Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, November 22nd, 1917.

On Tuesday afternoon there was a serious dislocation of work owing to a breakdown at the Borough Electricity Works. It appears that some of the transformers in the extra high tension cubicles broke down, and as a result the switch gear in one of the generating cubicles also broke down.

It affected the whole of the town, but a considerable portion of the machinery was at work again within three or four minutes. However, in the centre of the town and the Dallow Road and Biscot Road districts, including the sub-station, plants were shut down for a matter of three hours. The cause of the extensive delay was due to the fact that all of the high tension switch gear had to be cleaned, inspected and tested before the plant could be restarted.

• On Monday afternoon, the roadway in front of the premises of Wing, Arnold, Wing, which were burnt out by fire last Thursday, were seen to bulge ominously due to a burst water main. Pc A. Field was one of the first to notice the incident and promptly stopped all traffic. Within a few minutes a gang of workmen from the Corporation Highways Department were on the scene. There was a considerable loss of water and the work of repair occupied the gang 12 hours.

• Whilst at work in one of Messrs Kent's buildings at midday yesterday, Ernest Philpott, a man living at 9 Regent Street, Luton, met with a severe accident. His right hand was seriously injured, as well as the other hand and wrist. He was quickly taken to the Bute Hospital and, after an operation, is progressing satisfactorily.

• By their flag day on Saturday, the two Luton Corps of the Salvation Army realised £150 to swell the funds resulting from the national effort on behalf of the work carried on by that body amongst the soldiers and sailors. They have erected at a cost of £70,000, and are still running, 153 refreshment and recreation huts, and 77 hostels and naval and military homes, with 4,000 beds at a cost of £80,000. Extensions involving expenditure of £20,000 are in progress. The 30 motor ambulance cars in France, Russia and Egypt, for the upkeep of which the Army is responsible, have also cost £10,000.

• Congratulations to Detective Arthur Bacon, who on Monday evening was promoted by the Watch Committee to be detective-sergeant with a higher grade of pay. His promotion is well deserved for Mr Bacon has given 17 years splendid service to the town. He is a native of Derbyshire, and in his younger days had much experience of colliery work. He had always a desire to enter the police, and he made application both at Luton and Hastings. His acceptance here was Luton's gain. After 11 years in uniform he was appointed detective and has been concerned in some interesting cases. He was congratulated on his promotion by the Mayor [Councillor Charles Dillingham] at the Borough Court on Tuesday.

• A well-attended conference of the clergy of the Luton Rural Deanery and the ministers of the Luton and District Free Churches, under the presidency of Rural Dean Canon Morgan Smith in the Council Chamber on Tuesday carried a resolution opposing suggested legislation for increased facilities for divorce under provisions contained in the Matrimonial Causes Bill 1917. Opposition was on the grounds of New Testament teaching, that it was detrimental to family life and it was unwise to deal with so controversial a matter during wartime. A copy of the resolution was to be sent to the Prime Minister.

• Mr and Mrs Seabrook, of 7 Baker Street, Luton, have been notified of the death of their eldest son, Pte Sidney Walter Seabrook, who was a private in the Bedfordshire Regiment. He enlisted at the outbreak of war and served during the Gallipoli campaign before being transferred to Egypt, where he met his death on November 2nd.

• The sad news has been received of the death of Driver Horace Ward, of the Royal Field Artillery. He was killed in action while proceeding to the firing line with ammunition on October 8th. Driver Ward, who before joining the colours worked for baker Mr Redrup, of High Town,and was living with an aunt in Frederic Street, had been about to marry Ethel Emily Johnson, of 14 Shirley Road, Luton, but the wedding had to be postponed. While he was serving, his fiancee contracted an illness from which she never recovered and died on August 22nd, aged 29.

• The many friends of Pte Herbert Clarke (pictured below, right), son of Mr Ernest Clarke, of 16 Selbourne Road, Luton, will be glad to hear that he has been awarded the Military Cross for bravery on the field on April 30th, 1917, when, although wounded in the leg himself, he remained with an officer who had been shot, and endeavoured to bring his body back. Pte Clarke had been employed by Vauxhall Motors Ltd before joining the Bedfords in August 1914 and later being transferred to the Seaforth Highlanders. He had been fighting in France since April 1915.

• Also a recipient of the Military Medal for bravery in the field is Pte H. Bunyan (picture above, left), adopted son of Mrs Croft, of 6 St Ann's Road, Luton. He joined up in the Bedfordshire Regiment at the outbreak of war and later transferred to the Leicestershire Regiment, proceeding to France in November 1916. Prior to enlistment he was employed by Messrs G. Carruthers, bleachers and dyers, of Park Street, Luton.

• Sgt Charles Cooper, of 126 Oak Road, Luton has been the recipient of a Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery in the field. He enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment at Christmas 1914 and was later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. Before the war he was employed by hat manufacturer Mr George Warren, George Street, Luton.

• Unfortunately, Luton's list of prisoners of war is gradually enlarging. One that had just come to our notice is Pte William Hillyard, son of Mrs Hillyard, of 5 Albert Street, Luton. A Territorial, he was mobilised at the outbreak of war with the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. After 10 months service in France, he was taken prisoner on February 28th, and is now in an internment camp at Wesel, Germany.

• Pte William Stone, husband of Mrs Stone, of 232 North Street, Luton, has been admitted to a Northern General Hospital at Lincoln suffering from trench fever. He enlisted in December 1914 in the Bedfordshire Regiment, being formerly employed by Messrs T. Lye & Sons. He was wounded by a sniper in November 1915 and returned to the firing line as soon as he ws fit.

• Mrs Hensman, of 171 Park Street, Luton, has been notified that her son, Cpl Fred Hensman, is ill in the 6th Stationary Hospital, Frevent, France. He was admitted on November 10th. He enlisted in September 1914 and was drafted out to France in July 1916.

• Mrs Stringer, of 40 Beech Road, Luton, has received official news that her husband, Pte S. Stringer, was badly wounded in the left thigh on November 6th during the fighting around Passchendaele. He was helping a chum down the line when he was hit by a shell fragment. After two operations in France he has been brought to England and is now in hospital at Huddersfield. He joined the Norfolks 19 months ago and had been in France 15 months. At the time of enlisting he was employed by Messrs George Kent Ltd.

• Lutonians will note with interest that Lieut R. M. Plummer, who joined the 2/5th Bedfords upon its formation early in the war, saw service in Gallipoli and subsequently, after being invalided home, was attached to the Royal Flying Corps, has now received his captaincy. The promotion was announced in the 'Gazette' notice in The Times on November 20th.

• We are pleased to note that Petty Officer Harry Sell, son of the local School Attendance Officer, is home on leave from Russia for several weeks and is looking well. Some of his exploits with an armoured car section have already appeared in our columns.

• We had quite a novel experience this week in coming across a Luton man who complained of bad trade. In fact, he said, it had been bad all through the summer. However, readers may take comfort when we tell them that our pessimistic friend happens to be an undertaker.

• A letter writer using the pseudonym 'Lutonian' questioned lighting restrictions in force in Luton, after returning to the town on a few days leave. He wrote: "What hopes are there for going out after tea to find my way about, only to find myself trying to knock over a few lamp-posts etc? Why all this darkness, I would like to know? Even in London there is a lot better lighting arrangement, and at a south-east coast town, where I am stationed, there are lights in all the main streets, only the globes are of a dark blue shade. Why not try this in Luton? If there were to be a raid at Luton I could see more people getting injured running into each other in the dark than all the enemy would do."