For the second time in his Army career, Pte Alfred George Cook, 200573, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was reported missing. It was July 20th, 1917, two years after he had been reported missing at Gallipoli, then said to have been killed, then wounded and finally, after six days of wandering, he rejoined his regiment.

Reginald James Payne was my maternal Grandfather born in Dudderston, Birmingham on the 9th November 1896.  He was the 3rd eldest of six children born to Walter & Minnie Payne. 

According to military records, Pte Stanley ('Tom') Toyer, 235151, 2nd Battalion South Lancs Regiment, was killed in action on August 3rd, 1917.

But a lieutenant in his company wrote to parents Alfred and Martha Toyer, of 218 North Street, Luton, to say their son was killed in action on July 31st during the latest advance in the Ypres sector. He was killed by a shell which fell in the trench close to him.

Pte Toyer enlisted in the South Lancs Regiment in September 1916 and had been in France only six weeks when he was killed.

Pte Sidney James Bone, 27319, 7th Battalion Norfolk Regiment, was killed in action on August 2nd, 1917. He was aged 30, and left a widow and daughter.

After nine weeks training with the Norfolks he had been drafted to France in May 1917. He had married Minnie Evelyn Nicholls in 1908 and had a daughter, Gladys. The family home was at 64 Cowper Street, Luton.

Sidney had worked as a dairyman since he was 18, while his father Edwin had been a milk purveyor for 30 years. Edwin and his wife Mary Ann lived in Baker Street.

Pte Horace John Sanders, 27416, 7th Battalion Norfolk Regiment, was killed in action in France on August 2nd*, 1917, about three months after going to the Front. He had been slightly wounded a few days previously but returned to duty almost immediately.

Horace, aged 29, was the elder son of grocer, farm owner and member of the Luton Board of Guardians John Sanders and his wife Sarah Agnes, of 54 Hastings Street, Luton.

L-Cpl Herbert Smith, 60089, 26th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was the third of five serving sons of Joseph and Jane Smith, of 58 New Town Street, Luton, to lose his life on the battlefield. He died of wounds in Belgium on August 2nd, 1917.

Herbert had enlisted at the outbreak of war into the Bedfordshire Regiment (40374). He was wounded at Gallipoli and invalided home. After recovery he was drafted into the Royal Fusiliers and went to France.

Cpl Alfred Edward Bertram Burgess, 204386, 12th Battalion East Surrey Regiment, died in a dressing station on August 1st*, 1917, from wounds sustained while serving in a trench in Flanders.

A letter from his Captain to parents Edward and Elizabeth Clara Burgess in Luton said their son had been badly wounded in the trench and died of wounds in the dressing station. He had been conscious for only a few minutes after a shell burst and he passed away despite all being done for him that could be. [*The letter indicated that death had occurred on July 31st].

Pte Humphrey Winton Worthington, 19589, 11th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, was killed in action on July 31st, 1917. The Luton doctor's son, aged 19, had been transferred from the Norfolk Regiment (32417) only a short time earlier.

News of his death was received by his sister Elizabeth from Cpl H. E. Courtney, Royal Engineers. He wrote: "Your brother Winton was found dead this morning on the battlefield, killed by a piece of shell striking his heart. He must have died instantly."

Pte Walter Watton Page, 269777, 1st Battalion Herts Regiment, died on July 31st, 1917, from wounds sustained in action in Belgium. He had joined the regiment the previous September and underwent training at Halton Camp.

Born in Peckham, London, the son of butcher Walter Page and his wife Alice, Pte Page had built up his own hairdressing business from the family home at 21 Bailey Street, Luton.

On July 28th, 1915, he married Alice Maude Ada Robins at Luton Parish Church and they had a daughter, Mollie Winifred, born on June 30th, 1916.

Pte Joseph Bunker, 60856, 1st Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action in Belgium on July 31st, 1917. He was aged 24 and left a widow, Lydia Emily.

He enlisted in the Royal Fusiliers in May 1916 and was invalided home with trench foot in February 1917. The following June he returned to the front,

Born in South Normanton, Derbyshire, he had spent much of his life at Flitwick, where his father Richard was a stockman on a farm. At the time of the 1911 Census, Joseph was also working on the farm, as a labourer.

Pte Walter Brazier, 40379, 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, was killed in action at Chateau Wood, near Ypres, on July 31st, 1917, the date of the start of the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). He was aged 21 and left a widow, Olive.

Pte Brazier had been in the Army for only six months, and just 11 weeks in Flanders. Letters from comrades to his wife said he was hit by a piece of shell and died instantly.

Pte James Lamb, 235257, 8th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, was killed in action on July 29th-30th, 1917, when a shell fell on his trench. A comrade with him escaped simply because he had gone to get his rifle.

L-Cpl Harry Woodbridge, 42230, 11th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was reported missing, later presumed killed, in France from July 29th, 1917.

Pte Alfred Ball, 22996, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on July 29th, 1917, from shrapnel wounds sustained on the battlefield in France. He was aged 21 and single.

According to Sgt C. B. Sell in a letter to parents Henry and Alice Ball, of 22 Bailey Street, Luton, their son was proceeding down the trench to fetch rations for himself and comrades and was unfortunately hit on the way. Comrades in the trench did all they could for him and carried him to a dressing station. The sergeant's letter ended with the hope that Pte Ball would soon recover.

Pte Joseph William Hare, 33634, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on July 28th, 1917. He left a widow, Alice, and had been married for only 16 months.

Joseph had joined the Bedfordshire Yeomanry in 1915 and was quickly promoted to lance-corporal. At Christmas 1916 he was transferred to the Bedfordshire Regiment and reverted to the ranks. With them he went to France. On April 20th, 1917, he was wounded but returned to the fighting line after a three weeks stay at the base, and remained in service until his death at the age of 26.