Pte Bertie Hawkes, 88018, 3rd Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, died in the No. 14 General Hospital, Wimereux, France, on October 17th, 1917, suffering from the effects of gas poisoning. He was aged 20 and single.
His mother Rosa was living alone at 21 North Street, Luton, after her old soldier husband Alfred and her seven sons - Bertie plus Edward, Arthur, Cyril, Jesse, John and Norman - were serving in the Army either at home or abroad.