Cyclist Henry Albert 'Harry' James, 3164, 47th London Divisional Cyclist Company, was killed in action in action in France on January 21st, 1916.

He was one of 17 employees of the Diamond Foundry in Dallow Road who joined the 17th Battalion London Regiment as a rifleman in September 1914 and transferred to the Cyclist Company when it was formed.

Harry was the only son of Job and Lizzie James, of 2 Wimbourne Road, Luton. He was aged 23.

Pte Lloyd, of 19 Rothesay Road, Luton, who enlisted with Harry and transferred with him to the Cyclist Company, was just a few yards away in the trenches when his friend was killed. He wrote to Mrs James with the tragic news.

"He was one of the best pals we could ever have and I can assure you his loss is a great one to our platoon and more so to the section," wrote Pte Lloyd. "I did not see him between the time he was hit and his death, as I was on sentry duty about 40 yards further down the line and, of course, could not leave my post.

"The Huns had been shelling us all day, and poor old Harry was on look-out in the trench about three in the afternoon when a trench mortar dropped on to the back of the trench and burst so close to him that he caught most of the bits.

"If it is any satisfaction at all to you, I am pleased to say he died very peacefully and was buries at night in a soldiers' cemetery in a village just behind the lines."

Capt J. Norris also wrote to Mrs James to say death was quite painless. Her son had been fearlessly facing the enemy and cheerfully doing his duty.