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
Percy was the eldest son of Albert (b 1868) and Annie (b 1870) who were in lodgings in Inkerman Street at the time of the 1891 Census, a year after his birth. Albert is described as a straw hat bleacher originally from Totternhoe and Annie as a straw hat finisher born in Luton.
A family member found this book online from their home in Sydney Australia and contributed lots of new material.
D. Rickard, aged 8, who drew the handsome WW2 era bomber in the front of this autograph book (the book lasted from WW1 - WW2). Identified himself as Doug Rickard from Austraila via the Great War Forum and provided superb background.
Complete Postcard album of Driver William Edward Owen. A fantastic resource containing roughly 90 postcards, offering a wonderful insight into the life of a soldier during WWI.
These postcards have not yet been transcribed so, visitors to the site are welcome to register, and use the comments section below this entry to add their transcriptions of the written content on these postcards.
The postcards vary in style from embroidery to printed media, and simple message cards.
The full and frank recollections of war within are fascinating to read. W.E. Owen's relatives now live in Luton, but he was originally from Anglesey in Wales.
The 1916 diary contains first hand observations of the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1st July 1916.
This is to certify that the ex soldier named above has served with the colours for four years 196 days and his character during this period has been assessed as very good. Smart worker
Also 8 years colour service and 7 years 123 on BD & Z Reserves
These two pages show the front and back of a card issued to William Edward Owen in May 1908 when he left the army after 8 years.
This suggests he lied about his age . If he was 26 years and 3 months old in May 1908 then his birthday would have been in February and the year of birth 1882. In fact his date of birth was 2nd December 1883.
He must have enlisted in May 1900 in Bangor. He has not been found on the 1901 census which took place on the night of 31st March/1st April
He had served in the R.F.A (Royal Field Artillery) as a groom.
John Percy Wood, one of sixteen children, from Slip End, nr. Luton enlisted as a volunteer aged 18 and joined Lord Kitcheners Army on the 26th May 1915 at Luton, he was assigned Army number 2219, he undertook a medical examination, to test his fitness for active service, at Wardown Park Hospital and was judged as good.
He was assigned to the 2nd/5th Staffordshire Royal Field Artillery Battery, 2/3rd North Midland Artillery Brigade, he undertook his training at Biscot Huts, an Army Camp near to Biscot Mill, Luton.