A graphic description of some of the incidents attending the Christmas Day raid on Cuxhaven by seven British seaplanes is given in a letter from Mr Alfred Hoar, naval reservist and native of Slip End.

On January 11th, 1915, the following casualties were notified in connection with the Bedfordshire Regiment.

DIED OF WOUNDS

Baker H. W. 8088

Henderson R., 6243

Parker J., 8125

Taft H., 9724

Tomlin W. E., 8439

WOUNDED

Armitage C. W., 10251

Baker F., 8672

Bone G., 8091

Clark G., 7098

Clarke A. H., 10245

Coker A., 7716

Collins A., 7673

Cooper Sgt A., 6792

Cooper Dmr F., 7109

Cyster G., 8050

Among the many thousands of fugitives from Belgium not the least grateful for British hospitality are those now located at 29 Selbourne Road, Luton. The exiles are indebted to members of the Luton Liberal Club for a most comfortable home, and they voiced their appreciation in unmistakable terms to a Luton New representative who called on them.

Stories from the Saturday Telegraph, January 9th, 1915

Opening the winter hut erected by the Church Army at the junction of Dunstable Road and Francis Street, Capt Whiteley, of the 23rd Battalion, County of London Regiment, said it would be very welcome to the soldiers stationed in the town as Luton was "not a very hospitable place".

The sterling qualities of the rank and file of the British Army are personified in Pte Ernest Mitchell, an employee of Messrs J. W. Green and Co. Pte Mitchell was called up as a reservist of the Royal Fusiliers on August 6th, and four days later sailed for Havre. After a few hours rest they were despatched to Mons, making the journey in cattle trucks.

Latest additions to the list of local men serving King and country.

NAVY

Harold ARMITAGE: Stoker, HMS Vanguard - 43 Tennyson Road, Luton.

Horace BINGHAM: Stoker, HMS Vanguard - Burr Street, Luton.

Frank DAY: 1st Class signal boy, HMS Ganges - 18 Highbury Road, Luton.

William GRAHAM: RNR, HMS Queen Mary - The Harrow, Hitchin Road, Luton.

Stories from The Luton News: January 7th, 1915.

On Tuesday Flight Commander Hewlett, who participated in the famous raid on the German naval base at Cuxhaven, arrived at Leagrave for a short visit to his mother.

The January 6th, 1915, casualty list among men of the Bedfordshire Regiment. No further details provided, including dates and places.

WOUNDED

Allen C., 8528

Ashpole A., 7008

Batchelor F., 9583

Brace C., 6866

Brown H., 6553

Carter H., 7480

Chennells F., 9854

Coxall H., 8762

Foreman Sgt G., 8658

Funnell Cpl J., 8501

Horner W., 9850

Howard G., 9470

Page Sgt P., 9357

Saunders B., 9350

Sheppard W., 10213

A munitions factory to be built by George Kent Ltd at Chaul End within two months, Luton Council to lay the the electric mains to the site and power to to be provided from its already over-stretched electricity works - and no time to submit plans.

That was the pressure from the War Office that Luton Council faced at its first meeting of the New Year, on Tuesday, January 5th, 1915.

Another list of men of the Bedfordshire Regiment casualties was published on Tuesday morning, January 5th, 1915. No further details provided.

WOUNDED

Abbott A., 6779

Afford I., 8939

Allen L-Cpl T., 10374

Austin W., 10171

Bates J., 6388

Beard A., 9385

Bird F., 9267

Boxall E., 9337

Braybrook F., 9047

Brown Cpl W. R., 9264

Brown G., 10031

Bulley Sgt F., 8982

Butler A., 7174

Butler G., 9744

Carter E., 7412

Chandler A., 8981

More than 1,000 people were lost when the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company liner Empress of Ireland was wrecked in a pre-war collision while on her way to England - but three letters addressed to friends and relatives in Luton survived, recovered from the wreck by divers.

A Luton soldier, who was back home at 61 Russell Street to nurse a hand wound sustained in the trenches near Ypres on October 29th, told of two incidents of German treachery he had personally encountered. One of them came under a white flag.

Pte Herbert Sibley, 5387, King's Royal Rifles, came across the first incident within 24 hours of his arrival in France, at Havre in August. A young man there seemed keen to make the English troops as comfortable as possible.

A further list of casualties among men of the Bedfordshire Regiment was issued on January 4th, 1915. No additional information provided, although most of the casualties probably relate to late October or early November.

DIED OF WOUNDS

Lieut Edwin Allen James EDWARDS, aged 19, December 31st (Long Ditton, St Mary, Churchyard)

WOUNDED

Bowers H., 7185

Bettle G. F., 10317

Bentley A. E., 10234

Belben H., 10137

Bays H., 6753

Barker W. A., 10131

Brace N., 7442

Stories from the Beds and Herts Saturday Telegraph, January 2nd, 1915

Captain (temporary) C. E. G. Shearman, of the Bedfordshire Regiment, is one of the recipients of the new Military Cross. This decoration has just been instituted by His Majesty and is a silver cross having on each arm the Imperial crown and in the centre the letters G.R.I.

The following casualties in the Bedfordshire Regiment were officially published on December 31st, 1914. No further details were given but it seems they were late October and early November, 1914, casualties.

DIED OF WOUNDS

Adams Thomas, Pte 10046, November 7th (Wimereux Communal Cemetery)

Allsop Cecil Stanley Reginald, Pte 9504, October 30th (Ypres Town Cemetery Extension)

*Anker John, Pte 9256, November 1st (Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery)