Stuart John Webb was a son of George Webb, a dentist of Westbourne Road, Luton, and his wife Elizabeth.

Stuart was 21 when he was conscripted into the Northamptonshire Regiment in 1916, service number 45954. He was posted to France in 1917, where he was almost immediately transferred to the Manchester Regiment, service number 42359.

He was wounded in action on October 8 1917, and was transferred to the military hospital at Etaple where a few days later he succumbed to his wounds. He is buried at Etaples Military Cemetary, Pas de Calais, France.  Grave reference: XXX.F.21A.

Stuart never married as far as the family knew but on his attestation papers when he signed up he stated he had a wife.

In his photo he wears a gold ring on his wedding finger and when his personal effects were returned to his mother the ring and a lock of hair was included. “So was there a young lady somewhere in Luton also mourning his death?” asks his ancestor John Atterton.

The list of personal effects that were to be returned to his family were:-

• One disc - presumably his identity disc
• One 9ct gold ring - presumably the one he is wearing in his photograph
• Letters and photographs,  these would have revealed so much
• Two pipes, one in a case
• Two Wallets
• One Bible
• One belt
• One tobacco pouch
• One pencil case
• One coin
• A lock of hair -  presumably not his mother's hair,  I suspect he had a sweet heart in Luton and was planning to marry
• Registration Card
• A motor licence
• (A7B 2615??) - fiire damage prevents further identification.

Not much to reflect the sole possessions of a man who died for his country.