Pte Frederick Herbert Carter, 15249, D Company, 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 1st, 1916. He never again got to see his wife, Jessie (nee Walters), of King's Road, Luton, after he married her while on leave a year earlier and had had to make a hurried return to his regiment.

Jessie received the official notification of he husband's death on July 20th. He had gone to France on July 26th, 1915, and was never fortunate enough to get home leave afterwards.

Pte Frederick William Armstrong, 19794, 7th Bedfords, was killed in action on July 1st, 1916 - the first day of the Battle of the Somme. He was aged 20.

Born in a cottage at Eaton Green Farm, Stopsley, in 1896, he was the son of Thomas and Annie Elizabeth Armstrong. His brother Charles, also a private in the 7th Bedfords, wrote to his parents with the sad news of his death. Frederick had been homes on leave five weeks before his death.

Killed - Bedfordshire Regt - 12250 R. Franklin (Luton). This brief mention on a War Office casualty list appears to have been all that was reported in Luton on the death of Pte Reginald John Franklin, 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, on June 30th, 1916.

Pte Harry Bacchus, 9272, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action near Maricourt, on the Somme, on June 29th, 1916. He was aged 29.

Pte Bacchus was employed by coal merchants John Facer and Son until about 1908, when he joined the 2nd Bedfords. Since then he had spent a considerable amount of time abroad, serving in Bermuda, Malta and South Africa. He had returned from Africa at the beginning of the war.

Pte Frank Herbert Lewin (Lowin*), 5349, 5th Bedfords, died in hospital in Egypt on June 28th, 1916, a few days after being admitted suffering from heat stroke. He was aged 35 and was familiarly known as "Larry".

Born in October 1880, he was the son of the late Solomon and Mary Ann Lowin. He married Amelia (nee Watson) in 1901, his wife and eight children - seven aged under 14 - living at 33 Brunswick Street, Luton.

Pte Joseph Henry Woollard, 14307, D Company, 6th Bedfordshire Regiment, died on June 26th, 1916, from wounds sustained in action the previous morning near Arras. He was aged 22.

The Stopsley-born son of Mr and Mrs Joseph Woollard, of 57 Lyndhurst Road, Luton, he had been employed as a clerk by Messrs Lye & Sons, New Bedford Road, for whom he had worked from the age of 14.

After enlisting, he went to France on August 11th, 1915, and came home on seven days leave in May 1916 before returning to his fate at the Front.

Pte Thomas Frederick Harris, 17671, 6th Bedfordshire Regiment, died on June 25th, 1916, from wounds sustained in action. He was aged 28 and left a widow and three young children living in Slip End.

Born in Bricket Wood, he was the son of Thomas and Jemima Harris, of Front Street, Slip End. The former clay miner at a brickworks had been in France for about 11 months. He was married in 1909.

Horace Marlow was born in Sundon, Bedfordshire in 1901. He was 1 of 9 children born to Frederick & Emma.

In 1911 he is aged 10 & living with his family in Sundon. His eldest brother George is 18 years old & working as a chalk digger in a lime works, his 16 year old brother Arthur is a truck driver & 14 year old brother Fred is a farm labourer with his 43 year old father. Ivy Sarah aged 8 is also at school whilst their 44 year old mother is at home looking after 2 year old Doris & 3 week old Evelyn (Cissie).

Pte Albert James William Day, T4/141062, 1st Field Supply Coy, Army Service Corps, died on June 23rd, 1916. His parents lived in Luton, but his death does not appear to have been reported in the local press.

The one reference appeared in a casualty list of Bedfordshire soldiers issued by the War Office that was published in The Luton Reporter on Monday, July 24th, 1916. That simply read, "Died - A.S.C. - 4141062 A. Day (Luton)".

Frederick Marlow was 1 of 9 children born to Frederick & Emma in Sundon Bedfordshire in 1897.

In 1911 he is 14 years old & working with his 43 year old father as farm labourers. His is living with his family in Sundon. His brother Arthur is 16 years old & working as a truck driver & his eldest brother George is 18 & working as a chalk digger in a lime works. Horace aged 10 & 8 year old Ivy Sarah are at school whilst their 44 year old mother is at home looking after 2 year old Doris & 3 week old Evelyn (Cissie).

Arthur Marlow was born on 4th October 1894 in Sundon Bedfordshire, 1 of 9 children born to Frederick & Emma.

In 1911 he is 16 years old & working as a truck driver & living with his family in Sundon. His eldest brother George is 18 & working as a chalk digger in a lime works. His 43 year old father & 14 year old brother Fred are working as farm labourers. Horace aged 10 & 8 year old Ivy Sarah are at school whilst their 44 year old mother is at home looking after 2 year old Doris & 3 week old Evelyn (Cissie).

George Marlow was born in Sundon, near Dunstable Bedfordshire in 1893.He was the eldest of 9 children born to Frederick & Emma.

Pte Albert Stratton, 3/10395, 2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on June 2nd, 1916. He was born in High Town in 1877.

The son of the late Arthur and Sarah Stratton, of Back Street, the former iron moulder had served in the Grenadier Guards for 12 years before re-enlisting with the Northants Regiment in August 1914. He returned to serve in the firing line in France for a second time in April 1916.

Pte Sidney Thomas Fleckney, 13164, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in the front line at Arras on June 4th, 1916. He had at first been reported missing by the War Office.

Born on April 4th, 1893, he was the son of the late George (died 1915) and Hannah (died 1906) Fleckney, of Mangrove Green, and he had been living with a married sister at Mangrove, near Luton.

Pte George Hermon Hart, 2899, 1/24th County of London Regiment (The Queen's), was killed in action in France on May 24th, 1916. He had recently celebrated his 21st birthday while in the trenches.

He was the son of bleacher and dyer Mr Baxter Herbert Hart and his wife Emily Agnes, of 'Homah,' 75 New Bedford Road, Luton. At the outbreak of war he was employed as a warehouse assistant by hat manufacturers Messrs F. J. Elliott in Guildford Street, Luton. He also played half-back for Luton Casuals FC.