Pte Claude Ernest Pratt, 14855, 13th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, died in a casualty clearing station on June 9th, 1917, from abdomen wounds sustained earlier in the day in the Messines fighting.

A hospital chaplain wrote to parent James Albon and Ellen Louise Pratt at 21 Peach Street, Luton, with the news. He said he had laid their son to rest with several others on June 10th in a cemetery surrounded by hops and growing corn some miles behind the lines - a very peaceful spot.

Pte Walter George Smith, 40356, 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, was killed in action in France on June 8th, 1917. He was aged 21.

In a letter of sympathy to parents George and Harriet Smith at 49 Hampton Road, Luton, Second Lieut W. A. Fletcher wrote: "Your son, Pte W. G. Smith, was killed yesterday evening, June 8th,. He was on a working party up in the front line and was hit on the back by a piece of shrapnel. It pierced his heart, and the doctor told me that death must have been instantaneous."

Gunner Frederick George Charge, 102343, 212th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery, was one of six men killed by a single German shell in Flanders on June 8th, 1917.

Gunner Charge, who had served through the Boer War and wore the South African medals, had been in France for six months. He joined up again on July 10th, 1916,

He had married Millie Cooper at Christ Church, Luton, on April 3rd, 1915, and the couple were living at 109 Maple Road, Luton. They had no children.

Sgt John McPheat, 35986, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action at Messines on June 7th, 1917. He was aged 36.

Born in Perth, Scotland, he enlisted as a volunteer at Luton at the outbreak of war. He served with the 1/5th Bedfords (No. 2961) at Gallpoli, from the Suvla Bay landing to the evacuation of the peninsular. He was finally invalided home suffering from shell shock and dysentery to recover in England before leaving Halton for France with the 2nd Bedfords in January 1917. He fought at Ypres and Messines.

Rifleman Arthur Robinson, 42129, 8th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, was killed in action in Flanders on June 7th, 1917. He and his family had moved to Hammersmith, London, just before the war after living at 238 Ridgway Road, Luton.

He enlisted in early 1916 at Hammersmith into the King's Royal Rifles (26176) before being transferred to the Royal Irish Rifles. He had worked at Hayward Tyler during his time in Luton.

Arthur Robinson was aged 38. He had married Florence Day in Luton in 1898 and they had three daughters - Florence Lilian, Doris and Gladys Irene.

Sapper Reuben Edward Parris, 524535, 105th Field Company Royal Engineers, was killed in action at Messines Ridge on June 6th, 1917.

Official notification of his death from the War Office reached his widow Elizabeth at their home at 81 Ash Road, Luton, ten days later. The couple had arrived in Luton from Coventry, where they were living at the time of the 1911 Census. Reuben first worked at George Kent's before becoming a foreman moulder at the Skefko Works and then returning to work at Kent's.

Pte Bertram Norman Birchmore, 47452, 23rd Northumberland Fusiliers, died as a prisoner of war of the Germans on May 4th, 1917. He had been captured with a back wound and in a delirious state on April 29th. He was aged 29.

His widow Gertrude, of 34 Ivy Road, Luton, had been appealing for information about what had happened to her missing husband. It was more than four months before official information arrived that he had died as a prisoner of war.

Pioneer Harry Manning, 206755, 'L' Special Company Royal Engineers, died in the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station in France on June 3rd, 1917, after being gassed on he battlefield. He was aged 20.

A week before his death Pioneer Manning had been drafted into the same company as his father, Pioneer William George Manning (128912), who was able to see him in hospital before he died. He was also present at his son's burial in a nearby cemetery.

Sgt Albert Mullett, 19166, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on June 2nd, 1917. He was in charge of a Lewis gun company.

In a letter to parents William Frederick and Emily Mullett, of 142 Castle Street, Luton, his commanding officer wrote: "We were heavily shelled in the early hours, and he went off with a Lewis gun and team to a piece of trench isolated by two blocks, the outcome of the bombardment. Just after he had arrived a shell blew in the parapet and he, poor man, was pinned between two pieces of rivetting timber, and died there at once.

Pte Christopher Allen, 50528, 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action in France on or soon after April 28th, 1917. He was aged 32.

Pte Stanley George Maskell, 29209, Essex Regiment, was killed in action on April 28th, 1917. He was aged 30.

A letter to his widow, Bertha, at the couple's home at 168 Dallow Road, Luton, from Lieut Jessop said Pte Maskell was missing after an engagement in France on April 28th and there was no further information about him. Her husband's last letter home was written on April 24th.

Pte William Charles Griffiths, 29183, 9th Battalion Essex Regiment, was killed in action in France on April 30th, 1917. He was 30 years old.

His married sister Emma Mary received notification that her brother went into action on April 30th and was missing from that date. Worcester-born William was lodging at 2 Arthur Street, Houghton Regis, with his sister at the time of the 1911 Census and was working as a miller for her husband, Arthur James Smith.

Pte Albert Dawson, G/61108, 17th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action on May 28th, 1917. He was aged 40.

Born in Lilley in 1876, he was living in Marson Place, Stopsley, with Lizzie and their five children and had worked as a bricklayer's labourer. He had married Lizzie Crick in 1900 and children Frederick Albert, Gladys May, Florence Mabel, Hubert Frank and Marjorie were born between 1901 and 1911.

Albert is commemorated on the Stopsley War Memorial.

Pte John Bangs, 47645, 14th Battalion Welsh Regiment, died of wounds in France, on May 27th, 1917. Both of his legs were fractured and he suffered other fatal injuries after a shell struck his dug-out.

Prior to enlistment, bricklayer John Bangs was working at Putteridge Park and lived with his wife and four children at Butterfield Green, Stopsley.

Born in Wheathampstead in 1879, a son of John and Charlotte Bangs, he married Emma Hunter in 1904. Their children Eileen, Marion, Jack and Edith were born between 1905 and 1912.

Pte Ernest Bernard Angel, 31465, 91st Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), died in Abbeville Hospital in France on May 25th, 1917, from wounds sustained on the battlefield. Before his death, he had already had his right arm and leg amputated.

The son of George and Ada Angel, of Marson Place, Stopsley, he was born in the village in 1898. He had initially served in the Beds Regiment (No. 23521).

He is commemorated on the Stopsley War Memorial and was included on the former Park Street Baptist Church Memorial.