In late August 1917, munitions worker Violet Golding, aged “sweet 17,” became one of the youngest people named to receive the newly constituted Medal of the Order of the British Empire. The award followed an accident at George Kent's Chaul End munitions factory the previous June.

Many soldiers in WW1 perished and disappeared without trace. But for the Luton family of Private Harry Wilkinson there was a chance to lay his remains to rest 85 years later.

William was born in Enfield, Essex on 12 November 1894.

Ernest Bates, aged 29, of 59 Cromwell Road, Luton, died at Wardown Park V.A.D. Hospital at 2.25pm on December 29th, 1918, from double pneumonia and heart failure while on 14 days leave from France.

Hugh Bertlin died at Wardown Park Hospital on the 12th July 1915, aged 24.

He was seriously injured after the motorcycle he was riding was in collision with a car near the Chequers pub in Houghton Regis.

Ted Parker, the youngest son of Frank and Sarah Parker, a bootmaker and his wife from Luton who lived at 5 Tavistock. Brother to Frank and older brother to Emily.

He lived with his wife Lillian (nee Wagstaff), and died on home service in 1918. He is buried in Rothesay Road Cemetery.

Walter enlisted into the 5th Bedfordshire Regiment in 1914, aged 32, at the outbreak of war. He died February 1917, and is buried in Rothesay Road Cemetery, Luton.

Son of John and Emily Smith of Luton, he was married to Nellie Smith, and was father to Arthur and Winnie Smith.

Harold Ernest Shepherd was a Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery, and was part of the teaching staff at Biscot Camp. He died in Dover Military Hospital of influenza (pneumonia) on December 30th, 1918, a week after he had been admitted. His wife had travelled from Luton to be with him.

Arthur Walter Aylott, formerly a private in the Bedfordshire Regiment (22450) and later the Machine Gun Corps (5200), died at 67 Dumfries Street, Luton, on February 17, 1919, at the age of 21.