Pte Frederick Halsey, 2473, 2/1st West Riding Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, was one of three stretcher-bearers who died together under enemy shell fire in France on the morning of June 21st, 1918.

In a letter to Mrs Elizabeth Halsey at 6 New Town Street, Luton, Lieut-Col Walter Lister extended his sympathy and wrote: “Your son was on duty in the forward area as stretcher-bear when the relay post at which he was stationed was blown up by a direct hit from enemy fire.”

Frederick Halsey, aged 32 and single, was an old Army Reserve man who had served for some 14 years. On the outbreak of war in 1914 he immediately joined up. For the first 18 months he was on battlefield duty, later serving on ships bringing wounded men back to England before finally returning to the Front himself.

Prior to joining up he had worked at Laporte's in Park Street, the 1911 Census describing him as an iron foundry labourer. His father had died in 1907.