Pte Reginald Barton, 14510, 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, was killed in action in France on September 24th, 1918. He was aged 20.

Born in Luton in June 1898, Reg was a son of Edward and Charlotte Barton, of 18 Brache Street. He had joined up in 1914 at the age of 16 and even went out to the trenches, but was sent home because of his age.

Elder brother Bert was the first notified casualty of the 1/5th Bedfords received from Suvla Bay during the Gallipoli Campaign of 1915, and brother-in-law Edward Anderson also met his death there.

Capt Arthur George Starkings, 38th Canadian Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment), was killed in action instantly by a machine gun bullet through the heart while serving in France on September 27th, 1918. He was born in Luton and went to Canada as a missionary in 1913 at the age of 25.

Pte Harry Ford, 41898, 1st Battalion Northants Regiment, Machine Gun Section, became the third son lost to his family when he was killed in action in France on September 24th, 1918, a month before his 19th birthday.

An officer wrote to parents John and Emma Ford at 48 Burr Street, Luton: “Your son was killed instantaneously on the morning of September 24th. He was killed by machine gun bullets in the trench which was our final objective, and was buried with several others close by by the battalion chaplain.”

Pte Ernest Farrigh Napier, 291545, 1st Herts Regiment, was killed in action in France on September 21st, 1918. Aged 24, he was the youngest of seven sons of James and Anne Napier, who ran the Moor Path Tea Rooms in New Bedford Road, Luton.

Ernest was working at Vauxhall Motors before joining up. He entered the London Regiment, Royal Fusiliers (No 493667) and afterwards saw service with the Kensington Rifles and the Bedfordshire Regiment before joining the Hunts Cyclists attached to the Herts Regiment. He had been wounded twice, once with the Bedfords.

The death while serving in Russia of Pte George Alfred Fensome, 65103, 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, on August 31st, 1919, was described by the War Office in a letter to his parents in Luton as “accidental” - without giving further details beyond notice of his death.

George and Maria Fensome, of 14 Brache Street, had last received a letter from their son on August 9th stating that he would be home early in September with troops who in fact landed at Leith in Scotland from Archangel on September 9th.

Cpl George Clarke, 240673, 1/5th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, died of wounds in France on October 29th, 1917. He was one of three sons of widow Mary Ann Clarke, of 338 Hitchin Road, Luton to have served and the first to die. Born in Round Green in 1897, George was described as a straw worker in the 1911 Census.

Under the heading of 'Three patriotic brothers', the Saturday Telegraph carried George's photograph and address along with similar for his brother, Pte Bert Clarke (Middlesex Regt), who had been killed in France on May 27th,1918.

Pte Bert (Bertie) Clarke, 96779, 2nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was reported missing, later killed in action, in France on May 27th, 1918. He was one of three sons of widow Mary Ann Clarke, of 338 Hitchin Road, Luton to have served and the second to die.

Born in Slip End in 1899, Bert was described as a chemical labourer in the 1911 Census. He enlisted in August 1917 and was drafted to France in April 1918.

Pte Frederick Horace Goodship, 41478, 12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, was killed in action in France on April 15th, 1918. It was not until August 1919 that widow Dorothy was officially informed that it was presumed he had died on that date.

Pte Goodship had enlisted in the 1/5th Bedfords (3824) in September 1914 and served at Gallipoli. He was invalided home from Egypt suffering from dysentery, and after recovery he was transferred to the Royal Irish Rifles and sent to France.

Gunner William Pearce, 956450, A Battery, 78th Brigade Royal Field Artillery (Signalling Training Centre), was serving with the Army of Occupation on the Rhine following the 1918 Armistice when he died from pneumonia in the 42nd Stationary Hospital in Germany on May 19th, 1919.

Pte Benjamin McDonald, 30131, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), was killed in action in France on September 21st, 1918. He had joined up at the age of 19 and had been in France only five weeks.

One of his comrades wrote to parents Benjamin and Susan McDonald at 64 Dallow Road, Luton, to inform them that their son and his comrades were in a dug-out on outpost duty when a shell burst on it. Pte McDonald and another man were killed outright.

Pte Frank Rowley, 86184, 13th Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action in France on September 18th, 1918. He was aged 34 and had worked as a coach and motor trimmer at Vauxhall Motors.

An officer wrote to his widow Kate at 39 Manor Road, Luton, that her husband was killed in action on the morning of the 18th. Owing to their position in the fighting it was necessary to bury him at once, and he lay by the side of a comrade and close to the spot where he fell.

Pte Herbert Abrams, 14839, 7th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, was killed in action in France on September 18th, 1918.

Forces Chaplain, the Rev L. Walters, wrote to his mother Sarah at 99 Oak Road, Luton, informing her that her son was wounded in the abdomen by a sniper's bullet, and died immediately or soon after being hit.

Herbert was born in Harpenden on January 5th, 1897, a son of Samuel and Sarah Abrams. The family had moved to Luton by the time of the 1911 Census, when they were living at 20 Maple Road.

Pte Frederick Warren Rogers, 2nd Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), was killed in action in France on September 17th, 1918. He was a son of Frederick Rogers, licensee of the Volunteer Inn, Bailey Street, Luton, since 1911, when he, his wife Lily Sarah Frances and family moved to Luton from Kettering.

Pte George Jack Bacchus, 57178, 12th North Staffordshire (Prince of Wales) Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on September 12th, 1918. He left a widow and four children at 3 Burr Street, Luton.

Pte Bacchus had been in hospital for six months prior to his death, suffering from shell shock. He underwent an operation, and was subsequently discharged from hospital and went again up to the line. He had been serving for only a day or two when he met his death.

Cpl George Charles Wood, 44637, 9th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, died of wounds in France on September 10th, 1918. He was married, his widow, Lilian Maud, living at 1 Pretoria Villas, Midland Road [now Mostyn Road], Leagrave.

Letters to Lilian from a captain, a chaplain and a casualty clearing station sister indicated that Cpl Wood went into action on September 9th and received a gunshot wound in the head. He immediately lost consciousness and remained in that condition until 8am the following day, when he died.