Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, August 15th, 1918.

• Part of the former Chaul End Munition Works, as captured by a Luton News photographer in October 1933. Then with an address at 9 Chaul End Lane, the buildings were occupied by Blundell Bros (Luton) Ltd and used as a dye works.

A curious fatality occurred at the works of Messrs George Kent Ltd, Chaul End, on Monday evening, as the result of which Wilfred Joy, of The Ridgway, Flitwick, lost his life. At the opening of an inquest at Luton Court House yesterday, Deputy Coroner Mr G. J. M. Whyley said it was a curious case and would necessitate an adjournment.

The deceased was employed as a fitter at Chaul End Works, and about 5.30 on Monday evening he was apparently unscrewing or doing something with a large patent fire extinquisher. He was holding it between his knees when, for some reason, the bottom of it blew out and the point of the cylinder struck him over the left eye, rebounding afterwards a distance of some 30 or 40 feet. A considerable quantity of gas escaped from the cylinder.

The man was first attended at the works, and then taken to the Bute Hospital, where he was attended by Dr Bell. He died at about eight o'clock the same night, a little over two hours after the accident.

There was some uncertainty as to the cause of death – whether it was cause by the blow over the eye or the gas. A post mortem examination had been arranged, and the inquiry would be adjourned after evidence of identification.

Charles Joy, wheelwright, of Leighton Road, Toddington, identified the body as that of his brother Wilfred, who was single and aged 36. He resided at Flitwick with his sister, Mrs Cunningham, and had lived at Flitwick for about 20 years.

[At the adjourned inquest on August 21st, a verdict of accidental death was returned by a jury, who considered that no-one was to blame for the accident. Mr H. W. Lathom, representing Kent's, said the machines were tested thoroughly and this was the first time that one of the 40,000 made had exploded.]

[Wilfred Joy is commemorated on the George Kent War Memorial now housed at Stockwood Discovery Centre.]

• When the Town Clerk suggested a few weeks ago that the townspeople would “see the red light” - his way of indicating that the Borough Prisoners of War Fund was very low - he could hardly have hoped for so speedy a response as that he has received. Mr W. Harold Cox, a new member of the committee, undertook a personal canvass, and the result has been excellent. The exact amount is, of course, not yet available, but the Town Clerk was pleased to inform a Luton News representative that the fund is now secure for at least three months, and, so far as Luton prisoners are concerned, they will receive their three parcels a fortnight as long as the Government permits.

• Writing from Holland, where he is now interned after three years captivity in Germany, Sgt Underhill (R.F.A.) says the majority of letters written by prisoners never leave Germany. The prisoners are very grateful when they receive parcels and letter from home. If it were not for the parcels of food they could not have survived their treatment.

• News has just come to hand that Chief Petty Officer Cyril George Day, son of Mr and Mrs G. Day, of 27 Elizabeth Street, Luton, has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. He is practically in charge of a submarine, and the honour is as a result of a smart piece of work performed about 10 weeks ago when he sank a German submarine cruiser in the Atlantic. He has seen 18 years in the Naval Service and is married, his wife and five children living in South Devon.

• A distressing fate was that met by a young Luton woman while on holiday in London, when she was killed as the result of a tramcar accident. The victim was Mrs Violet May Small, aged 24, who lived with her mother, Mrs Hawes, at 18 Dudley Street, Luton. She had worked for a year at the Vauxhall works, while her husband who had worked at the Diamond Foundry was in hospital with a leg wound while serving in Egypt. A little girl aged three is now motherless.

• In connection with the mounted sports and gymkhana which the 6th Reserve Brigade, Royal Field Artillery are holding at Luton Football Ground on August 31st, the organising committee have been successful in arranging for the attendance of the Royal Artillery Band from Woolwich. This combination of musicians ranks among the best in the country, and their visit adds to the long programme of attractions which the Biscot men are preparing for their patrons on this occasion.

• After a rest for the holiday period, the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Beds Regiment, resumed duty on Sunday, when a muster of men paraded at Luton Hoo. The syllabus for the day included company and squad drill and musketry practice, and the civilian soldiers found the heat of the morning somewhat trying.

• The Salvation Army flag day at Luton on Saturday met with an excellent response. The generous spirit of the people resulted in the raising of the goodly sum of £85 7s for our soldiers.

• On Monday afternoon Mr D. Janes, of Edlesborough, was driving a pony and cart along Windsor Street, and, when passing the Highlander public house, a boy cycling down Farley Hill ran into the cart. By a lucky chance the boy seemed to escape a bad collision, and he hung on to the cart, with the result that there was very little damage except a shaking for the boy.

• The marriage took place last Thursday at Christ Church of Miss Grace Agnes Smith, second daughter of Mr and Mrs Smith, of Leagrave Road, Luton, and Sgt Alfred Purser Smith (Army Veterinary Corps), of Brierley Hill, Staffs. The happy couple afterwards left for Staffordshire, where a short honeymoon was spent.

• A wedding of much interest in the district took place at Offley Church on Monday. The contracting parties were Pte Lewis Webb (Army Veterinary Corps), second son of Mr and Mrs Jesse Webb, of Lilley, and Miss Sarah Ann Jarvis, third daughter of the late Mr George and Mrs Jarvis, of Mangrove. The bridegroom, who has seen nearly two years of active service in Italy and France, returns to the Front on Friday.

• Extraordinary scenes were witnessed at the local railway stations during the weekend, when the thousands of holidaymakers returned. The crowds which thronged the bridge and the precincts of the station were very large indeed, and all the trains were full to the utmost of their capacity. The scene on Sunday night in particular were of an unprecedented character, when crowds poured in from the 9 o'clock mail on the Midland line from London. We believe that a large number of people were left behind at St Pancras, and a relief train had to be requisitioned to bring them home.

• The difficulties experienced by the working classes owing to the house shortage is certainly a very acute one in Luton. Only last week an advertisement in The Luton News of a house with two bedrooms to let in the neighbourhood of Dallow Road brought no fewer than 75 replies. We wonder what rents would have been if Parliament had allowed landlords the same opportunities for profiteering that have been enjoyed by some other people.

• Compensation for the failure of the fruit crops is to be found in the gratifying excess which has attended the efforts to increase the production of corn. Unfortunately, some of the corn has to go to the production of beer, in order, so it is urged, to satisfy the insistent demands of the working classes, though the extraordinary profits made by some of the big brewing concerns give point to the suggestion that vested interests have exercised so much influence as the people who find the money to pay the swollen dividends. But corn is not the only factor in the food situation. The number of allotment holders has nearly trebled since the war began, and it is now estimated that one in every five householders is giving his spare time to the production of food. This greatly extended cultivation of the land has eased the strain on our shipping to a tremendous extent and, whilst thus contributing to the successful prosecution of the war, has also ministered in no small degree to the health and comfort of the population.

• Little has been done yet with regard to football preparation in Luton. Mr Charles Green, Secretary of the Town Club, has arranged a couple of home fixtures for the first two Saturdays of the season, the R.A.M.C. (St Albans) on September 7th, and the Royal Naval Division (Crystal Palace) for the week following. Ernest Simms has now almost recovered from the accident he sustained in Italy, and he hopes to have a run in the Town colours before he is sent overseas again. His hip is still a little troublesome, but he has now no fear that it will interfere with his professional occupation when the war is over.