Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, December 20th, 1917.

We are pleased to announce that Flight-Lieut Bernard Arthur Smart, DSO, RN, son of Mr and Mrs Charles Smart, of Charlton House, London Road, Luton, has received the French Croix de Guerre (bronze palm). The bronze palm class is the highest grade of this war cross decoration.

Lieut Smart is at present in a naval hospital at Chatham, but the Cross has been received at his home, with the permission of His Majesty the King to wear it. The award was made by the French Government the day following the investiture of Lieut Smart at Buckingham Palace by the King, and the news reached Luton in the most substantial way, for a package arrived containing the cross and the certificate from the French Government, and a covering letter from the Admiralty was received at his home last week.

The letter from the Admiralty reads: "I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to forward herewith the Croix de Guerre (bronze palm), which has been received at the Admiralty for transmission to you, and I am to inform you that you have the King's permission to accept and wear this decoration."

The cross is of light bronze, with crossed swords, and is suspended from a ribbon of green with red stripes on which is mounted a bronze palm. There is also the breast ribbon surmounted with a small bronze palm included in the case. The certificate accompanying is a fine lithographic work depicting the traditional figure of France.

The Admiralty still veils in mystery the feat for which Flight-Lieut Smart received his decorations, but that it is of exception brilliance is proved by the fact that the French Government have been moved to bestow this honour.

• There was keen discussion on food supply and control in Luton at last night's meeting of the Luton & District Friendly Societies Council. The following resolution was passed, although not unanimously: "That this meeting requests the local Food Control Committee to take into consideration the growing scandal of the local food queues, and the unfair distribution of certain household commodities, such as butter, margarine, lard etc. We suggest that the Committee should adopt a scheme of rationing, such as is being done in Birmingham and other towns, or that it will take steps as will ensure a fairer distribution of food between tradesmen of the town distributing it. This Council considers it most unfair that one should be supplied with tons of these goods, whilst other tradesmen appear quite unable to obtain any supply, thus causing women and children to have to stand for hours in the bitter cold to get a small supply, when, with better distribution, there need be no queues at all."

• Luton Town Council's Electricity Committee has received a report from the Electrical Engineer upon the urgent need for extending the Electricity Station buildings and providing additional extensive plant etc to meet the increasing and prospective demand for electricity. His estimate of cost was £50,000.

• Arrangements are being made for discharged soldiers and sailors to be properly trained in Luton as straw hat machinists, blockers and stiffeners, free of all cost. Allowances will also be paid to men and their families during the period of training. In addition, a bonus will be given to those who properly complete the training. Good wages can be earned by qualified men.

• A very interesting autograph book has been shown to us by Mr S. P. Webb, containing the signatures of some hundreds of gold-stripe men. When the decoration for men who had been wounded in the war was introduced, Messrs Webb Bros Ltd foresaw the possibility of the stripes being worn by those nor entitled to them and decided to keep a register of every sale, giving the number, rank and regiment of every purchaser and securing the purchaser's signature to a declaration that he is entitled to wear the stripe. The system has worked extremely well in the various shops of Messrs Webb Bros Ltd.

• A special meeting of the Luton & District Discharged Sailors' and Soldiers' Association was held at the Franklin Hotel on Monday. Mr Herbert Booth (chairman), presenting the report of the Executive, said that membership continued to increase, there being now nearly 150 members. During the past fortnight several members had received gratuities from the Ministry of Pensions amounting, in the aggregate, to just on £200. These very satisfactory results were due entirely to the efforts of the Association on behalf of the men concerned.

• Owing to the air raid alarm on Tuesday evening, a concert organised by Cpl Marshall in St Mary's Hall, lent by the Vicar, was interrupted in its progress.

• Mrs Hale, who has had to resign owing to ill health from the teaching staff of Old Bedford Road Girls' School where she has been working for the last eight years, was the recipient of a dainty fruit dish on Monday last from her colleagues of that school.

• On Sunday afternoon, at the Central Mission Sisterhood meeting there was a large gathering to witness a presentation to Mrs A. W. Firmin, one of the originators of that movement, who, much to the regret of the mission, has felt compelled to resign the presidency. The Rev H. E. Atkins presented her with a beautifully framed picture.

• Luton Temple Salvation Army Corps celebrated their 35th anniversary last weekend, when Commissioner Bidsdell (the oldest living Salvation Army officer) conducted the services. When the Commissioner became an officer there were only 15 officers, including the late General and Mrs Booth. Now there are 28,000 officers, 28,000 bandsmen and the Salvation Army is established in many countries and colonies.

• Christmas holidays begin this week. At many schools in the town and district it is generally the custom to hold open days, when the parents visit the schools and inspect the work of the children. Dancing displays, concerts and dramatic games were given for the benefit of the parents, and the school managers and clergy visited the schools in which they took particular interest.

• One of the many effects of the recent cold snap and severe frosts has been the unearthing of toboggans, sledges, skates etc which since that Arctic week in February have lain aside in cupboard or lumber-room. On Tuesday evening, undeterred by the squawking of the air raid sirens, crows of merry youngsters dragged their various contraptions to People's Park, the Ashburnham Road Rec and other suitable slopes where the frozen surface of the grass offered little resistance to the runners of the flying sleds.

• Described by the lance-corporal friend as "a thorough young English gentleman in speech, thought and action," Pte Ewart Dean, of the Norfolk Regiment, son of Mr Dean, butcher, of 45 Bailey Street, Luton, was killed in France of November 20th. The official news was received on December 4th.

• Pte George Hodge, 36994, of 10 Elizabeth Street, Luton, who was said to be wounded and missing, is now reported killed on November 3rd in Egypt. He enlisted in the Army Service Corps in September 1916.

• Mrs Walker, of 39 Chase Street, Luton, has received news of the death of her nephew, Driver Stanley Fensome, in hospital in Mesopotamia. He had lived with his aunt since childhood.

• The news of the death in action on November 12th of Pte Wallace James Oxborrow, of 315 Hitchin Road, Luton, has been received by his wife. Previously rejected, he enlisted last January in the Essex Regiment and was drafted out to France, bring then transferred to the Middlesex Regiment.

• Pte Edward Grundon, the younger son of Mr Joseph S. Grundon, of 1 Richmond Hill, Luton, is now lying in hospital at Stockport, suffering from facial gunshot wounds. Enlisting early in the war in the Beds Yeomanry, he went to France in July 1915, being invalided to England in July 1916. In October last he returned to the Front. He was wounded while being relieved from the trenches in the big push near Bourlon Wood on December 7th.

• Pte Alfred Pollard, one of the four sons of Mr and Mrs T. Pollard, of 44 Jubilee Street, Luton, is lying in hospital at El Arish, Egypt, having been wounded by gunshot in the right foot on November 2nd. In September 1914 he joined the Bedfordshire Regiment and in the following August was wounded during the Dardanelles campaign. Before the war he was employed on the Midland Railway.