Pte Albert King, 87202, 149th Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), was killed in action in France on August 3rd, 1917. A letter to widow Louisa Jane said: "Your husband was killed instantaneously by a shell in the early morning, about 2am.

"He with the rest of the team was in a dug-out well behind the front line when their dug-out was hit by a shell. You husband was buried the same day by a padre in a British cemetery, and a cross has been placed over his grave."

Dunstable-born Alfred was the 24-year-old son of Frederick and Elizabeth (Lizzie) King, of 32 Princes Street, Dunstable. He had married Louisa Jane Cheshire at St Saviour's Church, Luton, on April 26th, 1916, and was living with his wife at 37 Dumfries Street, Luton.

Pte King had in the first instance served in the Motor Transport Section of the Army Service Corps (M/271932) before being transferred to the Lancashire Fusiliers and subsequently joining the Machine Gun Corps. Much of his training was done at Brocton Camp in the north of England.

He had seen service for about eight months, and went to France with the M.G.C. about four months before his death.

Before enlistment he had been employed as a clerk at George Kent's Ltd. Two of his brothers, Frederick and Alfred, were also serving in the Army.