Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: August 4th, 1917.

The Ministry of Munitions announce advances in the wages of all women and girls employed in munitions work in controlled establishments and in uncontrolled establishments to which orders of the Ministry negotiating women's wages have already been applied.

Women of 24 years of age and over will receive an increase of 2s 6d per week, and girls under 24 and advance of 1s 5d per week. These advances will come into operation on August 28th and will apply to time-workers and to workers on systems of payment by results.

They will be payable to all women and girls over and above their weekly earnings. The Ministry are considering the case of uncontrolled establishments.

• Much disappointment was felt in local labour circles on Sunday evening when it was announced that Margaret Bondfield, the well-known women's leader in the Labour world, could not attend the meeting arranged to take place in the Town Hall under the auspices of the National Federation of Women Workers. Mr W. J. Mair, presiding, remarked that women were an important factor in industrial conditions. They must also recognise the fact that things after the war would not be the same as in pre-war days, and it was therefore most important to get all the women organised, not only for the benefit of the women, but for the men too.

• There are unmistakable signs that the 1/5th Beds Regiment have been in serious action in the East. At present the list of casualties is far from complete, but it is certain the battle of July 20th [Umbrella Hill] and afterwards must have been almost, if not quite, as severe as the struggle on the [Gallipoli] Peninsular two years previously. Men reported killed at that stage were: Cpl Bertie Breed, Pte Frederick James Bysouth and L-Cpl Philip Herbert Watkins, with Pte Cecil Moate and Pte Alfred George Cook [prisoner of war] reported missing.

• On the Western Front, Pte William Peck (Beds Regiment), husband of Mrs Peck, of 69 Chobham Street, Luton, was reported killed in action on July 27th, and Pte C. S. Perry (Northamptonshire Regiment), husband of Mrs Perry, of 15a St Saviour's Crescent, Luton, was reported missing since July 10th.

• Mrs Marion Anthony, of 83 Bury Park Road, Luton, at last received official notification that her husband, Pte Sidney Charles Anthony, was killed in action on the Somme on November 13th, 1916. And Mrs Georgina Bleaney, of 75 Ashton Road, Luton, was officially notified that her husband, Pte Horace Bleaney, was presumed killed in action on July 3rd, 1915, after being reported missing for 13 months.

• There was a good muster of allotment holders and would-be allotment holders at a meeting held on Thursday evening at the Dallow Road Adult School, Luton, for the purpose of discussing the provision of permanent allotments, especially for those at present holding temporary ones. A representative from Kingsway said it was proposed to form an association there and acquire a plot of land for permanent allotments. The meeting was told that the Dallow Road district was the worst served part of town for allotments.

• The Davis Tennis Club, part of the Davis Athletic and Social Club, entertained a team representative of the lea Tennis Club in a return match on Saturday afternoon on the hard courts at the Diamond Foundry. A good number of spectators were present and witnessed a win for the Lea Club after some severely contested events.

• A meeting was held at the Luton News offices on Thursday evening to further the inauguration of a junior football combination for Luton and district. The clubs represented were Trinity, Albion Athletic, Christ Church Institute, Corinthians, Chaul End United, Silver Star, Dunstable Juniors, Rosedale, Victoria, Vendale, Cliftondale and Leagrave. The competition would be restricted to clubs within ten miles radius of Luton Town Hall and several clubs had unofficially shown a desire for inclusion. Mr Charles Green was unanimously elected chairman.