Soldier

Private Archer Godfrey

Private Archer (Archie) Godfrey, 3/6526, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action on November 9th, 1914. He was aged 23.

Born in Caddington the son of Alfred and Elizabeth Godfrey, of The Green, he was listed in the 1911 Census as a bricklayer. At the time of his death his family had lived at 32 St Saviour's Crescent, Luton, for two years.

Private Frederick Charles Webb

Pte Frederick Charles Webb, 8136, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action at Ypres on November 9th, 1914.

Born at a cottage in Round Green, he was the youngest son of Thomas Webb, then living in Stopsley village. Pte Webb had served nine years with the colours, five of them in India and one in Aden.

On his return to Luton he was a drayman with the Midland Railway Company for around 10 months before being called up at the outbreak of war in August.

Private Frederick John East

 

Pte Frederick John East, 3/6435, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on November 7th, 1914. He was killed by a shell during the retreat from Mons.

The 29-year-old had been in the 1st Bedfords for some years and was at Kempston Barracks at the time of the 1911 Census. On the outbreak of war he went to the Front.

Pte East was the son of Emma, who married John Ford and lived at 48 Burr Street, Luton. Before enlistment he had worked at Mr Stewart Hubbard's bleaching and dyeing factory.

Private James Brown

 

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.

Private Bert Spacey

Pte Bert Spacey, 10281, A Company, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action at Ypres on November 7th, 1914. His age is recorded as 19.

Born in 1894, he lived with his mother Ellen and brother Percy, at 1 East Avenue, Park Street, Luton.

In the 1911 Census, Ellen, aged 38, is described as a straw hat machinist, Bert as a straw plait dyer, and Percy, then aged just 14, as a foundry worker.

 

Private Sidney James Whittemore

Pte Sidney James Whittemore, 6710, of the 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action in the neighbourhood of Ypres on November 7th, 1914. He was aged 34.

Pte Whittemore, whose home address was 10 Park Way, High Town, Luton, left a widow, Edith, and three little children. His parents, Mr and Mrs George Whittemore, lived at Stopsley.

He was a reservist who prior to the war was working for Messrs T. Balmforth and Co, boilermakers, Pondwicks Road, Luton. After being called up at the outbreak of war he was for a short time with the 3rd Battalion, Beds Regt, at Felixstowe.

Private George Bunyan

Pte George Bunyan, 8601, Highland Light Infantry, died on November 5th, 1914, from wounds received in action the previous day. He was aged 28.

Born at Aley Green, he served for 12 years with the colours and was on reserve when war broke out. He was recalled to his battalion on August 5th, before which he was a stiffener with hat manufacturer Mr T. Day, of High Town Road.

He lived at 157 High Town Road and left a widow and two children, aged seven and two. His pensioner parents lived in Cowper Street, Luton.

 

Lance Corporal Percy Edward Woodcroft

Lance-Corporal Percy Edward Woodcroft, 9353, 2nd Beds Regt, was killed in action on October 31st, 1914. He was aged 23 and son of Mr and Mrs Edwin Woodcroft, of 73 Ivy Road, Luton.

A native of Colchester, he came to Luton with his parents and, with his brothers and sister, went to Surrey Street School. After leaving school he joined the Volunteers as a bugler boy, and when old enough enlisted with the Bedfords, going to Aldershot and from there to South Africa.

Private Sidney Cain

Pte Sidney Cain, 3/7393, 2nd Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action on October 31st, 1914. He was 28 years old.

Parents Mr and Mrs Alfred Cain, who lived at 54 Duke Street, Luton, learned from Pte Bates, who had been serving with Pte Cain, that their son was killed instantly by a rifle bullet in one of the big engagements during which the 2nd Bedfords were in the thickest of the fighting and suffered heavy casualties.

Private Alfred Hankin

Pte Alfred Hankin, 8143, B Company, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, died on October 30th, 1914, in the No. 6 Clearing Hospital, Bethune, France, from wounds received in action. He was aged 28.

He had served eight years with the colours and had 17 months to serve in the Reserve when war broke out. He was called up on August 5th.

His mother and invalid father lived at 64 Ivy Road, Luton. While on the Reserve list Pte Hankin, who formerly lived in Dunstable, had been working at the bleaching and dying works of Mr J. L. Frenay-Pirotte in Leagrave Road.

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