• Bedfords march from Luton at the start of World War One in 1914.

An article from The Morning Post newspaper paying tribute to the fine war record of the gallant men of the Bedfordshire Regiment on the Western Front was reproduced in the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph of December 23rd, 1916. It read:

Bedfordshire is not one of those counties with teeming populations that can contribute an Army Corps or two for service. It cannot compete with Northumberland or Lancashire, but in ratio to its numbers it can rest content with the historian's verdict on the numbers raised voluntarily for the field. Before the cloud of the conscript clouded the fine fancy of Sir John Simon, Bedfordshire, with it population of two souls to each acre, had put 14 battalions into the field,and the equivalent of a brigade had enlisted into non-county units.

Bedfordshire did its bit so well that a general officer, speaking from knowledge, said: "I know two gallant regiments, and one of them is the Bedfordshires. The 1st Battalion began the story at Mons, where it served under General Horace Smith-Dorrien in Pulteney's 5th Division. The fight against odds, shoulder to shoulder with the Cheshires, is an imperishable tale, and in the forward movement to the Marne the men were unexcelled."

The brigadier recorded that "only eye-witnesses could appreciate the dogged courage with which the battalion had not only faced the enemy at close range, but had sat tight under heavy shell fire, borne every sort of hardship - cold, wet, mud, serious losses, exhaustion, nerve strain and insufficient clothing - without a murmur.

"There is only one word to qualify the conduct of both officers and men - it had been magnificent."

Such eulogy seemed complete, but the 2nd Battalion, coming from South Africa to Capper's 7th Division, took part in the fighting round Ypres as the Belgians fell back, and covered itself with equal glory. It held up German forces who numbered nine against one. The battalion, in short, faced two brigades and came out the victors with 300 men left on their feet out of 1,000.

Among the honours were the VC for Pte Warner, who held a trench at Hill 60 single-handed, and the VC for Capt Calveley Foss in a similar exploit at Neuve Chapelle. He also won the D.S.O., and Lieut-Colonel Griffith was honoured with a C.M.G.

Losing a trench one day, the 1st Battalion retook it, and reported loss and recapture together. From Headquarters was sent te laconic message: "Congratulate Bedfordshire Regiment."

Later, Lord French came personally and, referring to Mons, Ypres and Givenchy, said that no regiment had done better. The 7th Battalion was mentioned by Sir Douglas Haig this year.

And so the "Peacemakers" won some glorious battle names for the colours. They earned their nickname because they were the only troops who joined Wellington after Waterloo (from Canada) and remained while the peace was made.

The regiment has been in Flanders before and fought at Namur, Ramillies and Oudenarde, and changed its title from the Bucks to the Bedfords in 1800. Raised in 1688 it became numbered as the 16th Foot. Five of its Regular field officers command brigades at the front - a fine honour.