Sergeant William Henry Bunyan

Sgt William Henry Bunyan, 19010, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on August 9th, 1916. He was a Lutonian who had previously served with the Bedfords and had been living at Ash Vale, Surrey, before rejoining his regiment at the outbreak of war.

Sgt Bunyan had lived at 39 Cobden Street for many years and had a sister-in-law living in Collingdon Street. He was born in Luton in 1873 to Mary Ann and the late William Bunyan (died 1876).

It was probably while he was at Whittington Barracks, near Lichfield, that he met and married Whittington Village girl Gertrude Maria Nourse in 1900. They had four children, three of whom were surviving at the time of the 1911 Census, when the family, including sons Cyril William, Percy John and Ralph Richard were living in married quarters at Maida Barracks, Aldershot.

Sgt Bunyan had been serving in France for about a year before his death. His platoon commander wrote to Mrs Bunyan at Hanmer Villa, College Road, Ash Vale, to say her husband gave his life leading on his men, and the work performed by them had since led to an appreciable gain against the enemy.

Despite being born in Luton, Sgt Bunyan is not included on the Luton Roll of Honour.