Pte Sidney Cleaver, 3433, 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action on or shortly after April 28th, 1917. He left a widow, Florence Kate, and a baby daughter, Phyllis Ellen.

Sidney had written three or four letters a week to Florence before they suddenly ceased. It was then that a lady church worker at St Saviour's gave the first intimation of Sidney's fate. As he was on the church roll of honour, Sidney was sent a monthly letter from the church. The last one sent had been returned with "wounded" written on the envelope.

As a result, Florence contacted the War Office for more information, and on May 31st she was notified that Sidney was wounded and missing. Baby Phyllis was born a few hours later.

Sidney Cleaver, aged 26, had enlisted in the Middlesex Regiment in June 1916 and after four months' training was drafted to France. Prior to enlistment he had for 10 years been employed as a warehouseman by straw hat manufacturer Mr C. H. Osborne, of Bute Street. Sidney was also a member of the King Street P.S.A. [Pleasant Sunday Afternoon].

He had married Luton girl Florence Kate Rodell at St Paul's Church, Luton, on October 17th, 1914. They lived at 148 Wellington Street.

Sidney's mother, Dublin-born Mary Ellen (known as Ellen) was pregnant with him when his father John died in 1890 after ten years of marriage. In 1895 his mother married Thomas Pitkin in Luton.

At the time of Sidney's death, Mrs Pitkin, then living at 67 Dumfries Street, had four other sons serving - three with the surname Cleaver and one named Pitkin.