Second Lieut Richard Reeve Emmens, 7th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on September 4th, 1916. He was aged 23.

Born in Birmingham, the public school boy was engaged for 12 months before the war as a chartered accountant with Mr Thomas Keens, Secretary of the Luton Chamber of Commerce. He is included on the Luton Roll of Honour with an address at Cardiff Road, Luton.

Richard Emmens joined the Motor Transport Section of the Army Service Corps, and since September 1914 had been on continuous active service in France. He received his commission in September 1915 and received his second start in August 1916.

At the time he was killed he was in charge of a trench mortar battery. Writing to his mother Jessie in Birmingham, his Commanding Officer wrote: "Your son volunteered to reconnoitre a dangerous trench with another officer, and so met his death. He was one of the bravest men I have met."