Sgt William John Arthur Saxty, 4749, 60th Battalion Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), died at a dressing station in France on February 9th, 1917, from wounds sustained on the battlefield.

Born in Bath in 1881, he was aged 36 and married to Geraldine with four children (John, Hubert, Albert and Beatrice), aged 14 years to five months, living at 40 High Town Road, Luton.

Major Godson, of his regiment, wrote: "He came to me as a private at Grantham and his rapid promotion has been entirely due to his devotion to duty, and I feel very keenly his loss."

George Rosson was born in 1882 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. He was 1 of 5 children born to Richard & Laura.

In 1891 the family are living on Hockliffe Road, Leighton Buzzard. Richard is 64 & a carpenter, Laura is 44. Frank the eldest son is 14 years old & working as a parchment maker's boy, 10 year old Lily & 8 year old George are at school, whilst 5 year old Harry & 2 year old Laura are at home.

Harry Rosson was born on 24th November 1886 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, 1 of 5 children born to Richard & Laura.

In 1891 the family are living on Hockliffe Road, Leighton Buzzard. Richard is 64 & a carpenter, Laura is 44. Frank the eldest son is 14 years old & working as a parchment maker's boy, 10 year old Lily & 8 year old George are at school, whilst 5 year old Harry & 2 year old Laura are at home.

Pte Arthur Robert Goodman, 23081, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on February 5th, 1917. He was aged 20.

Cpl Alec Walter Harris, 23642, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in the valley of the River Ancre on the Somme on February 4th, 1917. He was just 25 and single.

Born in Luton in 1892, he was the son of labourer Albert and straw hat machinist Selina Harris, of 23 Jubilee Street, Luton. Alec (Alic on his birth registration) was the couple's four son.

Percy James Osborn was born in January 1890 in Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire. He was the only son of 3 children born to Abel & Annie.

In 1911 Percy is 21 years old & working as a skating rink floor manager & living with his family at 195 Dunstable Road above the shop that his 48 year old father runs selling fruit & confectionary. His mother Annie is 49, older sister Kate is 23 & working as a straw hat finisher & younger sister Hilda is 14 & at school.

L-Cpl Eric Arthur Grace, 2534, 24th Battalion London Regiment (The Queen's), died on January 31st, 1917, from acute bronchial pneumonia, the day after being admitted to a Canadian Casualty Clearing Station in Flanders. He was aged 22.

In a letter to parents retired confectioner Arthur and Annie Grace, of 2-4 Bury Park Road, Luton, a Sister at the clearing station said their son had been admitted on the morning of January 30th in a very serious condition. He got worse rapidly and died on January 31st at 11 pm.

Pte Frank Wilson, 33808, 1st Border Regiment, died at the 2/2nd London Casualty Clearing Station in France on January 31st, 1917, as a result of gunshot wounds in the leg received on the Somme three days earlier. He was aged 19 and had been in France only since January 6th.

Sister W. E. Tice at the casualty clearing station wrote to parents James and Eliza Wilson at 67 Frederic Street, Luton, that their son had been brought in badly wounded on January 28th.

Sapper Fred Clark, 78518, Royal Engineers, died in German East Africa on January 31st, 1917, from neuritis, attributed to the effects of climate. He was aged 33, married and had three young children.

Sapper Clark was expecting to return home to 152 Leagrave Road, Luton, from East Africa, where he had been serving under General Smuts.

He was formerly employed by engineer Mr Frank Moody, of Chapel Street, Luton, before joinging the East Anglian Royal Engineers on November 19th, 1914.

Pte Harold David Joad, 25196, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the banks of the River Ancre on the Somme on January 28th, 1917. He was aged 20.

Born at Weston, Herts, he was the son of the late Charles Joad (died 1896, the year Harold was born). He was also stepson of farmer and pig dealer George Desborough of Ansells End Farm, Kimpton, whom his mother, Annie Maud Appleton Joad (nee Tee), married in 1907.

Pte Ebenezer Logan, 7360, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action at Ovillers-la-Boisselle on the Somme on January 24th, 1917. He was aged 20.

Born in Luton, he had lived at 8 Windsor Street with his widowed mother, Hannah, older brother Arthur William and sister Ada. Another brother, Fred, was married and serving with the R.A.M.C. in Egypt.

Cpl Frederick Victor Wesley, 22310, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on on the Somme on January 26th, 1917. He was aged 27.

Sadly, the only mention of him around the time os his death seems to have been a roll of honour notice placed in the Luton News by his sister Cassey on behalf of younger brother Percy and relatives.

Pte Stanley Squires Cawdell, 5329, 15th County of London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles), was killed in action near Ypres on January 11th, 1917. He was 30 years old and the son of Sarah Ann (nee Squires) and the late William George Cawdell (died 1906), of 244 High Town Road, Luton.

Stanley Cawdell was an old boy of St Matthew's School and had been employed as a clerk by the Midland Railway Co. He was also secretary of the local Midland Railway Football Club. He had tried five times to enlist before joining the Civil Service Rifles in December 1915.

Herbert Ward Saunders was born in 1898 in Sundon, Bedfordshire.

In 1915 he was a patient at Wardown V.A.D Hospital.

His service record tells us that on 5th June 1916 Herbert enlisted into the 22nd Manchester Regiment. At the time of enlistment he was living at the Red Lion Inn, Harlington Road, Sundon & his next of kin was his mother Charlotte. He was working as a carter for Mr W Smith in Limbury Green Lane.

On 25th November 1916 he was transferred to the 11th Infantry Reserve Brigade located at Prees Heath Camp, Whitchurch, Shropshire.

L-Cpl Tom Brown, 27938, 7th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action on the Somme on November 13th, 1916. He left a widow and a young son, who received official notification of his death two months later after he had initially been reported missing.

Tom Brown had attested under the Derby scheme and joined the Royal Fusiliers in April 1916. After three months training he went to France, where he was given his first stripe for good conduct and merit.