Sgt Stanley Edward George Day, 235790, 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, was killed in action in Belgium on October 15th, 1917.

A former Bedfordshire Territorial (No. 3098), the 23-year-old was mobilised with the Northumberlands at the outbreak of war. He did not go to the Front until September 17th, 1917, and survived only for a month, killed "in the performance of his duty," as Capt James McIntyre wrote to widow Emily at 27 Chase Street, Luton.

Pte William 'Sonny' Lawson, 89750, 65th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, died on October 27th, 1917, from gunshot wounds sustained two days previously. The son of Luton Town FC trainer Billy Lawson, he had been serving as a stretcher bearer at the time.

Writing from the No 3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station in France, the Rev W. L. Archer said: "Your son William was brought to our hospital on the night of the 25th, very severely wounded in the legs. In spite of every care, he lived only to the 27th. I promised to write to you and say that 'Sonny sends his love'.

Pte Albert Edward Swann, 34011, 1/7th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was killed in action near Ypres on October 4th, 1917. He was aged 28 and had been in the Army just over eight months.

In a letter to his widow, Capt E. J. Nicholls said Pte Swann went over in an attack north-east of Ypres. He was reported missing after the engagement, and his body was subsequently found and buried.

L-Cpl Henry Morgan, 41476, 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, was killed in action on August 16th, 1917, although for a long period afterwards he was reported only as missing.

He had enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment (No. 3929) in September 1914 and was drafted to Gallipoli in the Dardanelles campaign the following year. He was invalided home with dysentery and septic poisoning, before being transferred to the Irish Rifles in January 1917 and sent to France.

Capt William Henry Coate, Munster Fusiliers*, was killed in action at Kakaraska on October 25th, 1917. He was the eldest son of the Rev Harry Coate, Vicar of St Matthew's Church, Luton, since 1894.

An architect by profession, he was born in London in 1889. In his younger days he had played a prominent role in the Church Lads' Brigade at his father's church and became a skilful bugler. as a cadet he had been chosen to play the calls at a review of troops.

Gunner Thomas Williamson, 39307, 180th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery, was killed in action on September 21st, 1917. He had first arrived in France on August 20th, 1914.

Capt S. W. Harvey, in a letter to parents Lewin and Ellen Williamson, of 9 Alfred Street, Luton, said: "Our position was so far forward that we could shoot into Boche batteries that no one else could reach. Knowing this, the Boche shelled us heavily. It was while we were moving into another position that you son was killed."

Pte Sidney George Dimmock, 42561, 8th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action in France on October 20th, 1917. He was aged 29 and a member of a Lewis gun team.

One of Sidney's chums wrote to parents William and Mary Ann Dimmock, of 'Hiawatha,' Toddington Road, Leagrave: "A bomb which burst in our trench struck him in the head and back, fatally injuring him. Death was practically instantaneous, so that he did not suffer. He is to be buried in a British cemetery lying behind the line in open, undulating country near a French cathedral town [Arras]."

Sapper Reed Knight, 628195, 4th Canadian Railway Troops, was killed in action near Nieuport in Belgium on October 19th, 1917. His was a story of a Vancouver boy's romance with a Luton girl that soon turned to tragedy on the battlefield.

Chaplain the Rev D. Oliver wrote that Sapper Knight was killed by a bursting shell. He died instantly and was buried the following afternoon in a British Cemetery. The funeral was a military one and his grave was marked with a wooden cross.

Sgt Joseph Charles Shaw, 570856, 17th Battalion London Regiment, was killed in action in East Africa on October 18th, 1917.

Parents Joseph and Mary Ann Shaw, of 1 Bolton Road, Luton, were informed of their son's death by Mr H. J. Read, on behalf of the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies. He had received a telegram from the officer administering the government of East Africa Protectorate informing him that Sgt Shaw was killed near Lindi [in present-day Tanzania].

Pte Ernest Rodell, 14864, 13th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, died at Gheluvelt, near Ypres, on October 18th, 1917, from wounds sustained in action. He was aged 23, single and had lived with his parents at 3 Surrey Street, Luton.

One of his chums wrote to Pte Rodell's sister stating that he was wounded on October 17th and died like a hero, happy and conscious to the last. Only a few minutes before he died he asked his chums to shake hands with him. "They did so, and were with him to the last."

Pte Bertie Hawkes, 88018, 3rd Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, died in the No. 14 General Hospital, Wimereux, France, on October 17th, 1917, suffering from the effects of gas poisoning. He was aged 20 and single.

His mother Rosa was living alone at 21 North Street, Luton, after her old soldier husband Alfred and her seven sons - Bertie plus Edward, Arthur, Cyril, Jesse, John and Norman - were serving in the Army either at home or abroad.

Sapper Frederick Jones, 522869, 225th Field Company Royal Engineers, died just after midnight on October 16th, 1917, after being wounded in the neck and thigh by an aerial bomb a short time earlier on the previous day.

He had only recently been discharged from hospital after being wounded by a shell falling on his billet on September 11th. Three men were killed and eight wounded in that incident.

Pte Frank (Franklin) Fane, 202749, 1/4th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment, died in a casualty clearing station in Mesopotamia on October 13th, from severe neck wounds sustained in the British advance on Baghdad. His death had followed a week of intense suffering.

The second son of the late George Fane (died 1907, aged 55), of Herne Farm, Toddington, and Emily Fane, he was a Territorial who was with his company training at Ashridge when way broke out. After a period of further training he was sent out to Mesopotamia and was engaged in most of the battles in that region.

Pte Harold Smallbones, 37164, 1st Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, was killed in action on September 26th, 1917.

Second Lieut V. W. Rudkin wrote that Pte Smallbones was sleeping at the time he met his death when a shell exploded nearby. A chum who had a lucky escape said he was only ten yards from the spot where Harold was killed by the shell.

Pte Harry Chalkley, 50129, 8th Battalion Suffolk Regiment, was presumed killed in action on October 13th, 1917, according to a letter from the Front. He had enlisted in the Suffolks in July 1916 and went to France the following November.

A chaplain writing to widow Ellen Laura Chalkley at 40 Avondale Road, Luton, said her husband had been missing since October 13th and he was not optimistic about his fate.