Captain Harry Cunvin Horsford, 5th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on April 8th, 1917. He was aged 29.

Born in Stoke Newington, London, he moved as a baby with parents Frank and Annie Horsford and family to Luton. By 1911 and at the time of Harry's death, the family were living in Hendon.

Cpl Sydney Arthur Smart, 33269, 8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on April 6th, 1917, from wounds sustained in France. He was aged 24 and left a widow, Bertha May (nee Harper), living at 46 St Saviours Crescent Luton.

A Chaplain wrote to Mrs Smart to inform her that her husband had been brought into a Casualty Clearing Station at about midnight very badly wounded and, although everything possible was done for him, he passed peacefully away at 5.30am.

Charles Griffin, previously head of police at Clitheroe, Lancashire, was appointed Luton's new Chief Constable on April 3rd, 1917, by the unanimous decision of the Town Council. His new job followed the death of previous Luton police chief David Teale on December 13th, 1916. Mr Griffin took up his duties officially on May 8th.

The new police chief was 34 years old and married but with no children. He had 11 years and 29 days approved service in the police, but had 13½ years of practical experience of police duties.

Signalman James Baird Stewart RN, J/29093, was drowned in a collision in the North Sea in which the minesweeper HMS Q20 sank. The body of the 19-year-old was never recovered.

Mother Mrs Jessie Stewart, of 25 John Street, Luton, was officially told of his death on the following Monday. The family had moved to Luton from Scotland some years earlier, and James had served in the Navy for three years. Prior to enlistment he had worked at the Diamond Foundry in Dallow Road, Luton.

Gunner Sidney Stewart (Stuart) Pearson, 115317, 225th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery, was killed in action in France on March 30th, 1917. He was a widower aged 34 with two children.

Children Constance, aged 11, and Gladys, aged eight, were living with their mother's parents, baker James Ansell and his wife Phoebe at 7 Guildford Street, Luton. Their daughter Agnes had married Sidney Pearson on November 9th, 1905, but had died at the age of 31 on June 9th, 1911.

Sapper Ernest Robinson, 522390, 486th Field Company Royal Engineers, was killed in action in Egypt on March 27th, 1917. Born in 1896, he was an orphan living with step-parents Joseph and Sarah Bent at 54 Boyle Street, Luton.

Ernest had joined up two months after the outbreak of war and was wounded in the leg in training when a trench was blown up. Subsequently he came unscathed through the Gallipoli campaign before being drafted to Egypt with his unit.

Sapper Horace George Andrews, 522510 (3337), 486th Field Company Royal Engineers, was presumed killed in action at Gaza in Egypt on March 27th, 1917. He was initially reported to be wounded and missing with the possibility he had been taken as a prisoner of war by the Turks.

His Captain wrote in a letter to parents Joseph and Barbara Andrews, at 34 Ashburnham Road, that their son had been missing since the night of March 27th. He had last been seen bravely carrying ammunition to the front line, and it was known that it was then he was wounded.

Gunner William Childs, 28795, 86th Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery, died of enteric fever while a prisoner of war of the Turks on January 19th, 1917. He was aged 27 and had served in the Army in India for eight years prior to the outbreak of war.

Pte Frank (Francis) George Miller, 27839, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on March 14th or 15th, 1917. Official records give the date as the 14th, letters from the front said 15th.

Lieut Harry T. Trowman wrote to widowed mother Mrs Miriam Miller at 17 Oxford Road, Luton: "It is with great regret that I write to tell you about your son, F. Miller. He was killed on the 15th when the battalion was about to attack in the neighbourhood of Achiet.

L-Cpl Cecil Clement Robinson, 16318, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action near Achiet-le-Grand in France on March 15th, 1917. He was aged 37.

Second-Lieut Meredyth Robert Owen Williams, 25th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, was killed in action in France on March 14th, 1917. He was the younger son of Luton Alderman Herbert Owen Williams, of Farley Lynches, Castle Street [now Farley Hill]. He was a month short of his 23rd birthday.

His commanding officer wrote to parents Herbert and Edith Jane Williams that their son was manning a support trench with his platoon during a German raid at about five o'clock in the morning. The gun fire was terribly heavy, and Lieut Williams was killed by a bursting shell.

Second-Lieut Ralph Wycombe Butcher, 4th Battalion Manchester Regiment (attached 22nd Battalion), was killed in action in France on March 14th, 1917. The 21-year-old had initially been reported wounded and missing.

Parents William Joseph and Lily Rhoda Butcher, of Bendrose, Braithwaite Road [later part of Malzeard Road], Luton, were told by their son's commanding officer that Ralph's body had been found by a search party close to the enemy's wires.

Pte Alfred Bent, 43014, 6th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, died of wounds on March 14th, 1917, at the No 55 Field Ambulance Station in France. He was aged 31 and single.

He had enlisted in March 1916 and went to the Front in July. Prior to joining up he worked as a traveller.

Pte Herbert William Carter, 34097, 17th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, died in a military hospital in France on March 7th, 1917, suffering from spotted fever.

Pte Frederick Arthur Fensome, 2553, 16th Battalion (Public Schools) Middlesex Regiment, died in France on March 10th, 1917, following wounds received on the battlefield. He was aged 20 and was serving in the machine gun section.

He had been in France for 12 months and was in action on March 2nd. He sent a field card to his mother Elizabeth (Lizzie) at 33 Inkerman Street, Luton, in which he said he had been wounded in the knee by a gun shot and taken to a clearing station [2/2nd London Casualty Clearing Station] behind the lines.