Sgt Arthur Woodcroft, R.A.M.C., whose mother resides at 73 Ivy Road, Luton, has lived to tell a thrilling story of the tragic sinking of the troopship Royal Edward in the Aegean Sea by a German submarine torpedo on August 13th, 1915.

Roll of honour compiled in October 1915, by Mr H. G. Collins, Hon Secretary of the Vauxhall Motors Rifle Club, and Mr L. J. Tansley, of men from Vauxhall Motors Ltd serving in HM Forces. The list included no fewer than 172 names, of whom five had at that stage fallen in their country's service at that point (indicated *).

STAFF AND OFFICE

Stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: October 9th, 1915.

Pte Albert Titmuss, one of two sons of Mr and Mrs George Titmuss, of 40 Milton Road, Luton, tells a remarkable story of his discovery of a beautiful Turkish woman who had been shot in the leg while acting as a sniper, and who was bandaged and taken back to her own lines by Pte Titmuss.

This morning [October 9th, 1915] Gunner Henry Charles Martin, Royal Garrison Artillery, was brought before Mr C. H. Osbourne and Alderman H. Arnold at the Luton Borough Court, and charged on remand with the capital charge of murdering his wife Amy at 6 Queen Square, Luton, on Monday morning.

As Secretary of the South Beds Recruiting Committee Harry Inwards had built up many contacts within the 5th Bedfordshires who collectively helped him build up a picture of events in Gallipoli from the battlefield. He later compiled his own letter to the Press (below), bringing together details he had received of "that portion of the battle which took place on the 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th August, in which the gallant lads of the 1/5th Bedfordshire Battalion bore so arduous and so glorious a part".

Stories from The Luton News: Thursday, October 7th, 1915

Girls employed by Vauxhall Motors Ltd, Luton, will perhaps cease work if they have to go home through streets which are unlighted. At least this possibility was foreshadowed in a letter received from the company by the Luton Town Council on Tuesday night.

A sensational affair happened this morning in the Park Street neighbourhood. A married woman named Amy Martin, whose husband is a soldier and who has been living at 6 Queen Square, was found lying in her bedroom with her throat cut.

Blood was all over the place and a knife - the ordinary jack knife carried by soldiers - was found in the room with blood on the blade. At that time deceased was still living, but she was bleeding profusely from the wound in her throat.

Stories from the Bed & Herts Saturday Telegraph: October 2nd, 1915.

A movement is on foot to inaugurate an official fund for the purpose of forwarding comforts of all kinds as the men of the 5th Battalion Territorial Regiment may find themselves in need of during the campaign in Gallipoli.

Congratulations to Mr David Teale, who has completed 21 years service as Chief Constable of the Borough of Luton. Mr Teale came to Luton on September 26th, 1894, to succeed Chief Constable Jaquest, but it was on October 1st that he actually took up his new duties.

Stories from The Luton News: Thursday, September 30th, 1915.

The Mayor of Luton (Councillor Walter Primett), who likes to get among the Luton lads in their camps and find out for himself how they are faring, had a very interesting time on Tuesday with Major Orlebar and his men of the 3/5th Bedfords at Bears' Rail Camp in Windsor Great Park.

A prisoner of war who had recently escaped from Germany was to be a one of the guest speakers at a major recruiting rally in Luton on Saturday, October 2nd, 1915.

Sgt Alfred Birley (pictured), of the 1st Battalion Gloucester Regiment, had already been summoned to Buckingham Palace to tell his story to King George V. By coincidence, his Bedford-born wife Ellen had been spending a considerable amount of time with her married sister Louisa Payne, who was living at 27 New Bedford Road, Luton.

Letters from Gallipoli were taking over a fortnight to reach Luton and those received by the Luton Reporter newspaper in mid-September 1915 were sent by members of the East Anglian Royal Engineers before they had gone into action.

Stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: September 25th, 1915.