Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: April 21st, 1917.

More than one Lutonian wishes he lived at Dunstable in these days. The fact that Messrs Readhead and Gray are supplying potatoes on an average of 4lb per family per week is a matter of some moment. We know families in Luton who have not had a potato in the house for weeks.

Only yesterday a gentleman told us that on Sunday last they had the first potato for seven weeks. A family of five shared this tuber which providence, in a more prosperous time, had allowed to escape from the receptacle and wisely preserved it for a day when it would be treasure trove.

[Two days earlier The Luton News published the above photograph taken by James Field, of Dunstable, showing people awaiting their turn at Kingsbury Farm, Church Street, Dunstable, for their Redhead and Gray potatoes, supplied at stated hours each Saturday. Potatoes of excellent quality were supplied in quantities according to the number in each family.]

• Despite the exemption from military service of an iron fettler aged 21 at Hayward Tyler & Co being cancelled, Military Representative Lieut H. Gardner protested to Luton Tribunal last night at the exemption being continued until May 21st. The firm, which was engaged on Government war work, had put in its application late, said the young man was engaged in teaching others to take up his work when called up. Lieut Gardner said as the application was late the firm had no case and there was no reason for asking the Recruiting Officer to delay calling him up.

• In the small hours of this morning, Mr F. Blaxill, of 3 Granville Road, Luton, was awakened by a loud explosion. On going downstairs he discovered the sitting room on fire, and he aroused his wife and other occupants of the house. When the Fire Brigade arrived they found that soldiers billeted at the house had been busy with buckets of water and stopped the fire spreading. The contents of a cupboard were destroyed and other things in the room damaged by heat, smoke and water.

• Capt Harry Horsford, of the Berkshire Regiment, son of Mr Frank Horsford, who at one time resided in Park Street, Luton, has been killed in action. Capt Horsford was educated at Waller Street Schools.

• Pte Joseph Roberts, of 53 Buxton Road, Luton, has been admitted into Northamptonshire War Hospital suffering from wounds received in the recent advance on the Western Front. He is 40, and before the war worked for Messrs Bird and Hudson, plait merchants, of Wellington Street. He had been in the trenches since Christmas.

• News has just reached Luton of the death of Second Lieut Frederic George Thompson, who until about a year ago had been for 12 years employed at Messrs Barclay's Bank at Luton, being one of the cashiers there. The deceased was a son of the late Mr F. Thompson, stationer and bookseller of the High Street, Bedford.

• Walter H. Dimmock, 29, married, fruiterer of 86 Langley Street, Luton, had a previous exemption from military service upheld by the Luton Local Tribunal. The former Luton Town FC full-back known as 'Punch' Dimmock had been passed A (fit for general service) by the Army Medical Board at Bedford on February 26th, but the County Tuberculosis Officer, had examined him and certified that he was suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis. Deputy Mayor Councillor W. J. Primett reminded the Tribunal that Mr Dimmock had told them at an earlier hearing that the military doctor had laughed at him when he spoke of his condition. "It is a scandalous thing," said Councillor Primett.

• Luton Town's visit to New Cross for a London Combination match against Millwall resulted in their heaviest defeat of the season - 6-0. Elvey again failed to turn up for the game and the Luton forwards never got into their stride against one of strongest teams Millwall could field. The home side scored three goals in each half.