First-class Gunner Arthur Best, 37371, Royal Garrison Artillery, died in the Keppel Place Hospital, Stoke, Devonport, on December 23rd, 1915, after suffering two attacks of pleurisy while serving in Gibraltar that led to him contracting consumption which led to a haemorrhage.
Gunner Best, the son of Mrs Bacchus, of 61 Ivy Road, Luton, was aged 22. He had enlisted in the RGA about four years earlier, having previously worked at the Diamond Foundry in Dallow Road.
Pte Henry George Pateman, 13260, 2nd Battalion Beds Regt, was killed in action near Ypres on February 24th, 1915. He was aged 19.
The son of William and Elizabeth Pateman, of 42 Ivy Road, Luton, he was a native of Dunstable but lived nearly all his life at Houghton Regis, being educated at the British School. Before enlistment he had been a butcher's assistant in the district.
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.
For his widow, who was living at 71 Ivy Road, Luton, it was the first of two tragedies within a week - the couple's only child, Harry Robert, died on January 14th, aged just five months.
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.
A native of Colchester, he came to Luton with his parents and, with his brothers and sister, went to Surrey Street School. After leaving school he joined the Volunteers as a bugler boy, and when old enough enlisted with the Bedfords, going to Aldershot and from there to South Africa.
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.
He had served eight years with the colours and had 17 months to serve in the Reserve when war broke out. He was called up on August 5th.
His mother and invalid father lived at 64 Ivy Road, Luton. While on the Reserve list Pte Hankin, who formerly lived in Dunstable, had been working at the bleaching and dying works of Mr J. L. Frenay-Pirotte in Leagrave Road.
