Pte William Thomas Loughton, 200280, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died in Palestine on November 14th, 1917. A Luton News brief report of his death said the cause was heart failure.

William Loughton, son of William and Emily, joined the Bedfords at the outbreak of war after being employed by coal merchants How & Byfield, of King Street, Luton. He had married Edith Edwards in 1908 and his address was given as 80 New Town Street.

Pte Herbert Horace Read, 60076, 11th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action in Flanders on October 17th, 1917.

His death was not notified to his family at 11 Back Street, Luton, at the time, and two months later, having received no communication from him for several weeks, his mother Emily appealed for information. A letter from the Front compounded her uncertainty in saying it was thought Pte Read had been sent to hospital on October 28th suffering from concussion of the brain, but it was not known to which hospital he had been sent.

Pte Andrew Wood MM, 12951, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, is recorded as having been killed in action in Flanders on November 13th, 1917, although in a letter to his parents an officer said his death occurred on the morning of the 14th.

Second Lieut Vivian E, Farr wrote: "It is with infinite regret I have to inform you of the death of your son, Pte Wood (reserve stretcher-bearer) on the morning on November 14th. The battalion was holding a newly captured position, and was being subjected to heavy machine gun fire.

Pte Wallace James Oxborrow, 238044, 12th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on November 12th, 1917. A comrade wrote that he had heard from others in the regiment that Wallace was killed instantly by a shell after being sent up the line with some wire.

It was the following month before widow Hilda at 315 Hitchin Road, Luton, officially learned of her husband's death. Wallace had married Hilda Blanche Lovell at Luton Register Office on November 21st, 1916.

L-Cpl John Brown, 33017, 8th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, died on October 22nd, 1917, from severe wounds sustained in action on October 9th. He was aged 34.

John was working at Hayward Tyler before joining the Bedfordshire Regiment about six weeks after the outbreak of war. Heart trouble kept him on home service until he was transferred to the Leicesters in 1916 and sent to France. He had had no leave since.

Pte Reginald Alfred Crick, 16481, 16th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action on October 9th*, 1917. He was attached to the Headquarters Staff as a runner and was killed instantly in the execution of his duty.

The former straw trade dye worker employed by T. Lye & Sons, New Bedford Road, had enlisted in the Middlesex Regiment on July 6th, 1916, and went to France the following October. (*Based on letters from comrades the Luton News reported that he was killed on October 10th).

Pte George James Hodge, 36994, 4th Battalion Essex Regiment, was killed in action on November 3rd, 1917, near Gaza during the Egypt-Palestine campaign. He had initially been reported wounded and missing on that date.

He had enlisted in the Army Service Corps in September 1916 and went to the Eastern Front at Easter 1917. There he was transferred to the Essex Regiment.

Pte Ernest William White, 235080, 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on October 4th, 1917. The news of his death was conveyed in a letter from a comrade to widow Violet May at her parents' address at 142 New Town Street, Luton.

He had enlisted in the South Staffords in April 1917 and had been in France only ten weeks at the time of his death. He was aged 25, and prior to enlistment was employed as a butcher by Mr Tuffnell, of 102 Park Street, Luton.

L-Cpl George Henry Howe, 27970, 8th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on September 26th, 1917, the day before his 19th birthday.

His Second Lieut wrote to parents William and Alice Howe at 24 Spring Place, Luton, that theree son had been seen to be wounded on the night of the 26th and it could only be presumed he had succumbed to his wounds as he had not passed through any casualty clearing post.

Pte Sidney Harvey, 265421, 2nd Battalion Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on October 26th, 1917, just five months after going to the Front.

Born in Luton, he was the son of fish merchant Arthur Harvey and his wife Ada, of 39 Park Road West. He was in business as a fish and greengrocery hawker. In 1911 he had married Emily Short and the couple were living at 13 Chequer Street, Luton. Emily remarried in 1920.

Pte Francis Finch, 23860, 7th Battalion The Buffs (East Kent) Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on October 13th, 1917, having initially been reported missing.

He had joined the Training Reserve Battalion in February 1917 at the age of 18, and was drafted to France at the beginning of August.

Francis was a son of Joseph and Eliza Finch, who lived at Lower Sundon. His father and three older brothers were farm labourers at the time of the 1911 Census, when Francis was still at school. Francis also became a farm worker, employed by farmer Henry Gates, of Sundon.

Cpl Ernest Walter Brooks, 295316, 2/4th Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), was killed in action on September 20th, 1917. For ten weeks he had been reported missing before official confirmation of his death arrived in late November.

A son of Charles and Emily Ann Brooks, of 108 Ridgway Road, Luton, he had enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment (No. 4483) in 1914 and served in the Gallipoli campaign until he was invalided home with dysentery. He was eventually drafted to the Western Front with the London Regiment.

Pte Herbert Harry Abrahams, 68102, 7th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was confirmed killed in action in Flanders on October 30th, 1917, after initially being reported missing on that date.

Born in Leytonstone, Essex, he was son of Harry James and Agnes Jane Abrahams, of 46 Claremont Road, Luton. Before joining up was employed in the counting house of hat manufacturers J. C. Kershaw & Co.

He had enlisted in the Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment in October 1916, and was drafted into the Royal Fusiliers on his arrival in France in September 1917.

Pte Percy Edwin Snoxell, 245142, 2/2nd Battalion London Regiment Royal Fusiliers, was posted wounded and missing on October 26th, 1917, and was later presumed to have been killed on that date.

Rifleman Arthur Hawes, 41477, 11/13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, was killed in action on August 16th, 1917. Three months later he was still listed merely as missing, leading to an appeal by his widowed mother for information.