Gunner Charles Hobbs, 315375, Royal Garrison Artillery, died in action in Flanders on May 6th, 1917. He was aged 29 and had been killed instantly by a shell, the first man in his battery to die by enemy fire.

Charles and his wife Elizabeth (nee Webb) lived at 82 Highbury Road, Luton. The couple had married in 1911, and Charles was an employee of the CWS Cocoa factory in Dallow Road, Luton, prior to enlisting.

Driver Frederick Albert Matthews, 35792, 136th Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) and ex-25541 Beds Regiment, died of gunshot wounds at Basra, Mesopotamia, on April 24th, 1917.

He would be the first of three brothers to died on the battlefield within six months - Harry in France on June 17th, 1917, while serving with the Royal Field Artillery, and John (a Military Medal winner) died in France with the Royal Engineers on October 4th, 1917.

Pte Victor Freeman Baxter, 33013, 8th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, was killed in action near Arras on May 3rd, 1917. He died just days before his 19th birthday.

He had joined the Bedfordshire Regiment at the outbreak of war, but was later transferred to the Leicesters. He spent some time in England before being drafted from Halton Camp to France.

One April 22nd he had written to parents William and Minnie Baxter at 7 Villa Road, Luton, to say he had just come out of action and was quite well. That was followed by a letter from a pal to say that Victor was missing.

Pte William Hankin, 307038, 2/7th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment), was killed in action in France on May 3rd, 1917. Older brother, Alfred (Beds Regiment), had died from wounds in France on October 30th, 1914.

Dunstable-born William had enlisted in the West Riding Regiment in March 1916 and went to France the following January. Parents Alfred and Alberta Hankin had moved from Dunstable and were living at 64 Ivy Road, Luton.

L-Cpl John Thomas Longden, 13234, 10th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, was killed in action in France on April 28th, 1917. Although he is included on the Luton Roll of Honour, he may not have lived or worked here and his connection appears to be that his mother, Eliza, had moved to live at 6 Church Street, Luton, a short time before his death.

L-Cpl Longden's connections appear to be almost entirely with the Rotherham area of Yorkshire, where both he and his parents were living when the 1911 Census was compiled.

Pte Edward Anstee, 30849, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action near Arras on May 3rd, 1917. He was aged 35.

No report of his death appears to have been published in the local Press at the time. He was born around 1881 and married Louisa Fox in Luton in 1900.

At the time of the 1911 Census the couple were living at 17 Cowper Street, Luton, Edward working as a straw hat blocker. Their only child had died.

Pte Archie Walter Patten, 32151, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died in Etaples Hospital, France, on May 4th, 1917, from serious wounds sustained in the Battle of Arras on April 23rd. He was single and aged 24.

He had enlisted in the 1/5th Bedfords at the outbreak of war and took part in the Dardanelles campaign. He was invalided home with dysentery and spent three months in the Mile End Hospital. In November 1916 he was drafted to France.

Pte George Summerlin, 30601, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action near Arras on May 3rd, 1917. He was aged 26.

No newspaper report of his death appears to have been published around the time, but in the 1911 Census he is shown living with parents George and Jane Summerlin at 15 Stuart Street, Luton. Also living there was his wife Alice Maud (nee Hill), whom George had married in 1907, and their three children at that time - Leslie, Reginald and Wilfred. Records suggest they later had two daughters.

L-Cpl George Trott MM, 3/7607, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was post missing then killed in action on May 3rd, 1917. He was aged 34.

In a letter to George's widow, Bertha, at 59 Ridgway Road, Luton, Lieut F. N. Sherwell wrote that on the morning of the 3rd, when the battalion attacked the German lines, L-Cpl Trott started off with the platoon and was last seen just over the top of the British trenches. All enquiries possible had been made, but there was no further news of him.

Pte William Souster, 25633, 8th Battalion East Surrey Regiment (ex-3455 Middlesex Regiment), died on May 2nd, 1917, from wounds sustained near Arras earlier the same day. He was aged 33.

William married Emily Hatton, from Dorking, Surrey, at St Cuthbert's Church, Kensington, on August 6th, 1908. The couple lived at 446 Hitchin Road, Luton, and they had five children.

Before enlistment, William was employed as a straw hat factory foreman by Gilbert Brown & Co, 28 Victoria Street, Luton.

Sapper Harry Jeakings, 524257, 484th Field Company Royal Engineers, died on May 1st, 1917, from shrapnel wounds sustained in action in Egypt. He had enlisted in the E.A.R.E. in September 1915 and, after training at Maidenhead, he proceeded to Egypt at Easter 1916.

The son of fruiterers George and Louisa Jeakings, of 94 High Town Road, he was employed at the Davis, Clements & Co hat factory in Frederic Street.

Pte Leonard Smith MM, 35961, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in the Battle of Arras on or just before April 29th, 1917. He was aged 29 and born in Peterborough.

Although his name is included on the Luton Roll of Honour, there is no accompanying Luton address. With no local Press reports of his death, his Luton connection is not clear.

In the 1911 Census he is described as a tailor's presser living in Leicester with Martha Alice (nee Trowell) whom he married about a year previously. The couple were to have three children.

Pte Frederick William Priest, 31980, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in the Battle of Arras some time between April 23rd and April 29th, 1917.

He is included on the Luton Roll of Honour with an address at 3 Denbigh Road, Luton, although other records give an address at 8 Walsworth Villas, Hitchin. No report of his death seems to have been published in the local Press.

Pte Henry Andrews, 32099, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on April 29th, 1917.

He is commemorated on the Luton Roll of Honour with an address given as 43 Langley Street, Luton, although street directories from the time of his death suggest that may be a post-war family address. There appear to be no reports of his death in the local Press to provide further information.

Pte Frederick George Manning, 22956, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was posted missing, presumed killed, on or after April 29th, 1917, during the Battle of Arras. The news reached his widow, Rosetta, at her home at 105 Boyle Street, Luton, a month later.

Frederick Manning enlisted on November 1st, 1915, and, after training at Ampthill, was drafted to France in the following July. He was aged 25 and prior to enlisting was employed by coal and coke merchant C. Franklin, of Manchester Street, Luton.