Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: May 5th, 1917.

Ernest Simms [pictured], the Luton Town centre-forward, is, after all, the top scorer in the London Combination. This is a wonderful record considering that he has only played in 29 games.

It was stated after the game last Saturday, and was published throughout the kingdom, that he was level with W. Davis, of Millwall, as top scorer, each having scored 40 goals, but on going into the records it was found that Davis's total included a goal scored in an abandoned game against West Ham United, a game subsequently replayed, and Davis took part in the replay, consequently the first game was expunged.

To make absolutely certain, we addressed an inquiry to the Editor of the Athletic News, whop is the recognised authority on the game and keeps the records as jealously as the Crown jewels are kept. He sys: "I quite agree with you in reference to Simms and Davis, Simms is at the top." So we may all congratulate Ernest on his magnificent record!

The champion goal scorer of the London Combination is 24, stands 5ft 9in in height, and scales about 12st. He came to Luton after four months professionalism at Barnsley in 1912-13, his previous team being Murton Colliery. He was engaged at Luton for 1913-14.

• Few officers with a staff so small as that of Luton Town Clerk Mr William Smith have a more interesting record in the matter of military services. The office is represented in three theatres of war, and it now announced that one member of the staff has received a commission. Second Lieut Arthur John Blomfield, second clerk on the staff, was gazetted to a commission in the Royal Fusiliers in March last, now in France. The other serving members of staff are Petty Officer H. C. Sell (Royal Armoured Motor Squadron in Russia) and Pte J. C. Webb (Beds Regiment in Egypt).

• Mr Stephen Sapwell, one of the local preachers on the Waller Street Methodist Circuit, married Miss Susan Hunt in Dunstable recently. The couple are at present living at Leagrave, having let their house in Brook Street, Luton.

• Wilson Ernest Parsons, of 41 Highfield Road, Luton, who enlisted in the Army Service Corps (Labour Section) in May 1915 with the rank of sergeant and shortly afterwards was made sergeant-major, has now obtained his commission as Second Lieutenant with the promise of promotion to the rank of a full lieutenant within the next month. Married with three children, he previously worked in the business of Parsons Bros, engineers, of Market Hill.

• It is announced that Lieut Arthur James Fyson, son of Mr George A. Fyson, Captain and Acting Adjutant of the Luton Volunteer Corps, who resides in Leagrave Road, was wounded in action on April 22nd. Soon after the outbreak of war he joined the Public Schools Battalion and obtained his commission in the Bedfordshire Regiment in May 1915. In March of last year he proceeded to the Front. His brother, Lieut Harold Fyson, an officer in the same regiment, was killed last October.

• Luton Waste Paper Scheme, a product of this terrible war, is being attended with astonishing success, and is a real friend to deserving local objects. On Thursday evening there was a happy gathering at the premises of the Secretary (Mr W. H. Cox) when, for the second time, a cheque for £100 was handed to the Mayor. On this occasion the sum is divided between the Mayor's Relief Fund, the Red Cross work and the Luton Prisoners of War Fund.