A terrible motor fatality occurred at Houghton Regis on Saturday afternoon [July 10th, 1915], involving the death of Second-Lieut Hugh Anthony Bertlin and serious injuries to Second-Lieut J. R. Smith, of the Royal Engineers, stationed at Houghton.

The first half of the current year has passed and most of the local houses have finished their stocktaking, and are cognisant of the effect on their financial position of the six months' trading. Some firms have to record a diminished amount of business when compared with the corresponding period of 1914.

Herbert A. Bailey, 1360, of the Hawke Battalion, Royal Naval Division, writing from Gallipoli Peninsula under date of June 26th, to his parents Mr and Mrs W. J. Bailey, 64 Grove Road, Luton, says:

"I returned to my dug-out on Tuesday after eight days in the firing line. We made an attack on the enemy's trenches which unfortunately proved unsuccessful. We charged at night and, my word, what a night of horrors! I passed through hell that night and only God's mercy saved me.

The following additional names appeared in the official casualty lists of the Beds Regt on July 8th, 1915. (Supplementary later information in brackets.)

MISSING

Pte Sidney Ashford (19), 10732, 2nd Battalion (KIA May 17th, 1915 - Le Touret Memorial).

Actg Cpl William Bartlett DCM (23), 9760, 2nd Battalion (KIA May 17th, 1915 - Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner, Cuinchy).

Pte Albert Blewitt, 14276, 2nd Battalion (KIA May 17th, 1915 - Le Touret Memorial).

Some exciting experiences have befallen a Luton lad who is doing his bit at the Front. Pte Percy Sibley, whose home is at 3 Peach Street, Luton, joined the Royal Field Artillery in September and was out at the Front in March.

One one occasion, while he was digging with his comrades, the bullets were flying about so thickly that if one put up his shovel it was sure to get hit by a bullet.

This epitaph was found in a bottle on the grave of Pte G. Brewer, 14194, Beds Regiment on July 21st, 1915.

A copy was sent to Mrs Everitt, of 7 Clarendon Road, Luton, by Pte A. Blaze, 2276, D Coy, 1/5th North Stafford Regt, who says: "We are in the trenches for a spell, and there are a fine lot of Bedfords buried here. We found a piece of poetry in a bottle on one of the graves, and I am sending you a copy."

Headed "In Memory of a Soldier of Christ" it read:

A crescent moon - enough to shed

Upon this field where lie our dead,

In spite of the call to patriotism and the gallant response, there are all too many people who regard billeting unfavourably, and an instance has reached us from St Albans.

It is from a trustworthy source, but not from the Luton officer who took so much interest in the care and treated so kindly the poor wife of one of his men.

In the Battle School Hospital at Reading is a brave Lutonian - Pte George Doughty, 5596, 1st Beds Regt, who has finished his fighting career. He served 13 years with the Bedfordshire Regiment, and was a reservist when the war clouds broke in August last. He has done well indeed for his country, and he has lost his left arm in its service.

Recently he came home from hospital to see his baby, who was ill, at 14 Ebenezer Street, Luton, but since his return complications have set in and his stay in hospital will be much longer.

Capt Brian Clarke Cumberland, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment and only son of Mr Hugh Cumberland JP, of The Lynchet, Hart Hill, Luton, has fallen in action in Gallipoli.

At one o'clock in the morning on Monday, July 26th, 1915, half of the 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment left St Albans for what a signalling sergeant later described as "the promised land". An hour and a half later the remainder left the town to a "really good send-off from the people of St Albans". The men were confident and in good spirits, blithely unaware of the horrors that lay ahead in Gallipoli.

On Monday, August 23rd, 1915, the Luton Reporter carried the following report, based on a letter from the unnamed signalling sergeant.

Reports of killed and wounded soldiers were carried in the Luton News, Saturday Telegraph, Luton Reporter and Bedfordshire Advertiser in the first week of September 1915. Many of the reports were from unofficial sources and a few would subsequently prove to be inaccurate.

The lists of Beds Regiment casualties, July 10th-11th, 1915.

On Saturday Second-Lieut W. H. George, 2nd Battalion, was reported wounded at the Front, while Lieut J. T. Adair, 10th Battalion, is the second Bedfordshire officer to be wounded in the Dardanelles.

DIED OF WOUNDS

Pte Frank Monk, 8759, 1st Battalion, June 13th, 1915 (Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extenion Nord).

WOUNDED

Pte E. A. E. Berrett, 14122.

Pte C. V. Cobb, 9427.

Pte A. Daggar, 13806.

The following Beds Regiment casualties were published on July 1st, 1915.

WOUNDED

Pte G. Mayne, 7877, 2nd Battalion.

Pte E. Miller, 6765, 2nd Battalion.

Pte S. Picton, 14515, 2nd Battalion.

Pte W. Saddington, 9723, 2nd Battalion.

Pte F. Smith, 4627, 2nd Battalion.

Pte F. Walker, 7410, 2nd Battalion.

Pte A. Watkins, 10399, 2nd Battalion.

Beds regt casualty lists published July 5th, 1915.

KILLED

From James Baker, agent for Lady Wernher, at the Estate Office, Luton Hoo, a list of men from the estate and mansion serving their country.

ROLL OF HONOUR 1915

Sapper G. AYLOTT, Royal Engineers.

Lieut A. S. D. BAIRD-DOUGLAS, King's Own Lancaster Regt (wounded and prisoner).

Lieut C. G. BAKER, 6th East Surrey Regt.

Pte Henry William Clutton, 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, a son of Mr and Mrs Henry Clutton, of 7 Norman Road, Luton, is at present lying grievously wounded in a military hospital in the neighbourhood of Norwich.