Perhaps the oldest member of the local Territorial and Volunteer units, Mr Joseph Theodore Gething, of 4 Henry Street, Luton, died suddenly at home on August 27th, 1918, as the result of a severe attack of pneumonia. He was 67.

He was a sergeant-major with the 2nd Volunteer Brigade Bedfordshire Regiment, and had been a member of the Luton Volunteers since coming to live in the town in 1874, thus having completed 42 years service.

He had attended, together with a detachment from the regiment, the late Queen Victoria's funeral, and with a colleague, Sgt-Major A. Wingrove, took an active part in every phase of Volunteer duty. He was winner of Madame de Falbe's Cup in 1911, and held with pride Queen Victoria's Medal for 20 years continuous service. At Christmas 1917, he and Sgt-Major Wingrove were presented with wrist watches by Volunteers' Commanding Officer, Major H. Cumberland Brown.

Mr Gething was Vice-Chairman of Luton Conservative Club for his last three years, and had been a member of the committee for 17 years. He was also Chairman of the House Committee and a member of the club almost from its inception. He also held the chairmanship of the club's Sick Benefit Society.

He was foreman of the brass fitting shop at the work of Messrs Hayward Tyler & Co, and left a widow, two daughters and four sons, two of whom were on military service in Egypt.

The funeral took place with military honours at the Church Cemetery, Crawley Green Road, on Saturday, August 31st, with a large detachment of Volunteers present.

[Joseph Gething was born in Birmingham on December 28th, 1851. He married Annie Shepherd in Luton on October 15th, 1881.]