Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, April 25th, 1918.

The Gazette announced last night that the King had approved of the award of the Victoria Cross to three officers for deeds of extraordinary bravery, among them the late Lieut-Col J. A. Collings-Wells DSO, of Caddington Hall. Details of his award are thus given:

"Capt (acting Lieut-Col) John Stanhope Collings-Wells DSO [pictured right], late Bedfordshire Regiment. When the rearguard was almost surrounded and in great danger of being captured, Lieut-Col Collings-Wells, realising the situation, called for volunteers to remain behind and hold up the enemy whilst the remainder of the rearguard withdrew. With his small body of volunteers he held them up for one and a half hours until they had expended every round of ammunition. During this time he moved freely amongst his men, guiding and encouraging them, and by his great courage undoubtedly saved the situation.

"On a subsequent occasion, when his battalion was ordered to carry out a counter-attack, he showed the greatest bravery. Knowing that his men were extremely tired after six days fighting, he placed himself in front and led the attack, and even when twice wounded refused to leave them but continued to lead and encourage his men until he was killed at the moment of achieving their objective."

• Mr J. R. Pieraccini, of 10 May Street, Luton, has just received a letter from his won, a lance-corporal in the Royal Engineers, who has been in France three and a half years. The writer says: "Just a few lines to let you know I am still alive, but having a rough time of it; day and night on the go. Still, we have to keep on smiling. I see according to the papers men up to 50 years of age are being called up. 'What a shame,' we all say. Why don't they comb out some of the young fellows in the munition works who are earning all the money whilst us boys out here are roughing it and doing our and their bit? By what I can see of things, they will have to come out before this job is properly finished."

• George Street was thronged with shoppers on Monday (market day), when a visiting aviator arrived unexpectedly. Curiously enough, the aeroplane was not heard until just over George Street. It came down to within a few feet of the buildings and seemed almost to fly up the street in between. It was quite a sensational interlude.

• As will be seen from an advertisement (reproduced right), a meeting is to be held on Thursday next in connection with the National Union of Women Workers. This is not, as some may think, a trade union movement but one for bringing together the women working for the good of their sex generally. Briefly stated, the object is to "form a common centre for all women engaged in social, civil, moral or religious work; to promote sympathy and co-operation; to collect and distribute useful information and to work for the removal of all disabilities of women, whether legal, economic or social." The Union is non-sectarian and non-political.

• On the recommendation of the Electricity and Tramways Committee, Luton Town Council on Tuesday decided to ask the Board of Trade to prolong for two years from August 11th the period for the completion of the tramway track - Leagrave Road route, extreme ends of Dunstable Road, New Bedford Road, Park Street and London Road routes, and tramways No 6 (Town Hall) and 7 (Mill Street).

• The Luton Town Council have accepted the tender of Mr William Gillam to supply for £18 6s 8d seven straw hats and 20 straw helmets for the Police Force. Alderman Edwin Oakley, Chairman of the Watch Committee, says this is ten per cent increase on pre-war prices.

• On Sunday, for evening service, a quarter peal, 1,280 changes of Stedman Triples, was rung on the Parish Church bells in 49 minutes by the following: Treble, J. Rookwood; 2nd B. Wilson; 3rd Herbert Wood; 4th A. King; 5th Harry Wood; 6th T. Kendall; 7th L. A. Goodenough; tenor, A. J. Smith; conducted by Mr L. A. Goodenough. The peal was rung as a farewell to the Rev D. Harries Williams, Senior Curate of the Parish Church, who is leaving Luton for Aberystwyth.

• A marriage took place yesterday at King Street Congregational Church between Gunner Baxter Clifford Hart, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Baxter Hart, of Homah, New Bedford Road, Luton, and Edith Webb, youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs George Webb, of Princess Street. the couple later left by train for London en route to Weston-super-Mare for a short honeymoon.

• There was a large attendance of sorrowing friends at the funeral of Mr William Panter, the well-known Park Street butcher, of Saturday. The service was conducted at the Waller Street Wesleyan Church, followed by interment at the General Cemetery.

• Thursday's issue of the Bournemouth Echo contains a report of the funeral of Mr John Henry Philpott which took place at Boscombe Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon. Mr Philpott was an inspector of the RSPCA for 13 years and was 38 years of age. He was for some years in Luton and subsequently moved to Bournemouth.

• Mrs W. Eames, of 107 Cambridge Street, Luton, has received news of the death in action on April 6th of her son, L-Cpl John Robert 'Jack' Eames, who is the second of her sons thus sacrificed in the war.

