Pte Archibald (Archie) Smith, 33872, 8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, is recorded as having died of wounds in France on July 12th, 1917, at the age of 26. However, Capt Saunders, in charge of his company, wrote in a letter to widowed mother Elizabeth Smith that he had been killed in action by a piece of shrapnel on the evening of July 11th.

Archie Smith had enlisted in the Beds Regiment early in the war and, after training at Newmarket, went to Gallipoli, where he was seriously wounded in the head and shoulder. He also had an attack of dysentery.

Veteran soldier Pte Augustus George Baker, 4176, 1/5th Bedfordshire Regiment, died at his home at 23 Collingdon Street, Luton, on July 12th, 1917, suffering from bronchitis, asthma and heart trouble. He was aged 44.

Pte Arthur Fitzjohn, 025045, 96th Company Army Ordnance Corps, died in the Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot, on July 11th, 1917, after several months of ill health. He was aged 31.

Born and bred in St Albans, he joined the Army Ordnance Corps in November 1916 and after that was never in good health. He was first taken suddenly ill while on leave at Luton, and he was treated first in the Bute Hospital and then at Wardown. After that he contracted further illness and died on July 11th in Aldershot.

Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Herbert Stanley Pestell, RN (M7142), was one of three Luton men lost when HMS Vanguard sank following an internal explosion while at anchor at Scapa Flow on July 9th, 1917. His body was never recovered for burial.

Able Seaman Charles Johnson, RN (J/9150), was a man with family living in Luton who was lost when HMS Vanguard sank following an internal explosion while at anchor at Scapa Flow on July 9th, 1917. His body was never recovered for burial.

Born in Stretton on Fosse, Warwickshire, in 1894, he joined the Navy in July 1910 as a boy sailor, probably before parents George and Marjorie Johnson moved to Luton. They were living at 24 Ash Road at the time of his death.

Petty Office Stoker Francis Harold Armitage, RN (K16328), was a Luton man lost when HMS Vanguard sank following an internal explosion while at anchor at Scapa Flow on July 9th, 1917. His body was never recovered for burial.

A son of Thomas and Elizabeth Armitage, of 43 Tennyson Road, Luton, the 26-year-old had recently been promoted from Leading Seaman and was second in charge of the engine room. He had served on Vanguard during the Battle of Jutland in 1916 and come through unscathed.

Pte Joseph Bransome, 22530, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died in hospital on July 8th, 1917, from wounds sustained on the battlefield on July 1st. He was aged 33.

John Oliver Ernest Trott was born in Stoke Newington, London in March 1899. He was 1 of 5 children born to Ernest & Grace.

In 1911 John in 12 years old & living at 28 Grove Road Luton with James his 81 year old widowed grandfather a retired straw hat manufacturer. Also living  with him are his 2 aunts, Elizabeth 60 is a milliner & 46 year old Frances Helena a housekeeper. James' 19 year granddaughter Gladys Brown, an assistant dressmaker, is also a member of the household.

Pte George Charles Sharp, 87044, 17th Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), was killed in action on June 15th, 1917.

Comrade Pte A. Tew wrote to widow Rose from the Edmonton Military Hospital: "His last word and thought were of his wife and child. He did not suffer any pain as he was shot through the head and was killed instantly just as we were getting relieved from the trenches. It was hard lines, for in another half-hour he would have been out of the danger zone."

Alfred James Stonnell was born in Hulme, Manchester in 1896, 1 of 12 children born to Daniel & Sarah.

Pte John Anderson, 37585, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on June 28th, 1917. It was nearly a further two months before widow Annie learned from a chaplain that her husband's body had been found on the battlefield by a member of another regiment.

The chaplain wrote that Pte Anderson had taken part in the successful attack on enemy trenches on June 28th and was killed as the Bedfords were coming out of the line. He had been shot through the head. John had enlisted in February 1917 and had been in France only six weeks.

George Edwin Wade was born in Stoke on Trent in Staffordshire in 1894, 1 of 9 children born to Enoch & Ellen.

Pte Horace Fensome, 203933, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on June 28th, 1917.

A battalion chaplain wrote to widow Mrs Florence Annie Fensome, at 100 Baker Street, Luton, to say her husband had been killed in a successful attack, but he suffered no pain. He was buried in a little cemetery close behind the line, and the battalion were erecting a cross over his grave.

Pte Fensome had joined up just over a year earlier, and had been in France only 11 weeks, seven weeks in the trenches.

Christopher Shepheard was born on 22nd April 1892 in Luton, 1 of 10 children born to Sydney & Ellen.

In 1911 Christopher is 18 years old & working with his twin brother Harold as a warehouseman within the straw hat trade & living at 14 Rothesay Road with his family. His 63 year old father Sydney is a house painter, his brother John Sidney, 40 is a self employed straw hat manufacturer alongside his 36 year old sister Hellen Eliza, Lilley Louisa, 38 is a straw hat finisher & 29 year old George Henry is a carpenter & joiner.

Percy Edward Hurst was born in Luton in April 1895.

In 1911 he is living with his widowed father, 2 brothers & 2 sisters at 199 North Street. Percy is 16 & working as a grocer. His 45 year old father Frederick is a dyer's labourer & 19 year old brother Henry, a straw worker are both employed in the hat trade. 17 year old Frederick is a butcher, sisters Louise 15 & Emily 12 are at home.