Pte Ernest William Armitage, 20432, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on June 25th*, 1918. He was single, and his widowed mother lived at 26 Albert Road, Luton.

In a letter to Mrs Sarah Armitage, Capt P. J. Reiss wrote that her son's death had occurred on June 26th*. Ernest was a member of a Lewis gun team in the front line, and he had been nearby when Pte Armitage was killed instantly by a piece of trench mortar entering his head from behind. His body was carried out the same evening and he had been properly buried in an English cemetery.

Ernest had joined up over three years previously and had spent three birthdays in the trenches. He formerly worked for Messrs Powdrill.

A year earlier Pte Armitage he had performed an exceedingly brave act and received on a card through his commanding officer: “Your C.O. And Brigade Commander have informed me that you have distinguished yourself during the fighting at Hill 70 in April 1917. You displayed great bravery in carrying communications up to the front under heavy shell fire.”

Pte Armitage's eldest brother was killed during the Boar War, and another brother was serving in Egypt with the Bedfords. His father George had died early in 1914.

Ernest was born in the Welwyn registration district of Herts in 1892, and by 1911 he was working as a farm labourer while the family lived at Pepperstock. He is commemorated on the Luton Roll of Honour/War Memorial and in the St Mary's Parish Church Book of Life.