Pte Oliver Howard, 39454, 5th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, was killed in action in France on November 3rd, 1918 – eight days before the armistice and only three days after he had been drafted to France. Aged 18, he was the youngest of five serving brothers.

Born in Leytonstone, Essex, in 1899, he and his family had lived in Chaul End Lane, Caddington, for nearly nine years, before he moved with widower father Daniel and brother Erastus to 35 Salisbury Road, Luton.

Daniel Howard was a local preacher connected with Wellington Street Baptist Church.

Sgt Arthur Foster, 16999, 2nd Battalion Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), died of influenza on November 2nd, 1918, in the No 6 General Hospital, Rouen, France.

He had joined the Northamptonshire Regiment in 1913 and was in action from the start of the war. He was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps in 1917 and was promoted to sergeant about six months before his death. His father, Alfred, was a lance-corporal in the Army Service Corps serving in France.

Pte George William Smith, F/3441, 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action at Solesmes, east of Cambrai in France, on October 12th, 1918. He was aged 34 and a married man with three children.

He had been in the Forces for about two and a half years and had been slightly wounded in the face in May 1917.

Born in Ampthill, he married Daisy Annie Inns at St Matthew's Church, Luton, on August 1st, 1908. They had three children – Hilda May (born 1909), George Ernest (1912) and William Charles (1914).

Driver Percy Albert Horwood, 208439, 282nd Brigade Royal Field Artillery, was killed in action in France on the morning of November 1st, 1918. He was aged 28 and a son of Old Bedford Road hat manufacturer Joseph Albert Horwood and his wife Lucy, who lived at 41 Biscot Road, Luton.

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.

Pte Clarence Blackbourn, 40100, 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on February 27th, 1917. He was single and aged 19.

Born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, in 1898, Clarence was living with parents Thomas and Emily Jane plus four brothers and two sisters at Stamford, Lincolnshire, at the time of the 1911 Census.

Spr George Kendal Silsbey (Silsby), 522296, 486th Field Coy, Royal Engineers, died in Egypt on October 31st*, 1918, from pneumonia. Parents Harry and Caroline Annie (Carrie) Silsbey had been hoping to see him on home leave. They had not seen him since 1915, when he went to East.

A telegram received by the parents on November 1st, 1918, said their son was dangerously ill with fever, followed by a second telegram on November 6th to say that he died on October 31st from pneumonia.

Pte Charles Barnard Plater, 265668. 2nd Battalion Royal West Surrey Regiment, was killed in action in Italy on October 29th, 1918. He was aged 22 and single.

The news was received by his twice widowed mother Jane Hawkins, of 27 Newcombe Road, Luton. Charles' father, Thomas Plater, had died in 1906 and Jane remarried in 1910. Her second husband, Frederick Hawkins, was killed in action in France on May 13th, 1915, while serving with the 2nd Essex Regiment (6164).

Lieut Sidney Charles Squires, 2/5th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was killed in action in at Valenciennes in France on October 28th, 1918. He was a holder of the Belgian Croix de Guerre, awarded the previous February for intelligence work while with the Brigade staff.

He was the 22-year-old third son of Harry and Emily Wooler Squires, of Crafnant, Chapel Street (10 Farley Hill), Luton. His father was a director of hat manufacturers Welch & Sons, of Upper George Street.

Pte Albert Edward (Bert) Gadsby, 25430, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died from wounds at Rouen on October 29th, 1918, six days after combat that had included the liberation of Lille and surrounding French villages.

Pte Arthur Kiff, 73413, 23rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was reported missing and then “killed in action or died of wounds received in action, on October 8th, 1918, or shortly after”. He was aged 19 and had joined up in January 1918, but it was not until around a month following the armistice that his presumed death was confirmed to his parents.

Pte Albert George Ward, 47988, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was presumed killed in action in France on October 23rd, 1918, the day he was reported missing by the War Office.

Six weeks later, parents Henry Arthur and Emily Ward, of 10 Moreton Road, Round Green, appealed to his chums through The Luton News for any news they might have of him.

Prior to the war Albert, who was born in Mangrove in 1891, had worked at the Great Northern Railway goods yard in Luton.

Pte Reginald Thomas Ashby, 47056, 9th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was killed in action in France in the advance at Le Cateau on October 15th, 1918. He was aged 20 and single.

Born in Harpenden in 1898, he was one of three sons of Harry and Lizzie Ashby, of 47 Manor Road, Luton. He had joined the Army on May 2nd, 1917, and was stationed at Dover with the Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry (30544). He went to France six months before his death, transferring to the Inniskillings.

Pte William Plater, 43459, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on October 23rd, 1918. He was aged 24 and single.

He was a son of Frederick (died 1902) and Annie Plater, of 2 Chase Street, Luton. William had previously served in the Machine Gun Corps (26296).

At the time of the 1911 Census William was living with his widowed mother and two brothers at 12 Langley Place, Luton, and was employed as a general labourer. Before enlisting he had worked for Mr James Pollard, of May Street.

Pte Henry Turner (known as Happy Harry), 32121, 1st Battalion East Surrey Regiment, was killed in action in France on October 20th, 1918. He was a nephew of Luton Town FC trainer Billy Lawson, and was due to have been married at the end of November. His fiancee had made all the preparations.