Sgt Albert James "Bert" Beaumont, 9/8002, attached to 27th Training Reserve Battalion, died on December 12th, 1916, following several operations for internal complaints, including appendicitis, at hospital in St Albans.
Born in Markyate on July 21st, 1892, he lived his whole life in the village until he enlisted in the Beds Regiment (13391) at Luton in September 1914. He was the son of High Street, Markyate, butcher Frederick Beaumont and had worked in the family business.
Company Sgt Major Arthur Fountain, 15400, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on September 27th, 1916.
Born in Markyate in 1881, he was a son of the late William Richard and Sarah Ann Fountain,of Luton Road, Markyate. He enlisted on September 7th, 1914, and had served at the Front without a scratch for about 18 months, with just one brief spell of home leave.
Gunner Frederick Dean, 7825, Royal Garrison Artillery, was discharged from military service in 1913 following an operation for gunshot wounds. He had served eight years as a soldier, but after war broke out he was again called up and sent to France.
However, he was not out there very long before it was found necessary to order his return to England, and for 15 weeks he lay in the 3rd London General Hospital at Wandsworth. And there he passed away at around 10.30 am on Sunday, August 6th, 1916, from a lung complication. He was aged 29.
Pte Percy Impey, 9485, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed by a rifle grenade at Hill 60 on June 12th, 1915. He had been with the Bedfordshires for five years, returning from South Africa with them when war broke out.
The 23-year-old was born in Flamstead and was living with his widowed father Henry, brothers William and Harry and sisters Elizabeth (Lizzie) and Annie in London Road, Markyate, at the time of the 1901 Census. During his time with the Bedfords he was a member of the regimental football team and was the regiment's champion jumper.
Cpl Ernest Butterfield, a Lutonian serving with the Australians in Gallipoli, died on May 4th, 1915, of wounds received in action.
Born in Markyate but brought up from a young age in Luton, Cpl Butterfield, service number 79, joined the 15th Battalion, 4th Brigade, Australian Expeditionary Force. He was previously with the Royal Garrison Artillery and served during the Boer War, being in Kimberley during the siege.
