Cpl Frederick Victor Wesley, 22310, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on on the Somme on January 26th, 1917. He was aged 27.

Sadly, the only mention of him around the time os his death seems to have been a roll of honour notice placed in the Luton News by his sister Cassey on behalf of younger brother Percy and relatives.

Pte Stanley Squires Cawdell, 5329, 15th County of London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles), was killed in action near Ypres on January 11th, 1917. He was 30 years old and the son of Sarah Ann (nee Squires) and the late William George Cawdell (died 1906), of 244 High Town Road, Luton.

Stanley Cawdell was an old boy of St Matthew's School and had been employed as a clerk by the Midland Railway Co. He was also secretary of the local Midland Railway Football Club. He had tried five times to enlist before joining the Civil Service Rifles in December 1915.

Herbert Ward Saunders was born in 1898 in Sundon, Bedfordshire.

In 1915 he was a patient at Wardown V.A.D Hospital.

His service record tells us that on 5th June 1916 Herbert enlisted into the 22nd Manchester Regiment. At the time of enlistment he was living at the Red Lion Inn, Harlington Road, Sundon & his next of kin was his mother Charlotte. He was working as a carter for Mr W Smith in Limbury Green Lane.

On 25th November 1916 he was transferred to the 11th Infantry Reserve Brigade located at Prees Heath Camp, Whitchurch, Shropshire.

L-Cpl Tom Brown, 27938, 7th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action on the Somme on November 13th, 1916. He left a widow and a young son, who received official notification of his death two months later after he had initially been reported missing.

Tom Brown had attested under the Derby scheme and joined the Royal Fusiliers in April 1916. After three months training he went to France, where he was given his first stripe for good conduct and merit.

Horace John William Crump was one of two men to die following an accident at the George Kent munition works at Chaul End on January 8th, 1917.

Born and bred in Caddington, he had moved to live at 90 Ash Road, Luton, with wife Ada Elizabeth and their seven children. The bricklayer's labourer was working as a labourer at the Chaul End works at the time of his death.

William George Muckleston was born in 1884 in Sundon, Bedfordshire.

In June 1907 William married Annie Jane Brown.

In 1911 William is 27 years old, working as a labourer in Forder's Cement Works & living with his young family in Sundon. Annie is 23 & at home looking after their 3 year old son Arthur William & 1 year old daughter Ida Mabel.

Daughter Vera Nellie was born in 1915.

Pte Sidney Fensome, 60043, 26th Royal Fusiliers, is recorded as having been killed in action in Flanders on December 15th, 1916. He was aged 28, single and had enlisted in the Royal Fusiliers soon after the outbreak of war.

Frank Hull was born in Sundon on October 23rd, 1895. He was 1 of 12 children born to John & Ann.

In 1911 Frank is 15 & working as a farm labourer for Mr F Ward. He is living in Upper Sundon with his parents & 2 brothers. His father John is 67 years old & a farm labourer for Mr W Cooper, his mother Ann is 58 & a straw worker. George is 22 years old & working as a general labourer at Forder's cement works & Henry, 30 is a farm labourer for Mr Hucklesby.

Chief Constable David Teale, the man credited with having built up the Luton Borough Police Force, died at 8.20 on the morning of December 13th, 1916, three weeks after being taken ill suffering from pleurisy and bronchitis.

David Teale, aged 57 and known as "The Chief," had completed 22 years and two months as Chief Constable. He held his Majesty's Police Medal for meritorious service, and was also Chief Officer of the Luton Fire Brigade, a role he took on shortly after arriving in the town.

Sgt Albert James "Bert" Beaumont, 9/8002, attached to 27th Training Reserve Battalion, died on December 12th, 1916, following several operations for internal complaints, including appendicitis, at hospital in St Albans.

Born in Markyate on July 21st, 1892, he lived his whole life in the village until he enlisted in the Beds Regiment (13391) at Luton in September 1914. He was the son of High Street, Markyate, butcher Frederick Beaumont and had worked in the family business.

Pte Thomas Fleckney, 31848, 6th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, died on December 6th, 1916, from wounds sustained on the Somme. He was aged 32 and the father of five children.

A letter from Sister Knight, of the Casualty Clearing Station where he was being treated, said Pte Fleckney had been admitted into hospital early in the morning with severe wounds to both legs and the necessity to amputate the right leg. He died at midday on December 6th.

Pte Thomas Northwood, 26295, 122nd Company Machine Gun Corps(Infantry), was killed in action in Flanders on December 4th, 1916. He was aged 25, single, and the son of Francis and Elizabeth Northwood, of 118 Wellington Street, Luton.

A letter to Mrs Northwood from the Rev F. Leslin Hilditch, a Church of England Chaplain to the Forces, said a 4.2 shell hit the dug-out Thomas was in, killing him instantly. He was buried in a military cemetery not far from the spot where he fell.

George Hull was 1 of 12 children born to John & Ann. He was born in January 1889 in Sundon, Bedsfordshire.

In 1911 George is 22 years old & working as a general labourer at Forder's cement works. He is living in Upper Sundon with his parents & 2 brothers. His father John is 67 years old & a farm labourer for Mr W Cooper, his mother Ann is 58 & a straw worker. Older brother Henry, 30 is a farm labourer for Mr Hucklesby & younger brother Frank, 15 is a farm labourer for Mr F Ward.

Pte John William Martin, G/14844, machine gun section, 13th Battalion Royal Sussex regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on October 21st, 1916. He was aged 18.

As a member of the Beds Territorial Force he was mobilised at the outbreak of war and subsequently transferred to the Royal Sussex Regiment. He had been at the Front since August 1916. Before the war he was worked for painter and house decorator Frederick Price, of Albion Road, Luton.

Parents Francis Joseph and Alice Susannah Martin lived at 25 Queen Street, Luton, at the time of their son's death.

Cpl Herbert Henry Strange, 18463, 2nd Battalion Wiltshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on October 18th, 1916. He was aged 31.

Born in Calne, Wiltshire, in 1885, he married Elizabeth Jarvis, from Markyate who was then living in Russell Street, Luton, in Luton in 1909. Living at 7 Dunstable Place, they had three children - Phyliss, born 1909, Herbert in 1911 and Arthur, born in 1914, just two months before his father enlisted in January 1915.