• A widow and child are left by the death of Pte John Wood, late of York Street, Luton, whose death in action is reported to have taken place on March 26th. He had joined the Beds Regiment in July 1916.

• On Saturday, Mr and Mrs W. H. Brown, of 9 Brook Street, Luton, received a letter saying that their son, Sapper Thomas Victor Brown, was killed on April 14th. An officer wrote that not long before Sapper Brown had stood by a corporal who was badly wounded, and then helped to get him away from an area which was still being shelled.

• In a letter to his old employers, Messrs A. & F. Higgins, Pte H. Howson wrote to inform them that his friend and former colleague Pte Thomas Ralph Corney was killed in action on April 9th. He and another Luton pal, Pte George William Bone, were carrying a wounded officer from the front when a shell came over, killing all three.

• News received last week from the military authorities indicates that L-Cpl Harold James Hill died from wounds in a hospital in France on April 10th. His widow is now living with her mother, Mrs King, of Mill Street.

• We regret to hear that one of the original 1/5th Bedfords has gone under in the person of Sgt William Buckingham, whose mother lives at 29 Buxton Road, Luton. She received an official intimation on Saturday that he was killed in France on March 23rd.

• The notification that his son is missing has brought deep anxiety to Mr Thomas Woodward and family, of 132 Dallow Road. He has received a notification that his son, Pte Albert Claude Woodward, of the Bedfords, was posted as missing from March 22nd. [Pte Woodward was later confirmed killed on that date].

• The sorrow of Mrs Wilson, of 30 Queen Street, Luton, at losing her son, Sgt Arthur Wilson, in France last December, is now tinged with pride, for he has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, which she has received. Mrs Wilson has been offered a public presentation of the medal, but modestly refused.

• Wounded (left to right) L-Cpl Young MM, Rifleman Bone and Pte Risbridger.

• L-Cpl George Young MM, of 50 Highbury Road, Luton, who formerly worked for Me Searle, dairyman, of Dudley Street, and who has been in France about 18 months, is in Clapton Hospital with wounds in the chest, both arms and a leg. He joined up at Biscot Camp in 1916, was transferred to the Royal West Surrey Regiment, and went to France as a machine gunner. He won the Military Medal on March 14th-15th for conspicuous bravery in the field. He was wounded on April 13th and, while being bandaged at the dressing station, was shot again, the bullet entering the armpit. His condition is as favourable as can be expected from such wounds.

• The unwelcome intimation has reached Mr and Mrs E. Bone, of 53 Baker Street, Luton, that their second son, Rifleman E. Bone, was last week wounded in the left foot during the heavy fighting in France. He is now at Queen Mary's Military Hospital, Whalley. The young rifleman joined up in January 1917 at the age of 18, and went to France in the following September. In civilian life he was employed at the Co-operative Wholesale Society's bakery in Park Street.

• Pte Tom Risbridger, of 13 Cambridge Street, Luton, has written to his brother from Norfolk War Hospital, where he is recovering after being wounded in both thighs in the recent severe fighting in France. He wrote: "The Boche offensive commenced on March 21st, and we copped it! What a barrage they put on us! It was a marvel that anyone could live in it...I have seem some sights since being out here, but those I saw that day were worse than I ever imagined human beings could stand. How they do it, heaven only knows, but when the scrapping is over the lads laugh and joke about it. It is marvellous."

• L-Cpl Sidney Bird, who was formerly park keeper at Wardown Park, has been wounded again by enemy fire. It is the third time he has been wounded, the last being on April 12th near La Bassee Canal.

[The following were either reported missing and later confirmed as prisoners of war, or were known from the outset to be POWs. Further details about each individual can be found by clicking here.]

• Mrs Harrison, of 1 Talbot Road, Luton, has learned that her husband, Pte William Harrison (East Surrey Regiment) is reported missing. An officer wrote that as a large number of prisoners were taken, it was quite probable that he was alive that he was alive and in enemy hands.

• It has been notified that Sgt A. E. Kennedy (Wiltshire Regiment), stepson of Mrs Jamieson , of 2 Edward Street, Luton, is a prisoner at Cassel in Germany.

• Mr G. Wistow Walker, Headmaster of the Old Bedford Road Council School, has just received intimation from friends that Pioneer F. W. Chapman (Royal Engineers, Speical Brigade) has been reported as missing since March 21st. Mr Chapman was assistant at the above school.

• News has come to hand that the only son of the late Mr Richard Allen, of 12 Salisbury Road, Luton, Pte Sidney Richard Allen (Royal Dublin Fusiliers), has fallen into the hands of the enemy. The War Office has sent a card stating that he is interned at Limburg in Germany, but is not wounded.