Pte Leonard Stapleton, 18413, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 18th, 1916. He was aged 33.

Born in 1883 in Stondon, Beds, he was the son of Sarah Stapleton, who married George Hyde in Stondon, also that year.

Leonard married Maud Jepps, of Shillington, in 1905, and in 1911 he was a market gardener living with his wife in Marsh Road, Leagrave.

Pte Albert Ford, 25327, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on July 17th, 1916, of wounds sustained on the Somme. He was aged 19 and the second son of John and Emma Ford, of 48 Burr Street, Luton, to die on the battlefield.

Pte Ford was a "Derby" recruit and was called up five months previously. He was drafted into the Bedfords and had been at the Front only a short time. A letter from the Record Office to his mother said he son had been buried in the Dive Copse Cemetery,

Before enlisting he work at the bleaching and dyeing firm of Mr Stewart Hubbard.

Father of ten children, Pte Alfred George Brown, 21170, 7th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 16th, 1916. He was aged 38, and his enlistment documents stated that he was fit for home service only.

Pte Joseph Payne, 18510, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on July 16th, 1916, from wounds sustained on the Somme ten days previously.

He was the son of Mrs E. Payne, of 15 Inkerman Street, Luton. He was aged 24 and prior to enlistment was employed at the Gelatine Works in New Bedford Road, Luton.

Ronald McCormick, 3142, 1/5th Bedfordshire Regiment, died of enteric fever (typhoid) at the 18th Stationary Hospital, Suez, on July 16th, 1916. He was aged 26.

Military records show him as a lance-corporal or corporal, while on the Luton Roll of Honour he is described as a sergeant. A Luton News report said he was promoted to sergeant in the field while serving at Gallipoli in August 1915.

Born near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, in early 1890, he was the son of George and Isabella McCormick, and had five brothers and three sisters.

Pte Walter George Bryan, 18238, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was presumed killed in action on the Somme on or after July 15th, 1916. He was aged 30.

Pte Bryan is included on the Luton Roll of Honour but without an address. Military records also say he resided in Luton and enlisted at Bedford, but there were no reports in the Luton Press about him or his death around that time.

Charles Henry Matthews was born in Luton in January 1886. The youngest of 2 sons born to Joseph & Kate.

In 1901 Charles is 15 years old & living with his family at 113 High Town Road. His father is 50 years old & working as a bricklayer. His 20 year old brother Herbert is also a bricklayer whilst Charles is a bricklayer's labourer. His 50 year old mother Kate is a straw hat sewer.

Pte Josiah Webb, 18683, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on July 12th, 1916, from wounds sustained in action near Trones Wood on the Somme.

He was a son of John Thomas and Ellen Webb, of Farley Green, Caddington, and was described in the 1911 Census as a cowman on the Stockwood Estate, where he had been employed for some years.

A younger brother, Pte Charles William Webb, 13085, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action at Trones Wood on July 10th, 1916. Three other Webb sons were also serving in the Colours.

Pte William George Peck, 11369, 1st Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), was killed in action on the Somme on July 7th, 1916. He was aged 28, and a son of Walter and Eliza Peck, of 66 Oak Road, Luton.

He enlisted in the Foresters and was stationed in India for three years prior to the outbreak of war. He was sent back to England and then went to France with the Ghurkas. In November 1914 he was invalided home suffering from frostbite, returning to France in April 1915.

Driver Sidney John Indge, 52590, Royal Horse Artillery, was killed in action on the Somme on July 1st, 1916. He was at first reported missing.

The son of Harry George and Elizabeth Mary Indge, of 45 Ramridge Road, Round Green, he was born in late 1890.

Casualty lists gave his surname as Judge.

Pte Thomas Walter Troubridge, 8929, 2nd Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, was killed in action on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme, July 1st, 1916.

He was born in Hertford in 1883, the son of James Thomas and Anna Troubridge. At the time of his death his family were living at 25 Granville Road, Luton.

Rifleman Henry Oliver Philip Foster, 471290, 1/12th Battalion London Regiment (The Rangers), was killed in action on the Somme on July 1st, 1916. He was aged 20.

He was the son of Thomas Arthur and Annie Caroline Foster, who were living at 108 Bury Park Road, Luton, and later 12 Cromwell Road. In the 1911 Census Henry is described as a postcard hawker, then aged about 14.

Pte Edwin Benjamin Eales, 12902, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 11th, 1916. He was aged 24.

Born in Hammersmith, London, in 1891, he was the son of Kate and the late Edwin Eales, who died in Luton in 1902 at the age of 42.

At the time of the 1911 Census Edwin Jnr was a straw hat blocker living at 19 South Road with his widowed mother Kate, who in 1913 married Arthur Atkins in Luton. His mother and stepfather were living at 12 Frederic Street at the time of Pte Eales' death, and later moved to 24 Boyle Street.

Pte Sydney Jesses Gurney, 17976, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment,was killed in action on the Somme on July 11th, 1916. He was aged 26.

Born in Tingrith in 1889, he lived there all his life, working as a farm labourer before enlisting. He is commemorated on a brass plaque in St Nicholas Church, Tingrith.

Parents Jesse and Sarah Gurney later moved to live at 'Lorenzo,' Marsh Road, Leagrave.

Pte William John Clibbon, 12521, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 10th, 1916. An older brother, Sgt Joseph Clibbon, 5832, 2nd Bedfords, had died of battlefield wounds on February 20th, 1915 (Merville Communal Cemetery).

Born in Luton in 1887, Pte Clibbon, a foundry labourer before enlisting, was a son of James and Eliza Clibbon, who in 1911 were living in Adelaide Terrace, Luton. Both brothers are commemorated on the Luton Roll of Honour.