Cpl Alfred John Axtell, 19/312, 19th Northumberland Fusiliers (Tyneside Pioneers) was killed by an explosive shell on August 23rd, 1916, during the British advance on the Somme.

Born in Dunstable in 1888, he later lived with parents Alfred and Martha Hannah (nee Ramsden) at 19 Biscot Road, Luton, and attended Old Bedford Road Boys' School, where he was a pupil teacher. After attending Westminster Training College, he became an assitant master at an elementary school in County Durham and lodged with a family at Dunston-on-Tyne, near Gateshead.

Pte Ralph Green, 34816, 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, died on August 30th, 1916, from wounds received in action on the Somme on August 27th. He was the second son of Luton Town FC Secretary Mr Charles Green and his wife Ellen (nee Shaw), of 73 Hazelbury Crescent, Luton.

Driver Arthur Smith, 524236, 1/2nd East Anglian Division Royal Engineers, died suffering from pneumonia in the Government Hospital in Suez, Egypt, on August 28th, 1916.

It was just the day before that parents Joseph and Jane Smith, of 58 New Town Street, Luton, learned that Arthur was dangerously ill in hospital. He was the second of their sons to die during the war.

Pte Percy Dumpleton, 4631, 1/5th Bedfordshire Regiment, died in the 27th General Hospital, Abassia, Cairo, Egypt, on August 22nd, 1916, following an attack of dysentery and enteric fever (typhoid). A Luton News report said he died of inflammation of the membrane of the brain.

Born at Chalgrave in 1893 and later living with parents Harry and Louisa in Victoria Street, Dunstable, he married Alice Emily (nee Folks) at St Paul's Church, Luton, in 1914. Their only child, daughter Kathleen, was born later that year.

Lutonian Pte Ernest Arthur Pestell, 2428, Australian Infantry, died in a Stationary Hospital in France on August 19th, 1916, from wounds sustained in action on the Somme.

Sgt William Ellingham, one of the first Lutonians to be awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, was killed in action on the Somme on August 18th, 1916. He was a son of Arthur and Annie Ellingham, of 8 Jubilee Street, Luton, and served in the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers.

In November 1915 Sgt Ellingham, then a lance corporal, came to England on leave and married Mabel Louisa Ward from Castleford in the Yorkshire town on November 5th. He had been stationed at Pontefract, Yorks, in 1911 and it was while there he probably met Mabel.

Petty Officer Stoker William Wallace Gadsby, Royal Navy, was the second son of William and Isabella Gadsby to die within six weeks in 1916. He was at the time serving on submarine E4, which, on August 15th, 1916, was sunk in a collision with sister submarine E41 during exercises off Harwich. Both vessels went down, and all hands on E4 were lost.

Younger brother Arthur Edward was killed in action on the Somme on July 5th while serving with the Hampshire Regiment.

Frederick Stanley Marlow was born in 1898 in Chalton, Bedfordshire. He was the eldest of 2 children born to Charles & Kate.

In 1911 he is living with his family in Sundon, near Dunstable in Bedfordshire. He is 13 years old & working as a farm labourer. His father is 36 years old & working at the cement & lime works whilst his 33 year old mother is at home looking after his 5 year old sister Dorothy.

Charles Marlow was born in 1875 in Sundon, near Dunstable in Bedfordshire. He was 1 of 7 children born to William & Sarah Ann.

In 1881 he is 6 years old & living with his family in Sundon. HIs father is 30 years old & working as an agricultural labourer alongside Charles' brother 12 year old Frederick. His mother Sarah 30, is at home looking after his younger siblings, George 9, Clara 4 & 1 year old Esau.

Pte Charles Henry Grace, 23835, 12th Battalion South Wales Borderers, was killed in action in France on August 13th, 1916. He was the son of Arthur and Kate Grace, of Aley Green, and is commemorated on the Caddington War Memorial.

Gwynne Evan Owen Williams was born in Luton in April 1881. He was the eldest son of 6 children born to Alderman Herbert Owen & Edith Jane.

He was a pupil at Bedford Grammar School & in 1911 a medical student living away from home in a student's house in St Pancras whilst studying at University College Hospital in London.

He served as assistant medical officer at Lewisham Infirmary and surgical registrar at the Dreadnought Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich.

Military Medal winner L-Cpl Robert Stokes, 12329, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on August 9th, 1916. He was still listed as "missing" when parents Samuel and Phoebe Stokes, of 10 Alfred Street, Luton, learned that their eldest son, Pte Samuel Stokes, aged 30, had also been killed in France - on October 25th, 1916.

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).

Pte George Arthur Young, 13405, 25th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was serving in East Africa when he died in hospital from an unspecified disease on July 29th, 1916. He was buried in Dar es Salaam War Cemetery in German East Africa (now Tanzania).

His military record says he was born in St Albans [1875] and was residing at Elstree, otherwise little is known about him. However, he is included on the Luton Roll of Honour with an address given as 33 Windsor Street, Luton. His name was also added to a "Book of Life" being prepared at Luton Parish Church in 1919.

Pte Hedley Richard Farr, G/20105, 17th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own), was reported to have been killed in action on the Somme on August 8th, 1916. He was aged 38, single and had lived with his widowed mother Eliza (nee Groom) at 32 Liverpool Road, Luton.