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.

Benjamin was born at Shap in what was then Westmoreland, of Scottish parents from Aberdeen. He arrived as a child with his family in Luton and was a pupil at Dunstable Road School. He played football for the school, winning several medals, and went on to become a promising centre forward with one or two local junior football clubs. He became captain of Trinity FC and on several occasions had represented Luton away from the town. He was also a cricketer, but football was his first love.

He had served his apprenticeship as an engineer with Mr Worsley, of Melson Street, but later worked at the Diamond Foundry.