Lieut Cyril Edward Franklin, East Anglian Royal Engineers, died on February 20th, 1917, from wounds sustained on the Somme. His widow Annie was reported to have received notification to that effect from the War Office the following day, although some records say "killed in action".

Cyril Franklin, who was just short of his 30th birthday, was the son of Edward and Elizabeth Franklin, of 57 Dale Road, Luton. Edward Franklin was an inspector with the Luton Borough Police, until he retired about two years previously and went to live in Stanbridge.

Lieut Franklin had married Annie Elizabeth Butt in Luton in the summer of 1911 and they had a child, Derrick, five years later. The family was living at 267 Hitchin Road, Luton.

On leaving school, Cyril Franklin went to work in the offices of Messrs Franklin & Deacon, architects and surveyors, of Market Hill. He remained with them until he received a commission in the East Anglian Royal Engineers on July 13th, 1915. He was stationed in Maidenhead before going to France in July 1916.

He was recommended for the Military Cross after, on a November night in 1916, with 200 men he sapped and penetrated from the British to the German lines near the Serre Road without suffering one casualty in the four-hour operation. He arrived home on December 30th,1916, for ten days leave and had been back in the fighting line for six or seven weeks before his death, part of that time spent near Amiens.

Cyril Franklin was a member of High Town Primitive Methodist choir and also of Luton Liberal Club and Dunstable Golf Club.