Soldier

Corporal William George Muckleston

William George Muckleston was born in 1884 in Sundon, Bedfordshire.

In June 1907 William married Annie Jane Brown.

In 1911 William is 27 years old, working as a labourer in Forder's Cement Works & living with his young family in Sundon. Annie is 23 & at home looking after their 3 year old son Arthur William & 1 year old daughter Ida Mabel.

Daughter Vera Nellie was born in 1915.

Private Frank Hull

Frank Hull was born in Sundon on October 23rd, 1895. He was 1 of 12 children born to John & Ann.

In 1911 Frank is 15 & working as a farm labourer for Mr F Ward. He is living in Upper Sundon with his parents & 2 brothers. His father John is 67 years old & a farm labourer for Mr W Cooper, his mother Ann is 58 & a straw worker. George is 22 years old & working as a general labourer at Forder's cement works & Henry, 30 is a farm labourer for Mr Hucklesby.

Private William Henry Parsons

 

Pte William Henry "Snip" Parsons, 163604, 621st Mechanical Transport Company, Army Service Corps, died in a Military Hospital at Cambridge on December 24th, 1916, from cerebrospinal meningitis. He was aged 36.

He had come home from France, where he was serving, to undergo an operation at Chatham, where it was reported he had contracted the fatal illness. Back in Luton, his case was considered hopeless by local doctors and he was removed to Cambridge, where he never regained consciousness.

Sergeant Albert James Beaumont

 

Sgt Albert James "Bert" Beaumont, 9/8002, attached to 27th Training Reserve Battalion, died on December 12th, 1916, following several operations for internal complaints, including appendicitis, at hospital in St Albans.

Born in Markyate on July 21st, 1892, he lived his whole life in the village until he enlisted in the Beds Regiment (13391) at Luton in September 1914. He was the son of High Street, Markyate, butcher Frederick Beaumont and had worked in the family business.

Private Thomas Fleckney

 

Pte Thomas Fleckney, 31848, 6th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, died on December 6th, 1916, from wounds sustained on the Somme. He was aged 32 and the father of five children.

A letter from Sister Knight, of the Casualty Clearing Station where he was being treated, said Pte Fleckney had been admitted into hospital early in the morning with severe wounds to both legs and the necessity to amputate the right leg. He died at midday on December 6th.

Private Thomas Northwood

 

Pte Thomas Northwood, 26295, 122nd Company Machine Gun Corps(Infantry), was killed in action in Flanders on December 4th, 1916. He was aged 25, single, and the son of Francis and Elizabeth Northwood, of 118 Wellington Street, Luton.

A letter to Mrs Northwood from the Rev F. Leslin Hilditch, a Church of England Chaplain to the Forces, said a 4.2 shell hit the dug-out Thomas was in, killing him instantly. He was buried in a military cemetery not far from the spot where he fell.

Private George Hull

George Hull was 1 of 12 children born to John & Ann. He was born in January 1889 in Sundon, Bedsfordshire.

In 1911 George is 22 years old & working as a general labourer at Forder's cement works. He is living in Upper Sundon with his parents & 2 brothers. His father John is 67 years old & a farm labourer for Mr W Cooper, his mother Ann is 58 & a straw worker. Older brother Henry, 30 is a farm labourer for Mr Hucklesby & younger brother Frank, 15 is a farm labourer for Mr F Ward.

Private John William Martin

 

Pte John William Martin, G/14844, machine gun section, 13th Battalion Royal Sussex regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on October 21st, 1916. He was aged 18.

As a member of the Beds Territorial Force he was mobilised at the outbreak of war and subsequently transferred to the Royal Sussex Regiment. He had been at the Front since August 1916. Before the war he was worked for painter and house decorator Frederick Price, of Albion Road, Luton.

Parents Francis Joseph and Alice Susannah Martin lived at 25 Queen Street, Luton, at the time of their son's death.

Corporal Herbert Henry Strange

 

Cpl Herbert Henry Strange, 18463, 2nd Battalion Wiltshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on October 18th, 1916. He was aged 31.

Born in Calne, Wiltshire, in 1885, he married Elizabeth Jarvis, from Markyate who was then living in Russell Street, Luton, in Luton in 1909. Living at 7 Dunstable Place, they had three children - Phyliss, born 1909, Herbert in 1911 and Arthur, born in 1914, just two months before his father enlisted in January 1915.

Private Thomas Eames

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.

R.N. Arthur George Swain

 

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.

Private Robert Charles Morsley

 

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

 

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.

Private George Morgan

 

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."

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