Matthew Millar Little was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1889.  At the outbreak of the First World War he was a coal miner but joined the Scottish Rifles (Reserves).  This is a photograph taken in 1914, with Matthew's wife, Elizabeth, and eldest son, Alexander.  Private Little's Great Granddaughter is a Lutonian and has worked for Luton Libraries for the past 12 years.

As ascertained by studying the Silver War Badge Roll 1914-1920, Private Little was promoted to the rank of Sergeant during his military career, but was invalided out of the 6th Scottish Rifles on the 12th October 1916 due to sickness under Kings regulations 392 xvi.