Pte Frank Herbert Lewin (Lowin*), 5349, 5th Bedfords, died in hospital in Egypt on June 28th, 1916, a few days after being admitted suffering from heat stroke. He was aged 35 and was familiarly known as "Larry".

Born in October 1880, he was the son of the late Solomon and Mary Ann Lowin. He married Amelia (nee Watson) in 1901, his wife and eight children - seven aged under 14 - living at 33 Brunswick Street, Luton.

Three days before his death he wrote to his wife from the Government Hospital in Suez to say he was ill - "outed by the heat". He said: "I was going on all right until that happened, but it is a marvel how any man can stick this country. It was never made for one to roam in. I would rather be on top of Cranny's chimney." His letter arrived two days after official notification of his death.

"Cranny's" was the familiar name for the foundry of Mr P. Cranfield in Brunswick Street, where Pte Lewin worked before his enlistment.

He had served in the old Militia, and at the time of the South African [Boer] War he volunteered for service, but was never sent out to Africa. He enlisted in the Bedfords on the last day of June in 1915, and went out to Egypt in October.

*Records from his birth registration to a 1915 street directory show Frank Herbert's name as Lowin. Military-based records introduce the name Lewin.