Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: December 29th, 1917.

John Coote, a discharged soldier now a tram driver, of 77 Church Street, Luton, was summoned at the Borough Court this morning for failing to extinguish the lights on a tramcar after an air raid warning on December 18th. He was fined £1.

Pc Biley said the defendant was driving the tram in High Town Road with the lights on. The air raid siren had been blown, and he asked the defendant to put out the lights. Defendant put them out and then put them on again.

Defendant said the officer was in plain clothes and did not say who he was till the last moment, amd they did not know who to believe nowadays. When an officer in uniform told them afterwards they put the lights out and made for the Town Hall.

Defendant added that their inspector told them they could run on half lights. "The first constable seemed as if he had just got out of bed," added defendant. "We should have been asked to put out the light in a proper way.

Clerk Mr Austin said: "When an air raid is on we have not time for the usual courtesies."

The tram inspector said the police told him the cars could run on half lights as the air raid action warning had not come. He admitted that police instructions were posted at the tram depot.

• A national scheme of electricity production which will revolutionise the industries of the country is likely to be of utmost importance to Luton for it is felt that the town will be selected as one of a small number of big "super-power stations". This would have a marvellous effect on the progress of the town and district after the war. Alderman Wilkinson told Luton's Electricity Committee: "It is well understood throughout Great Britain, and particularly by the Government department responsible for it, that Luton had special claims in this matter which cannot be ignored."

• An accident of a somewhat alarming nature occurred on Wednesday evening at the bakery of Messrs F. Wilson & Son, Langley Street, Luton, to a man named Bert Goffin, of 99 Lea Road, Luton. By some means the top of a tank had become unfastened, and as Goffin was emptying half a sack of flour into the mixing machine, the tank fell down, striking him on the head. Severe injuries were inflicted, but after first aid was rendered he was taken to his home, where he is going on satisfactorily.

• Luton Town Council's General Purposes and Fire Brigade Committee, who received executive powers a few weeks ago with reference to the purchase of a new motor fire engine, have now made a selection. A tender of Messrs Dennis Bros Ltd, Guildford, has been accepted and, in addition to the engine there will be the escape and all necessary apparatus. The question of construction and delivery rests with the Ministry of Munitions. The cost of the new engine, we understand, works out below the estimate at less than £1,200.

• The conditional exemption from military service of D. Reed, 28, Married (C1), a bread baker employed by Messrs Wilson & Sons, Langley Street, was confirmed at yesterday evening's sitting of the Luton Borough Tribunal. Military Representative Lieut Gardner said Luton's bakers needed to so-operate to free up employees for the Army. But Town Clerk Mr William Smith said the town's bakers had not enough men at the present time and there were fewer bakers than before for a growing population. From the standpoint of the public he thought more information should be provided before more men were taken away from food production.

• We are pleased to state that Lieut P. W. S. Bulman (pictured right), son of the Rev T. Bulman, Vicar of St Paul's Church, Luton, has been awarded the Military Cross. He has seen very hazardous service in France with the Royal Flying Corps.

• Mr and Mrs J. Lyon, of 29 Wimbourne Road, Luton, have just received official intimation of the wounding of their younger son, Sapper Alfred Lyon (East Anglian Royal Engineers). Enlisting in January 1915, he proceeded to the Dardanelles the following July. Since that time he has participated in many engagements on the Eastern Front. He was wounded on November 30th and is lying in a general hospital at Alexandria, Egypt. He is 24 years old and worked at the Diamond Foundry before joining up.

• Mrs Wiles, of 49 Oak Road, Luton, has received a telegram from the War Office informing her that her husband, Pte Frederick Ernest Wiles, aged 36, died of gunshot wounds in the head which were received on November 22nd. He enlisted on October 20th, 1916, in the East Surrey Regiment, going overseas on August 15th, 1917. He was later transferred to the Royal Fusiliers, in which regiment he was serving when wounded. He leaves a widow and a little son, aged 12, to mourn their loss.

• Pte Albert W. Snoxell (Norfolk Regiment), third son of Mr Snoxell, of 84 Grange Road, Luton, has written an interesting letter to his father after being transferred from France to the Italian Front. He wrote: "I suppose you will be rather surprised to hear that I have reached the land of ice-cream and barrel-organs. We had a nice week's journey in cattle trucks, but we we did not do so badly. We marched through one big town with the band, and the people went nearly mad. I thought peace had been declared, and the girls threw flowers out of the windows."