Pioneer Thomas Henry Williams

Pioneer Thomas Henry Williams, 244645, 2nd Field Survey Company Royal Engineers, died of wounds in France on July 26th, 1917. He was aged 27 and single.

A letter from Capt W. Coates to parents John and Emma Williams, of 10 Essex Street, Luton, was however dated July 26th and said:"Yesterday, while coming off duty, he was caught by a shell and, I regret to say, died in the hospital soon after."

Thomas Williams had been in the Army for 14 months, ten of them spent in France. Previously he was an employee of Vauxhall Motors.

Pioneer William Rhodes

Pioneer William Rhodes, 528165, 488th Field Company Royal Engineers, was killed in action in Palestine on July 20th, 1917. He was aged 21 and single.

Pioneer Harry Manning

Pioneer Harry Manning, 206755, 'L' Special Company Royal Engineers, died in the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station in France on June 3rd, 1917, after being gassed on he battlefield. He was aged 20.

A week before his death Pioneer Manning had been drafted into the same company as his father, Pioneer William George Manning (128912), who was able to see him in hospital before he died. He was also present at his son's burial in a nearby cemetery.

Pioneer William Henry Payne

William Henry Payne was 1 of 10 children born to Arthur, a brass finisher & Mary. He was born in Luton in January 1890.

In the 1911 census he is 15 years old, living at 15 Chobham Street & working as a straw hat packer. Also living at the address was his 52 year old widowed mother,2 sisters & 3 brothers. Ada, a 28 year old milliner & Jane aged 19, a domestic servant. Sidney, 23, an electrician, Frank, 14 worked as a grocer's errand boy & 10 year old George.