Thomas Eames was born in Sundon, Bedfordshire in 1889 to John & Emma.

In 1911 Thomas is 23 years old & working as a farm labourer. His brother Arthur, 28 & also a farm labourer is now head of the household as both their parents have died. Living in Sundon with them are sister Annie, 30, housekeeper to her brothers & their 4 year old niece Minnie Blackaby.

Thomas joined the Bedfordshire Regiment on the outbreak of war & was sent to France. In November 1916 Thomas was injured in the arm & sent home where he had his arm amputated just above the elbow.

Boy 1st Class Arthur George Swain, J/48192, Royal Navy, was still just 16 when he went down in the Atlantic with HMS Genista, torpedoed by German submarine U-57, on October 23rd, 1916.

He was the second son of Arthur and Jane Swain, of 30 Arthur Street, Luton. He left his trade as a baker with Mr Shuter, of Tennyson Road, and joined the Navy about 12 months before his death. His body was not recovered.

Pte Robert Charles Morsley, 3804, C Company, 1st Battalion Honourable Artillery Company, was killed in action on the Ancre, Somme, on November 14th[1], 1916. He was just short of his 18th birthday.

Robert was the second son of iron foundry foreman Charles and Martha Morsley, of 21 Park Street West [now Strathmore Avenue], Luton. He was educated at Luton Modern School, where he was a school games captain.

Sapper Clarence Sidney Ellerd How, 146239, 82nd Field Company Royal Engineers, was killed in action on the Somme on November 18th, 1916. He was aged 24 and his home was at 37 Stockwood Crescent, Luton.

The youngest son of the late Mr William Albert How, he went to France in August 1915 and was slightly wounded on October 26th but continued to fight in the trenches.

Pte George Morgan, 13181, 8th Lincolnshire Regiment, died on November 25th, 1916, from wounds sustained on the Somme.

There seems to have been no report or picture in the Luton press at the time, but the following Roll of Honour death notice appeared in the Luton News of November 30th, 1916: "MORGAN - November 25, died of wounds, 2nd General Hospital, Le Havre, Pte George Morgan, aged 26, of 2 Liverpool Road, Luton."

Pte Sidney John Vass, 23489, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died in the No. 13 Stationary Hospital in France on November 24th, 1916, 11 days after he was wounded in action on the Somme.

Pte John Radford, his lifelong pal from Luton with whom he enlisted and went to France, had also died in hospital from November 13th wounds sustained on the Somme. He passed away on November 14th, 1916.

Pte Vass, son of Alfred John and Alice Vass, of 121 Castle Street, Luton, was employed as a painter by Mr A. Perry, of Victoria Street, Luton.

Arthur Eames was born in Sundon, Bedfordshire in 1883, 1 of 9 children born to John & Emma.

In 1911 Arthur is 28 years old & working as a farm labourer. He is now head of the household as both his parents have died. Living in Sundon with him are his brother Thomas, 23, also a farm labourer, sister Annie, 30, housekeeper to her brothers & their 4 year old niece Minnie Blackaby.

Arthur enlisted into the 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment in December 1914.

Arthur died of wounds received in the Battle of Arras on 29th April 1917.

Pte Joseph Ward, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on November 21st, 1916, from wounds sustained in action on the Somme four days earlier. He was aged 24.

Being an orphan, he had lived with his married sister, Mrs Alice Gore, for upwards of ten years prior to joining the Ampthill Training Camp a year earlier.

Official notification reached Mrs Gore at her home at 86 Park Road West, Luton, that her brother had sustained gunshot wounds in the right thigh and a fracture of the femur, and was seriously ill in Dannes-Camiers General Hospital in France.

Sapper Bert Tomlinson, 1749, East Anglian Royal Engineers, was killed in action on the Somme on November 14th, 1916. He was aged 32 and had enlisted in January 1915.

Sapper Tomlinson, a painter and house decorator employed by Mr Smith, of West Hill Road, was secretary of the Luton branch of the House and Shop Decorators' Union.

Pte John Radford, 23496, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died in the No. 44 Casualty Clearing Station in France on November 14th, 1916, the day after he was wounded in action on the Somme.

Pte Sidney John Vass, his lifelong pal from Luton with whom he enlisted and went to France, was also to died in hospital from November 13th wounds sustained on the Somme. He passed away on November 24th, 1916.

Second Lieut Charles Frederick Burley, 4th Battalion (attached 10th) Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on November 18th, 1916. The younger son of leading Luton hat manufacturer Richard Burley, he would not have been 19 years old until December 1st - and still under military age for service abroad.

Pte Sidney Charles Anthony, 60778, 24th Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action on the Somme on November 13th, 1916. He was aged 33.

Two comrades wrote to his widow, Marion, at 83 Bury Park Road, Luton, to say they had seen Sidney go into action in the first wave of a charge but had not seen him since.

One comrade, L-Cpl C. Lennon, said the battalion had gone into action on the morning of the 13th and had a great victory,but lost quite a number of brave lads.

John Jellis was born in Flitwick, Bedfordshire in January 1883. He was 1of 9 children born to John & Sarah-Ann.

In October 1905, aged 22 John married Louie Buckingham in Ampthill, Bedfordshire & in 1906 their first son Arthur was born.

Sub-Lieut Eric William Squires, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, was killed in action in the battle of Ancre on the Somme on November 13th, 1916. He was aged 24.

The son of hat manufacturer James Squires and his wife Emily, of The Mount, Hart Hill, Luton, Eric joined the public schools battalion of the Naval Reserve on November 11th, 1914. The unit was the only one allowed to use both naval and military uniform. He was in training at the Crystal Palace and obtained his commission in July 1915.