Pte William Impey, 27561, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on October 12th, 1916.

He was the son of Alfred and the late Sarah Ann Impey (died 1901) and stepson of Elizabeth Ann (Garrett), whom Alfred had married in 1909.

Rifleman Frederick Horace Rookwood, 3253, 17th Battalion London Regiment (Poplar and Stepney Rifles), was killed in action on the Somme on October 1st, 1916. He was aged 27.

Widow Kate and parents James and Clara, of 14 Ashton Street [later Gillam Street], Luton, heard the news first from Frederick's brother-in-law, who said he had seen Frederick's grave, "which is very nicely laid out". [The grave was probably lost as Frederick is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial for soldiers with no known grave].

Pte Ernest Brandom, G/14511, 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on September 9th, 1916. He was aged 20.

He joined up soon after war broke out and left for the Front just a couple of months before his death. Parents Frederick George and Sarah Ann Brandom lived at 38 Duke Street, Luton.

At the time of the 1911 Census, 15-year-old Ernest was described as a grocer's assistant.

Second Lieut Edward Stanley Strachan, 8th Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), was killed in action on October 14th, 1915. A year later he was still reported "missing, believed killed".

The eldest son of a London wine merchant, his Luton connection was as a partner in the grocery and wines business of T. Forman & Co, of Market Hill. He is included on the Luton Roll of Honour.

Rifleman Arthur David Sharp, C/6265, 18th Battalion King's Royal Rifles, was killed in action on the Somme on September 15th, 1916. He was single and aged 28.

He had enlisted at St Pancras in London in July 1915 and went out to France the following May.

His father David had died in 1911 and his mother Sarah in 1906. At the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 29 Shirley Road, Luton, with two brothers and four sisters, all then unmarried.

Pte Herbert Harold Howkins, 11888, 11th Royal Fusiliers, was reported to have been killed in action on the Somme on September 25th, 1916. He was aged 31.

He was the son of the late John Howkins (died 1892), who had been licensee of the Fox pub in Dunstable Road. His mother, Harriet, remarried in 1895 and lived under her new married name of Seabrook at 134 Dallow Road, Luton.

Capt G. W. Morgan wrote to Mrs Seabrook: "Pte Howkins was a machine gunner, and was hit by a shell and died instantly. The same shell killed four and wounded other men of the same section.

Second Lieut Richard Reeve Emmens, 7th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on September 4th, 1916. He was aged 23.

Born in Birmingham, the public school boy was engaged for 12 months before the war as a chartered accountant with Mr Thomas Keens, Secretary of the Luton Chamber of Commerce. He is included on the Luton Roll of Honour with an address at Cardiff Road, Luton.

Pte Arthur William Fensome, 6485, 71st Company Machine Gun Corps, died on September 27th, 1916, from wounds sustained on the Somme.

Born in 1888, he was the eldest of ten children of Samuel Fensome and his wife Ellen (nee Summerfield), of Ramridge End Lane [now Ashcroft Road], Stopsley. He enlisted in 1915, having previously worked for Bracey Bros, dyers, of 28 John Street, Luton.

L-Cpl Bert Holdstock, 2836, 1/24th County of London Regiment (The Queen's), was killed in action on the Somme on September 16th, 1916. His role was as a bomber.

Born around Christmas 1894, he was the youngest of five serving sons of Charles and Annie Holdstock, of 22 South Road (formerly Foundry Lane), Luton. He was single, aged 21 and 6ft 2in tall.

Prior to enlistment in the Londons when war broke out, he worked in the straw trade. He trained at St Albans and was wounded twice while serving for nearly two years in Flanders.

Pte William Hawkes, 26095, 56th Protection Company, Royal Defence Corps, was killed by a bomb dropped from an airship at Willian, Herts, on October 1st-2nd, 1916. He was perhaps the only person from the Luton area known to have died as a direct result of a World War 1 air raid.

He was buried in the churchyard at St Thomas's Church, Stopsley on October 7th, leaving a widow, Elizabeth, and family living at Ramridge End. His gravestone says he was aged 56, but inquest reports give his age as 43.

Pte William Dovaston, 3848, 9th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on September 11th, 1916. He was aged 19.

Born at Islington, London, he was the son of Robert William and Caroline Dovaston, of 18 Selbourne Road, Luton. He enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment at the age of 17 and had served in Gibraltar and Egypt before being transferred to the Middlesex Regiment and sent to France.

William was formerly employed by Commercial Cars Ltd and was a member of All Saints Church choir. He played football for the church club.

Rifleman William Ernest Ratcliffe, S/11035, 3rd Battalion Rifle Brigade, died on the Somme on August 18th, 1916.

He is recorded as having been born in Luton around 1895 and is on the Luton Roll of Honour, but without an address. It is likely that his family had left Luton before the time of his death. The 1911 Census suggests that 16-year-old William was a boarder in a boys' home in London.

The Luton News carried a picture of the late Rifleman Ratcliffe, of Luton, in its October 5th, 1916, edition, but without further details.

L-Cpl Alfred Warren, 8134, 1/2nd Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), was killed in action on the Somme on September 23rd, 1916. He was the son of Frederick William Warren of and his wife Jane (nee Williams), of 3 Dunstable Road, Leagrave.

Born at Olton, near Solihull, Warks, in 1897, he enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment (3548) at the age of 17, but before going to France was transferred to the London Regiment.

Bombardier Charles William Asbury, 33560, 39th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, was killed in action on September 12th, 1916, on the Somme. He was aged 32.

Born in Harlington, he became an assistant porter with the Midland Railway at Flitwick in 1899 when aged 15. He attested as a 20-year-old with the R.F.A. in 1904 and served in India before joining the Reserve.

L-Cpl Thomas John (Jack) Heley, 15743, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on September 29th, 1916, from wounds sustained on the Somme.

Born in Leighton Buzzard in 1883, he had moved to Luton by 1911 and was living at 180 Wellington Street with his widower father, Fred, and a younger brother and two sisters. He was employed as a carpenter by builder Mr Arthur Cole, of 183 High Town Road.