Pte Charles William Peet, 22170, 1st Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was reported missing, believed killed, near Arras on May 3rd, 1917.

War Office notification that he was missing was received by his sister at 64 Warwick Road, Luton.

The son of Johnathan and Ellen Peet, he was born at Greenfield in Bedfordshire in 1878, Charles Peet was an employee of George Kent Ltd before enlisting in October 1916. He proceeded to the Front in March 1917 after a short period of training.

Ordinary Seaman William Harold Burrows, J/36685, Royal Navy, met an accidental death while serving on HMS Dido on May 10th, 1917. He was aged 19.

Pte Walter Ernest Boskett, 32209, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died as a prisoner of war on May 9th, 1917. He was aged 38.

There does seem to have been some confusion on the battlefield. Second Lieut Dudley W. Wright wrote to widow Maud at 99 Ashton Road, Luton: "With great regret I have to inform you that your husband, Pte W. E. Boskett, of this battalion, was killed in action on the 25th of April. He was killed by a shell, and his death was instantaneous. The officers and men would like to send their deepest sympathy."

Sgt William Cyril Frederick Charles Meakins, 3635, 51st Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), was killed in action on April 23rd, 1917. He had been badly wounded in the abdomen and was unable to move from right up against the German wire. A comrade who tried to help him placed him in a shell hole, but was unable to find him when he returned for him later that night.

Sgt Meakins, known as Cyril, was initially reported missing, believed killed, before parents William and Ada at 12a Cardigan Street, Luton, were officially informed on May 28th.

Sgt Sidney Cherry, 50457, 11th Battalion Suffolk Regiment, was presumed killed in action near Arras on or soon after April 28th, 1917. He was aged 32.

His widow, Mabel, at 162 High Town Road, Luton, had received a letter from a Seaforth Highlander stating that during an advance they were lifting a dead German officer in a trench when a pocket-case fell from the officer's jacket. It contained photographs and cards relating to Sgt Cherry's family. It was not known how they had come into the German's possession.

Pte John Cain, 29205, 13th Essex Regiment, was killed in action near Arras on April 28th, 1917. The 23-year-old had initially been posted as missing and his widow, Eliza Jane, had received no further regular letters from him.

John Cain was employed as a grinder at the Diamond Foundry in Dallow Road before joining up in August 1916. He had married Eliza Jane Hall at St Matthew's Church, Luton, on November 20th, 1915, and lived at 116 Hartley Road, Luton. He was drafted to France within a few days of his first wedding anniversary.

Pte Albert Hughes, 42733, 10th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on May 7th, 1917. He was an old Territorial who had served for over 10 years in India with the Bedfordshire Regiment before being called up at the outbreak of war for service with the Worcesters.

Second Lieut Macleod, writing to his family at 39 North Street, Luton, said that Pte Hughes had been buried behind the lines. His death had been practically instantaneous, thus causing no pain.

Pte William Horsler, G/50146, 11th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, died on May 6th, 1917, from severe wounds sustained on the battlefield. He left a widow and six children at their home in Limbury.

On May 5th a chaplain wrote to Ellen Horsler at Warden View, Limbury, informing her that her husband had wounds in both legs and his right hand, which had had to be amputated. Four days later another chaplain wrote that Pte Horsler had died on May 6th.

Gunner Charles Hobbs, 315375, Royal Garrison Artillery, died in action in Flanders on May 6th, 1917. He was aged 29 and had been killed instantly by a shell, the first man in his battery to die by enemy fire.

Charles and his wife Elizabeth (nee Webb) lived at 82 Highbury Road, Luton. The couple had married in 1911, and Charles was an employee of the CWS Cocoa factory in Dallow Road, Luton, prior to enlisting.

Driver Frederick Albert Matthews, 35792, 136th Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) and ex-25541 Beds Regiment, died of gunshot wounds at Basra, Mesopotamia, on April 24th, 1917.

He would be the first of three brothers to died on the battlefield within six months - Harry in France on June 17th, 1917, while serving with the Royal Field Artillery, and John (a Military Medal winner) died in France with the Royal Engineers on October 4th, 1917.

L-Cpl Aubrey Oliver Pryer, 23418, 14th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, died on May 6th, 1917, from wounds sustained in the Battle of Arras. He was aged 23.

Comrade Pte A. J. White wrote to parents John and Emily Agnes Pryer at 51 Belmont Road, Luton, to inform tham that 'Monty' [L-Cpl Pryer] had died from serious wounds. News came down the line that he was wounded and was being conveyed down later in the day.

Pte William Hankin, 307038, 2/7th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment), was killed in action in France on May 3rd, 1917. Older brother, Alfred (Beds Regiment), had died from wounds in France on October 30th, 1914.

Dunstable-born William had enlisted in the West Riding Regiment in March 1916 and went to France the following January. Parents Alfred and Alberta Hankin had moved from Dunstable and were living at 64 Ivy Road, Luton.

L-Cpl John Thomas Longden, 13234, 10th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, was killed in action in France on April 28th, 1917. Although he is included on the Luton Roll of Honour, he may not have lived or worked here and his connection appears to be that his mother, Eliza, had moved to live at 6 Church Street, Luton, a short time before his death.

L-Cpl Longden's connections appear to be almost entirely with the Rotherham area of Yorkshire, where both he and his parents were living when the 1911 Census was compiled.

Pte Edward Anstee, 30849, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action near Arras on May 3rd, 1917. He was aged 35.

No report of his death appears to have been published in the local Press at the time. He was born around 1881 and married Louisa Fox in Luton in 1900.

At the time of the 1911 Census the couple were living at 17 Cowper Street, Luton, Edward working as a straw hat blocker. Their only child had died.

Pte Archie Walter Patten, 32151, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died in Etaples Hospital, France, on May 4th, 1917, from serious wounds sustained in the Battle of Arras on April 23rd. He was single and aged 24.

He had enlisted in the 1/5th Bedfords at the outbreak of war and took part in the Dardanelles campaign. He was invalided home with dysentery and spent three months in the Mile End Hospital. In November 1916 he was drafted to France.