Pte James Brown, 3/6100, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was posted missing, believe killed in action, on November 5th, 1914. He was born in Lilley in 1889 and was living at 5 Chase Street, Luton, in 1911.

In the 1891 Census he was listed as one of seven children of farm labourer George Brown and his wife Elizabeth, a straw plaiter.

It was not until around 18 months after James' death that Mr and Mrs Brown, then living at 65 Albert Road, Luton, received an intimation from the War Office that their son must be considered to have died on November 5th, 1914, or since that date on which he was posted missing.

Pte Brown was employed as an iron moulder at the Diamond Foundry when recalled to the Colours at the outbreak of war. He had married Minnie Fensome on January 27th, 1912, but she died in late 1913 at the age of 25. The couple had no children.

A second son, Cpl George Brown, was killed in action on October 7th, 1915.