Pte George Hutchings, 4229, 1/5th Beds Regt, was killed in action on August 16th, 1915, aged 20, The son of William and Sarah Hutchings, of Canning Street, Bedford, he had come to the Luton area to be engaged on harvesting work at Eaton Green in 1914.

He enlisted in the Bedfords in Luton and struck up a close friendship with Pte Herbert Stanley Toyer, of 22 Duke Street, Luton. During the three months or so of drilling at Luton under Major (then Capt) Lathom, Pte Hutchings made his home with Pte Toyer's parents at 7 Burr Street.

One or two letters were received from him after he sailed for the Dardanelles, but nothing was heard of him after the first week's fighting involving the 1/5th Beds at Gallipoli.

Then a letter arrived from Pte Toyer stating that "poor young Canada" - the name he had given Pte Hutchings - was wounded in the fighting and had since been reported killed. This was confirmed in the official list on September 23rd.

Another Lutonian, Pte R. D. Saunders, had also written home mentioning the death of "young Canada".