Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, October 25th, 1917.

Rifleman Cecil Powell, of the Royal Irish Rifles and son of Mr S. G. Powell, blockmaker, of 66 Melson Street, Luton, has been in hospital in Kent for some weeks with terribly severe wounds, and he is now awaiting a further operation.

About two months ago he was in the St Julien push when a shell burst and a piece went through his cheeks and his face was greatly lacerated. Another inch higher and he would have lost his eyesight. Several teeth were knocked out.

The reports of the Food Committee, presented for the information of Luton Town Council on Tuesday [October 23rd, 1917], were very interesting and referred to four staple articles of food - milk, sugar, bread and potatoes.

On Tuesday evening [October 23rd, 1917], Mr James Myles Hogge MP visited Luton and addressed a meeting of discharged men in the Corn Exchange, under the auspices of the Luton Discharged Men's Association. There was a good attendance, and Mr Herbert W. Booth (Chairman of the Association) presided.

Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: October 20th, 1917.

The inhabitants generally will read with satisfaction the official announcement in today's issue of the Telegraph [ and reproduced above] that a system of air raid warnings has been decided on for Luton.

Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, October 18th, 1917.

Anybody in doubt about the survival spirit need only read the cheerful letters of the average soldier. In Pte Sidney Smith, of the Bedfordshire Regiment, a Luton Terrier, a cheerful and unconquerable spirit of optimism flourishes to a remarkable degree.

Prior to the war, Pte Smith was employed in the packing room of Messrs T. Burley, Bute Street, Luton. He joined the Bedfordshire Regiment in November 1914, and has been with them, without a break since, during the fighting in Gallipoli and in Egypt. His home in Luton is at 79 Wenlock Street, where he was at the time of joining up.

Writing from Durban on September 6th, Pte George Field, of the Royal Engineer and son of a Luton manufacturer, gives some interesting particulars of the place at which he was then staying, en route to another part of the world. He wrote:

"Durban received us (as it did some thousands of others who arrived earlier in the same week) with open arms, and we were bombarded with cigarettes etc on our way up to the camp.

Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: October 13th, 1917.

The Luton and District Discharged Soldiers' and Sailors' Association have taken No 15 Castle Street, with the object of converting the premises into offices and a club. these premises are open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7 to 9pm.

Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, October 11th, 1917.

A profit of £1,000 on waste paper was the splendid report of the Luton Waste Paper Scheme held in the Council Chamber on Tuesday evening. Councillor Henry Impey presided over a good attendance, and the outset referred to the inception of the scheme when they were all amateurs at the work. All saw the necessity of something being done to assist the war charities in the town, and the scheme at once commended itself.

The price of milk in Luton was increased to 7d per quart at the beginning of last week, reported the Luton News on October 11th, 1917. The matter was mentioned on the second day after the increase by the Mayor (Alderman John Staddon). At the meeting of the Town Council he said that the Food Committee were of the opinion that the Milk Order should not apply in this area, that the increase from 6d to 7d a quart was excessive, and that the dairymen had been invited to meet the Food Committee, when they would have to justify the increase.

Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: October 6th, 1917.

Another step was taken on Tuesday evening in the organisation of discharge soldiers and sailors in Luton and district. A meeting was held at Woolworth's Cafe, George Street, and Mr Herbert W. Booth presided.

Since Saturday there has been a constantly growing inrush of air-raid refugees from the London district into Luton and Dunstable, adding to the already overcrowded population. A rumour in Luton on Monday that the Plait Hall and Corn Exchange had been made use of for their accommodation was without foundation, but all yesterday strangers were wandering about in search of lodgings and their number was so largely augmented from the afternoon and evening trains that last night [October 2nd, 1917] Councillor R. F.

He may have been prepared to take on the appearance of a clown with the Biscot Pierrot Troupe, but Gunner Edwin Ernest Jeffs was a high calibre classical musician with a promising future when he was killed in action in Flanders on October 4th, 1917, while serving with the Royal Field Artillery.

Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, October 4th, 1917.

• Kingsway during World War One, Laporte chemical works to the left.

About 8.30 last night a fire occurred at Messrs Laporte's chemical works in Kingsway, Dunstable Road. It is believed that a spark from a passing locomotive on the railway caused the damage.