Company Sgt Major Arthur Fountain, 15400, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on September 27th, 1916.

Born in Markyate in 1881, he was a son of the late William Richard and Sarah Ann Fountain,of Luton Road, Markyate. He enlisted on September 7th, 1914, and had served at the Front without a scratch for about 18 months, with just one brief spell of home leave.

At the time of the 1911 Census Arthur was living with his married sister Annie and her husband William G. Champkin and their son at 184 Wellington Street, Luton. He was a labourer at the Henry Brown and Sons timber yard in Dunstable Road, and his interests included football.

He had three brothers serving with the Colours - Pte Harry Fountain on active service, Pte Thomas Fountain, also in France, and Pte William Fountain, in training at Felixstowe.