From the Saturday Telegraph, April 3rd, 1915

Just days after the death of her six-month-old baby, Mrs Emma Richards received news that her husband Thomas, aged 33, had been killed in action at Neuve Chapelle.

Pte Thomas Richards, 6684, 2nd Battalion Beds Regt, died in Belgium on March 12th, exactly two weeks before baby Stanley Charles Thomas passed away at home, 178 Park Street, Luton. He was the only child of a couple married on October 4th, 1913.

Pte Richards had served during the 2nd Boer War and in India before returning home in 1909. He was working for the J. W. Green brewery in Park Street West, Luton, when he was called up as a reservist and sent to the front on Boxing Day.

• Lord Ampthill, Lieutenant Colonel Commanding 3rd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, sent a letter to the county Education Committee thanking schoolgirls for sending 323 pairs of socks, 302 pairs of cuffs, 254 body belts and 318 scarves they had knitted to his troops. Children who attached messages to their work would be receiving thank you letters from the recipients, including some of the 190 men of the battalion wounded in action and recovering in hospital. The comforts had arrived at an opportune time as the battalion was having to endure another spell of cold weather.

• Friendships struck up with girls during the three months that the 2nd London Division Territorials were in Luton were giving officers sleepless nights in France. So prolific had the men become as letter writers that the officers had to sit up half the night censoring their messages. The men had now been restricted to two letters a week.

• Boxing was the big new attraction with troops at the Waller Street Plait Hall YMCA. A first night of friendly sparring proved even more popular when a second was held on Thursday and every part of the hall that offered a view was occupied.

• The parents of Seaman Gunner Horace Vass ( pictured right) received a letter reporting no casualties on board HMS Queen Elizabeth, with whom he was serving in the Dardanelles bombardment. The 21-year-old had joined the Navy at the age of 16 and been to many parts of the world, including Australia. He had previously served on HMS Audacious. His parents, who lived at 80 Hastings Street, Luton, were told in his letter: "We are still busy bombarding the Dardanelles and having a warm time with the Turks."

• With the Plait Hall given over to soldiers, the annual sale of work and entertainment of he Children's Guild of Kindness was being held instead at the Dunstable Road Schools. It was hoped the financial results would not be affected and the Children's Home and the Bute Hospital would benefit as in the past.

• Luton Gas Company "reluctantly" announced an increase in its prices from 1s 10d to 2s 2d per thousand cubic feet. The increase was attributed to the exceptional circumstances arising from the war, which had caused a high increase in the cost of coal and labour. It was hoped the four pence price rise would be only temporary. The Telegraph reminded its readers that there had been a similar increase during the Boer War which on that occasion lasted 12 months.

• Luton Fire Brigade had a busy Good Friday with four blazes to attend between midnight on Thursday/Friday and four o'clock on Saturday. First there was a fire in a back bedroom at 1 Windmill Road, then a blaze in the bathroom at 45 Wellington Street, then a fire among waste cardboard in the yard of Coutts and Co, Old Bedford Road, and finally a small fire in the front room of a house at 45 Conway Road.

• Despite transport difficulties, more than 500 Lutonians made their way to Watford on Good Friday to see Luton Town defeat their old Herts rivals 4-2. Many supporters had made the journey to St Albans and then walked the remaining eight miles to Watford. Hoar's opening goal for Luton was cancelled out by a disputed Watford penalty before Simms restored the Luton lead. In the second half Simms increased the lead before Watford pulled one back and Roberts completed the scoring five minutes from time. This and Luton's win in a friendly on February 6th were Southern League leaders Watford's only defeats since Boxing Day.

• Twenty-four hours later Luton were on their travels again, this time for a Southern League match at Millwall. The home side were leading 2-1 at the interval, but Luton fought back to a 3-3 draw. Hoar scored for Luton in the first half, Rollinson and Simms in the second.