Lance Corporal

Lanc Corporal StripeJunior to a Corporal. From lancepesade "officer of lowest rank, from obsolete French lancepessade, from Old Italian lancia spezzata, superior soldier, literally "broken lance". Originally referred to as a "chosen man" who would take control of the section if the Corporal was to be killed or wounded

Lance Corporal Arthur Litchfield

L-Cpl Arthur Litchfield, 22004, Army Pay Corps, died from influenza in the No 14 General Hospital at Wimereux, France, on February 18th, 1919. He was aged 22.

Born in Luton in 1896, a son of Walter John and Sarah Litchfield, of 212 Wellington Street, Luton, he was employed by grocer Mr Kendall, of Wellington Street, and later the Co-operative Stores in Dallow Road.

He was called up in 1916 but placed on the Reserve, and he then transferred to a Co-operative Society at Coventry. He was again called up in August 1918, and was sent to Wimereux with the Army Pay Corps.

Lance Corporal James Chandler

L-Cpl James Chandler, P/10790, Military Police Corps, died on February 26th, 1919, from pneumonia in the No 17 Casualty Clearing Station in Cologne while serving with the Army of Occupation on the Rhine. He was the only former member of Luton Borough Police Force to have died while on military service during or just after World War One. He was given pride of place at the top of the Police Roll of Honour that once stood in the parade room at Luton.

Lance Corporal William George Giltrow

L-Cpl William George Giltrow, WR/266190, Railway Construction Coy Royal Engineers, died from influenza and bronchitis in the 48th Clearing Station, Namur, Belgium, on January 29, 1919. He had joined the R.E.C.Z. Headquarters in Belgium.

The 29-year-old, who lived at 23 Althop Road, Luton, was previously Assistant School Attendance Officer for Luton and a member of High Town Primitive Methodist Church, where he was choir ssecretary and a Sunday school teacher. He had also served as a special constable.

Lance Corporal George Thomas Winch

L-Cpl George Thomas Winch, CH/14986, Royal Marine Light Infantry, died from double pneumonia in the Royal Naval Hospital, Edinburgh, on November 5th, 1918. He was aged 36.

Luton-born George had originally enlisted at Plymouth in 1901 for 12 years, and was in the Royal Fleet Reserve when mobilised at the outbreak of war. He saw service on various fronts, including Gallipoli and France, and during his last 12 months had been on patrol duty at sea.

Lance Corporal Charles Moulster

L-Cpl Charles Moulster, P/14546, Military Foot Police Corps, died from influenza on October 31st, 1918, while serving in Italy. A chaplain wrote to parents James and Sarah Moulster at Kensworth to say that his grave would be cared for and a cross erected.

Born in Kensworth in 1880, Charles had previously been a porter at the Luton Union House in Dunstable Road, Luton. His death was announced at a meeting of the Luton Board of Guardians who ran the workhouse and a vote of sympathy was sent to his relatives.

Lance Corporal Sidney Baines

L-Cpl Sidney Baines, 83889, Machine Gun Corps, died in the Middle East from malaria on October 19th, 1918. He was aged about 34 and left a widow Nellie, whom he had not officially married, plus two children living at 14 Windmill Street, High Town.

Nellie Holding informed the military authorities that she and Sidney had lived together for several years and had children Gwendoline Elsie (born 1914) and Sidney John (1916). She said their plans to marry were prevented by Sidney being sent to Egypt.

Lance Corporal Horace Frederick Alfred Hudson

L-Cpl Horace Frederick Alfred Hudson, 023764, 93rd Coy, Army Ordnance Corps, died from influenza in a stationary hospital in Italy on October 16th, 1918. He was aged 26.

In a letter to parents Alfred and Alice Hudson at 9 Stanley Street, Luton, Horace said he had fallen victim to the influenza epidemic but was quite comfortable and going on well. That was followed by a telegram saying he was dangerously ill, and later a letter stating that he had died, the date given being October 23rd.

Lance Corporal Sidney William Farr

L-Cpl Sidney William Farr, 31137, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on September 29th, 1918. He died instantly from a gunshot in the head.

He had joined the Territorials in 1911 and was called up at the commencement of war. The 27-year-old had previously been invalided home with trench fever.

Lance Corporal William Perrins

L-Cpl William Perrins, 80174, 23rd Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action in France on September 30th, 1918. He left a widow and a child living in Luton.

He had gone to France only a month earlier, on August 28th, following 14 weeks of training in Ireland. He had previously worked for George Kent Ltd.

Born in Lewisham, London, to Frank and Lucy Perrins in 1893, he and his parents and four sisters and three brothers were living at 30 Maple Road, Luton, in 1911.

Lance Corporal Edward Stanley Davis

L-Cpl Edward Stanley Davis, 170, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on September 2nd, 1918. The 35-year-old was the only son of aged widowed mother Margaret, who lived at the rear of 23 Duke Street, Luton.

Edward had enlisted when only 16 years old and had gone through the Boer War in South Africa. He was later employed as a general labourer before re-enlisting at the outbreak of war in August 1914, doing 18 months transport service ahead of being placed in the firing line.

Lance Corporal Reginald William Wiley

L-Cpl Reginald William Wiley, 78463, 4th Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), was killed in action in France on August 31st, 1918. He was aged 19 and single.

Born in Luton in 1899, he was a son of William James and Mary Ann Wiley, of 81 Selbourne Road, Luton. He worked at George Kent's and had joined up in April 1917.

The Luton News reported that he was a well-known football player who had belonged to several junior clubs.

Lance Corporal Hubert Edley Carrington

L-Cpl Hubert Edley Carrington, 60126, 26th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action on September 20th, 1917. But it was a year before the War Office confirmed his death on the Menin Road, near Ypres, to widow Ethel at 98 Cambridge Street, Luton.

Hubert had been a bandsman in the 5th Beds Volunteers. He was in camp with the regiment when war broke out, and he was mobilised with the Territorial Force (no. 40412).

Lance Corporal Charles Horace West

L-Cpl Charles Horace West, 40645, 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers, was killed in action in Flanders on April 11th, 1918. He was aged 30, married and had a son.

Charles, eldest son of Charles and Amy Jane West, of 47 Ivy Road, Luton, had been reported missing since April 11th, and his fate was still unknown when brother Fred, 881989, Royal Field Artillery, was confirmed kill in France on July 29th, 1918.

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