Frederick James Young was born about 1880 in Luton.

He was 5ft 5 inches tall, had a fair complexion, sandy coloured hair, blue eyes & a scar on his left eyebrow.

In September 1895 he joined the 1st Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). During his 12 years with the colours he served in India & in South Africa, taking part in the relief of Ladysmith in 1902 for which he received the South Africa Medal. In 1906 he spent time in hospital  recovering from  a heart problem, then was passed fit for service in February 1907.

Albert Edward Thrussell was born in January 1898, the eldest son of William & Ellen.

In 1911 Albert was 13 years old & working as a news boy. He is living with this family at 99 Church street.

His father William 35, is working as a general labourer, his sister Maude 15, is working as a straw hat finisher & his 35 year old mother is at home looking after his 3 brothers, Fred 10, George 7 & 6 year old Ernest.

No service record can be found for Albert, but he did serve in the Royal Field Artillery.

George Strapp was born in January 1898 in Luton.

He served in the East Surrey Regiment.

He survived the war & in 1922 married Emily Philpott.

He died in Luton in March 1963.

Bertie Strapp was born in Luton in October 1895.

He served in the Machine Gun Corps.

He survived the war & died in 1959.

Charles Strapp was born in Luton in 1892.

He served in the Labour Corps.

He survived the war & in 1922 married Ida A Long.

He died in Luton in 1967.

Sidney Strapp was born in Luton in July 1893.

In 1911 he was 17 years old, living at 20 Ridgway Road & working as a hat blocker.

Lieutenant John Wilfrid Staddon of the East Surrey Regiment was the eldest son of John Henry Staddon, the Mayor of Luton & his wife Kate Elizabeth.

During an evening sitting of the local Tribunal at the Town Hall on 20th September 1916 the Mayor received some news. This was reported in the Luton News the next day. (see attached pdf)

On 29th November 1910 John was accepted as a student of civil engineering working in the Borough Engineers Dept, Town Hall, Catford.

It was reported in the Luton News on 21st September 1916 of the death of 2/Lieutenant Alexander Pigott Wernher, youngest son of Sir Julius & Lady Wernher.

Alexander was born in Hambledon, Surrey in 1897. At aged 4 in 1901 he was living at Luton Hoo Mansion with his brother Harold under the care of their German governess & 27 servants.

Harry Gray was the eldest son of Walter & Ellen. He was born in Luton in 1885.

Aged 18 years, he joined the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Royal Garrison Artillery on 3rd December 1901 as Gunner 9858. On his service record he is described as having a sallow complexion, hazel eyes & black hair & he has a tattoo of spots & cross on his right forearm. He also has 2 scars above his left buttock.

Pte Herbert George Ayres, 27915, 6th Battalion Northants Regiment, who died from double pneumonia on October 26th, 1918, was buried at Luton Church Cemetery in Crawley Green Road on October 31st. His body was borne on a gun carriage from his home at 360 Hitchin Road, Round Green, preceded by the band of the Royal Field Artillery from Biscot.

Thomas Alfred Ernest Rickard was the eldest of 4 children born to Thomas Ernest an iron foundry labourer & Charlotte Eliza a straw hat machinist.

In 1911 he is living with his parents & siblings, Nellie Rose aged 10, Frederick Aubrey Cecil aged 5 & 9 month old Violet May at 34 North Street Luton.

On 12th March 1915 he attested at Bedford into the 2/1st East Anglian Division Signal Corps of the Royal Engineers as a driver. He was 19 years old & 5ft 7 1/2 inches tall, using Alfred as his first name.

Rifleman Sidney George Lewin, 2154, 4th Battalion Rifle Brigade, was killed in action on March 1st, 1915. Only son of Sarah Lewin and the late George William Lewin, of 23 Winsdon Road, Luton, he was aged 24.

Official War Office notification received by his mother that resulted in a The Luton News report at the time said he was killed in action on March 2nd. The March 1st date is contained on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

William Henry Payne was 1 of 10 children born to Arthur, a brass finisher & Mary. He was born in Luton in January 1890.

In the 1911 census he is 15 years old, living at 15 Chobham Street & working as a straw hat packer. Also living at the address was his 52 year old widowed mother,2 sisters & 3 brothers.  Ada, a 28 year old milliner & Jane aged 19, a domestic servant. Sidney, 23, an electrician, Frank, 14 worked as a grocer's errand boy & 10 year old George.

Driver Alfred Shillcock was born in Liverpool in 1877.

His father Joseph died before 1891, which left his mother Isabella to bring Alfred & brother Albert up. In 1891 she was 49 years old & working as a tailoress. 19 year old Albert was a tiler's labourer & Alfred, 15, was a printer's assistant. They were living in Toxteth Park, Liverpool.

Alfred married Dorothy Ann Walker in 1905 & in the 1911 census they are living at 5 Elveston Street, Park Street, Derby with their 2 children William Alfred, 5 & 1 year old Constance.

Luton-born Pte Alfred William Simpson, 8928, 2nd Durham Light Infantry, was killed in action in France on February 24th, 1915. He was aged 38.

He was the eldest of three sons of Mr and Mrs Alfred Simpson, who had lived at 15 Liverpool Road, Luton, for over 30 years. Alfred Simpson was born in Park Street, Luton, and was educated at Buxton Road School.