Luton's People 1914-1918
This page contains a list of soldiers/civilians from Luton and surroundings 1914-1918, and the ancestors of people who live in Luton today. It has been compiled from the 1918 Luton Absent Voters List, Rolls of Honour; and information researched and uploaded by project volunteers and members of the public.
If you find your ancestor here, and there is only basic information available, then feel free to use the comment box to add further information you may already know. The WWI Project Team, can then add this further information to the basic data we already hold.
The sources of this information can be found via the links below. Please feel free to download and use this information, but please please search for and upload your ancestor to the site if/when you find them:-
Absent Voters List
Luton Roll of honour
Before adding anybody to the site, it is always advisable to search for your ancestor first.
John Raysons Davis was born in Luton in 1897 to Thomas John & Amma Louise.
Harry Reed was my Grandfather who was born in Alford, Lincolnshire in 1892 & was the youngest of four children. He married my Grandmother, Gertrude Goodrick, who also came from Lincolnshire in Kilburn, London in June 1916. They moved to Luton & were living at Stopsley Farm where he was
Cecil Bisshopp Harmsworth represented the Liberal Party as MP for South Beds, including Luton, from 1911 until he retired from the House of Commons in 1922.
Private Henry George Smith, was the son of Sidney and Susan Smith of Bedfordshire. Sidney was General foreman to Luton Borough Council, and Henry was a bricklayer.
My grandfather who served in the German army during WWI
William Smith was the Town Clerk of Luton during World War 1. He was appointed on September 3rd, 1912, and held the office until his death on January 7th, 1932 - just three days after his 63rd birthday.
Pte Snoxell enlisted at Luton and served in the Royal Horse Artillery before joining 68th Battery, Royal Field Artillery. He was killed in action at an unspecified location in France on August 26th, 1914
Pte Horace Weedon, 14903, No. 1 Company of the 2nd Grenadier Guards, was killed in action in France on September 14th, 1914.
Pte Jack Weedon, 9840, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, died from wounds sustained in action in France on October 27th, 1914.
Lance-Corporal William Albert Harfield, L/6446, a reservist serving with the 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London), died on September 21st, 1914, from wounds received in action.
Drummer Richard Leonard Freeman, 9752, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action on October 25th, 1914. He was aged 20.
Pte Albert Smart, 9352, 2nd Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action on October 31st, 1914, near Festubert. Aged 22, he was the son of Mr and Mrs Henry Smart, of 92 Bury Park Road, Luton.
Pte Lewis Dyer, 8142, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, killed in action on October 26th, 1914. He was aged 31.
Stewart Butler Hubbard, the newest member of Luton Town Council following his election in North Ward on Monday, November 2nd, 1914, was described by The Luton News as a man whose business history would "rank among what may be termed the romances of the straw trade".
Pte Alfred Hankin, 8143, B Company, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, died on October 30th, 1914, in the No. 6 Clearing Hospital, Bethune, France, from wounds received in action. He was aged 28.
Pte Sidney Cain, 3/7393, 2nd Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action on October 31st, 1914. He was 28 years old.
Lance-Corporal Percy Edward Woodcroft, 9353, 2nd Beds Regt, was killed in action on October 31st, 1914. He was aged 23 and son of Mr and Mrs Edwin Woodcroft, of 73 Ivy Road, Luton.
Pte George Bunyan, 8601, Highland Light Infantry, died on November 5th, 1914, from wounds received in action the previous day. He was aged 28.
Pte Sidney James Whittemore, 6710, of the 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action in the neighbourhood of Ypres on November 7th, 1914. He was aged 34.
Pte Bert Spacey, 10281, A Company, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action at Ypres on November 7th, 1914. His age is recorded as 19.
Born in 1894, he lived with his mother Ellen and brother Percy, at 1 East Avenue, Park Street, Luton.
Pte James Brown, 3/6100, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was posted missing, believe killed in action, on November 5th, 1914. He was born in Lilley in 1889 and was living at 5 Chase Street, Luton, in 1911.
Pte Percy Worboys, 7144, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action on November 7th, 1914. He was born in Lime Kiln Lane, Ashwell, Herts, and lived at 51 Cobden Street, Luton.
Pte Frederick John East, 3/6435, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on November 7th, 1914. He was killed by a shell during the retreat from Mons.
Pte George William Field, 7028, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action on November 7th, 1914.
Pte Frederick Charles Webb, 8136, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action at Ypres on November 9th, 1914.
Corporal Frederick Chalkley, 9531, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action on November 9th, 1914. He was aged 22.
Born in Markyate in 1892, he was the son of William Chalkley, of 5 Church Street, Slip End.
Private Joseph Harcourt, 3/5014, 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on November 9th, 1914.
Pte Horace Alfred Ward, 7269, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action at the first Battle of Ypres on November 14th, 1914. He was aged 30 and the husband of Alice, of 219 Castle Street, Luton, whom he married in 1905.
Pte Archibald (Archer) Punter, 5604, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action on November 16th, 1914, in the First Battle of Ypres. He was a married man aged 33, whose wife lived at 24 Dane Road, Luton.
Pte Albert Frederick Holland, 1353, B Company, 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment, was killed in action on November 28th, 1914. He was aged 23.
Pte Walter O'Brien, 10119, A Company, 2nd Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action at Ypres on October 26th, 1914. He was aged 20.
Seaman George O'Brien, J26306, HMS St Vincent, died on his ship in the North Sea on November 15th, 1914. He was aged 18.
Pte Frederick William Miller, 7469, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action near Ypres on November 7th, 1914. He was aged 35.
Lance Corporal Harry Hack, 9564, 1st Battalion, Beds Regt, was killed in action near Wulvergem in Belgium on January 8th, 1915. He was aged 26.
Pte John Harris Conway, 7869, 1st Battalion Norfolk Regiment, was killed in action near Ypres on November 20th, 1914. He was born in 1891.
Walter Smith was captured on the 22nd October 1914, and interned in a POW camp near Munster when he wrote to his sister asking for food.
He was found by the Germans suffering froma grenade wound to the right shoulder.
Walter Barton was captured at Arras, unwounded, by the Germans on the 23rd March 1918.
In 1911 Walter was living with his father Albert Barton & his Scottish wife Mary Ann, at 13 Henry Street.
Alfred Barton was captured at Cremery (France), unwounded, by the Germans on the 26th May 1918.
In 1911 Alfred was living with his father Albert Barton & his Scottish wife Mary Ann, at 13 Henry Street.
Lance-Corporal Alfred Ward, 5697, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action near Wulvergem in Belgium on January 31st, 1915. He was aged 24.
Pte Henry George Pateman, 13260, 2nd Battalion Beds Regt, was killed in action near Ypres on February 24th, 1915. He was aged 19.