Jesse Mead enlisted in Luton, and died on August 31st, 1916, whilst on home service, and based at the Royal Engineers Signal Depot at Fenny Stratford.

He left behind his widow of 3 years, Minnie (nee Warren) whom he married in the 4th quarter of 1913. She was the daughter of Mr and Mrs J. T. Warren, of 28 Granville Road, Luton.

He was the son of William (bricklayer) and Eliza Mead, from Dunstable and Houghton Regis respectively. He had two older brothers, Harry and Leonard, and lived at 83 Spencer Road, Luton.

At an inquest at Aylesbury into the death of L-Cpl Mead a jury returned a verdict in accordance with medical evidence that the cause of death was tetanus following a cut to the index finger of his left hand.

While working on August 20th as a butcher cutting chops for the for the Signal Company his knife had slipped, cutting his finger which gave him pain and made him feel sick. He died 11 days later, having then complained of pains around his neck and shoulders and of stiffness of the jaw. When his wife sent to see him in hospital in Aylesbury on the day of his death, she arrived to find him unconscious.

L-Cpl Mead was aged 30 and had served in the Army for nearly nine years when war broke out. He was then serving in Ireland. After serving in France for 14 months, he was sent to England with nephritis and other complaints. He was at first in hospital at Newcastle and then sent to a convalescent camp in Fenny Stratford in February 1916.

His funeral was held on September 6th, 1916. The cortege left Granville Road for the General Cemetery with the coffin covered in a Union Jack and carried on a gun carriage belonging to the London R.F.A. from Biscot Camp. The service was conducted by the Rev E. C. Whitworth of Christ Church, who had married Jesse and Minnie three years earlier.