Luton Town Hall

The main war memorial of Luton, located outside the Town Hall. The memorial built of Portland Stone was put up in 1922. It is is inscribed on four sides with the names of the 1286 dead of World War One. Later bronze panels commemorate the dead of the Second World War. The 8 feet high bronze statue of 'Peace' carries a myrtle branch held aloft in her right hand and an angel holding a wreath in her left hand. Read official list description.

Gunner Arthur Best

 

First-class Gunner Arthur Best, 37371, Royal Garrison Artillery, died in the Keppel Place Hospital, Stoke, Devonport, on December 23rd, 1915, after suffering two attacks of pleurisy while serving in Gibraltar that led to him contracting consumption which led to a haemorrhage.

Gunner Best, the son of Mrs Bacchus, of 61 Ivy Road, Luton, was aged 22. He had enlisted in the RGA about four years earlier, having previously worked at the Diamond Foundry in Dallow Road.

Lance Corporal Arthur Thomas Highton

 

L-Cpl Arthur Thomas Highton, 3874, 1/5th Bedfords, died in the University War Hospital, Southampton, on November 10th, 1915, after suffering from dysentery at Gallipoli. He was aged 18.

The only son of cabinet maker Frederick George Highton and wife Annie (nee Harris), of Orlingbury, Havelock Road, Luton, he enlisted in the 1/5th Beds Regiment soon after the outbreak of war. He served in the Signals Section under Lieut F. W. Ballance (from Dunstable), and while in Gallipoli won his first stripe.

Acting Sergeant Albert Ernest Godfrey

 

Acting-Sgt Albert Ernest Godfrey, 4219, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died at the Eastern General Hospital, Cambridge, on June 6th, 1915. He was 38 and the cause of death was not stated.

He is included on the Luton Roll of Honour, but without an address. His parents may have lived in Lea Road. He is buried at the Luton Church Cemetery, Crawley Green Road.

CWGC data records him as the son of Albert and Annie Godrey, and the husband of Maud (nee King?), of Prospect House, Newmarket.

 

Boy Servant Cyril George Horsler

Cyril George served aboard HMS President, an honoarary title awarded to training ships serving with the London Reserve Division. In WW1, it was this ship. According to some records he was buried at sea, and yet his grave is registered and stands in Rothesay Road Cemetery.

Cyril was the son of Harry (a baker) and Elizabeth Horseler of 37 Salisbury Road, Luton. He was youngest sibling to Hilda, Henry, Alex and Edith.

George Stood 5ft high, with a 32 inch chest; he had brown hair, grey eyes and a fair complexion.

Sapper Harry Clarke

Enlisted 9th September 1914

Married May Goodge in summer of 1902.

Died of sceptic ulceration of the mouth, nephritis (kidney disease) and toxoemia in December 1919 at Bute Hospital Luton.

Prior to entering hospital, he was suffering from general arterio-sclerosis and was being seen by Doctors Verdon and Bone.

Private William Ansell

William was born in Shillington in 1879.

William married Sarah Deveraux in 1899 in Ampthill.

In 1911 he is living with his wife & family, two daughters, Maud and Elizabeth, and a son, William Frank at Nomansland Cottage, Sandridge St Albans where William is working as a shepherd.

 

 

 

Private Arthur Walter Aylott

Arthur Walter Aylott, formerly a private in the Bedfordshire Regiment (22450) and later the Machine Gun Corps (5200), died at 67 Dumfries Street, Luton, on February 17, 1919, at the age of 21.

He had enlisted in August 1915 and served in the Army just over a year before being invalided out on September 10, 1916 as a result of being gassed. He never fully recovered and developed consumption.

Born in Luton in 1897, only son of the late Bransom and the late Elizabeth Aylott, he had before joining up worked in the bleaching and dyeing trade for Mr Stewart Hubbard.

Quartermaster Sergeant William John Rogers

Company Quartermaster Sergeant William John Rogers, 29424, 166th Protection Company, Royal Defence Corps, died suddenly from pneumonia while doing duty at a prisoner of war camp at Brocton in Staffordshire, on February 25th, 1919.

William was born in the Devonshire town of Eggbuckland, to parents Robert (chemist) and Carolina Rogers. He moved to Luton in time to appear on the 1911 Census and lived at 25 Wimbourne Road.

He was married to Mabel Victoria Maud Willis of Kensworth, on December 23rd, 1899, and they had two sons, William and Percy, and a daughter Gladys.

Lance Corporal Jesse Mead

 

Jesse Mead enlisted in Luton, and died on August 31st, 1916, whilst on home service, and based at the Royal Engineers Signal Depot at Fenny Stratford.

He left behind his widow of 3 years, Minnie (nee Warren) whom he married in the 4th quarter of 1913. She was the daughter of Mr and Mrs J. T. Warren, of 28 Granville Road, Luton.

He was the son of William (bricklayer) and Eliza Mead, from Dunstable and Houghton Regis respectively. He had two older brothers, Harry and Leonard, and lived at 83 Spencer Road, Luton.

Private Walter Smith

Walter enlisted into the 5th Bedfordshire Regiment in 1914, aged 32, at the outbreak of war. He died February 1917, and is buried in Rothesay Road Cemetery, Luton.

Son of John and Emily Smith of Luton, he was married to Nellie Smith, and was father to Arthur and Winnie Smith.

 

 

 

Lance Corporal Ralph Mantz

Dunstable born Ralph was the youngest son of Francis George Mantz (sign writer) and Emily Mantz; older brother to James Mantz.

Whilst employed as a house painter, he joined the forces in 1914 at Liverpool aged 21. He survied through the war years, dying on home service in April 1919.

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