Gunner William James Bass, 111890, 238th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, in the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station, France, on the evening of September 27th, 1917, from wounds received on the battlefield the previous day.

A sister at the hospital wrote that Gunner Bass had been admitted with a severe fracture of the skull and a fractured arm. All possible was done for him, but to no avail and he passed peacefully away without regaining consciousness.

William Bass had worked for over ten years as a bricklayer for builders T. & E. Neville, of Luton. He was called up in July 1916, and sailed for France the following Christmas. He was appointed an observer to his siege battery.

William had married Florence Maud Olney at Luton Parish Church on May 30th, 1898, and they had eight children. The oldest boy, aged 18, was serving in the Army at the time of his father's death, and a son two years younger was in the Navy.

A daughter, 11-year-old Gwendoline, had died on May 31st, 1917, and her father was given leave to attend her funeral in June.

Widow Florence and her younger children continued to live at 89 Albert Road, Luton.