Pte Horace Hammett, 3/7435, 1st Bedfords, was killed in action at Hill 60 in France on May 5th, 1915. He was posted "missing and wounded" on June 9th but it was not until September that his parents received official notification of his death.

Pte Hammett, who was aged 19, had enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment in 1914 and went through five months of training. He was called up on mobilisation at the outbreak of war and was for seven or eight months stationed at Landguard and Felixstowe in Suffolk on guard and home defence. He left for the Front on April 28th, 1915, and was killed a week later.

He was the eldest son of fishmonger Sidney and Emma Hammett, of 114 Castle Street, Luton. He had attended Surrey Street School and was then employed by Messrs Brown and Green, ironfounders, Windsor Street, as a foundry labourer.

Having heard nothing of their son, his parents made enquiries and finally received a letter from the Adjutant of the 1st Battalion of the Bedfords in which he said: "I regret to inform you the result of further enquiries regarding the fate of your son, Pte H. Hammond, has confirmed that he was killed in action on May 5 last. I deeply regret this information was not forthcoming before owing the absence of witnesses. The casualty list of the above date was very heavy, and your son arriving with reinforcements increased the difficulties of tracing his fate."

Official notification of his death from the War Office finally arrived on September 23rd.