraries Committee acknowledged receipt of a gift from Mr Saxty of a "French Assignat de Cinq Livres, 1793," said to be an interesting souvenir of the French Revolution.

• A motorcycle accident resulting in injury to the Rev Fr O'Connor took place on Sunday morning about 10.25. William Chester, of Butlin Road was riding a motorcycle from Manchester Street into Upper George Street when a collision occurred with Fr O'Connor, who was riding a motorcycle down Upper George Street to return to his Sunday duties at the Roman Catholic Church in Castle Street. He was considerably cut about the face, head and a leg,but after treatment was able to proceed home in a cab. The other rider escaped lightly.

• Luton, in common with other parts of the country, grumbling about the shortages of matches, and last week many townspeople were unable to get their supply, whilst oters were only able to have one or two boxes at one penny per box. Messrs Webdale and Sons Ltd told us that before the war they dealt with a thousand gross boxes of matches a week. For the last ten weeks they had averaged 100 gross and for the past fortnight they had received no consignment at all.

• The Vicar of St Matthew's Church announced to the congregation on Sunday that the payment for the Parish Hall and adjoining land had been completed on September 1st, according to agreement. The whole £1,000 had been collected and there would be no debt on the property.

• Among many well-known sportsmen stationed at Biscot Camp is A. Clinton, very familiar before the war as a jockey both on the flat and steeplechasing, especially in France and Belgium. He is a driver in the signals department.

• At the end of Tuesday's meeting of the Luton Town Council, Alderman Wilkinson urged the desirability of another overture to the Water Company for the purchase of their undertaking on lines to the mutual advantage of the Corporation and the Company. This was strongly supported by Councillors Impey, Attwood and Briggs, who said he would also like to include the Gas Company. It was agreed to refer the matter to the Finance Committee for detailed consideration and report.

• Straw hat manufacturer Councillor Charles Dillingham, of Elm Villa, New Bedford Road, Luton, was chosen by 11 votes to nine to be Mayor-elect of Luton for 1917-18. Present Mayor Alderman James Staddon declined to hold office for a third year, and Councillor Henry Impey declined nomination.