Pte Henry George Pateman, 13260, 2nd Battalion Beds Regt, was killed in action near Ypres on February 24th, 1915. He was aged 19.

The son of William and Elizabeth Pateman, of 42 Ivy Road, Luton, he was a native of Dunstable but lived nearly all his life at Houghton Regis, being educated at the British School. Before enlistment he had been a butcher's assistant in the district.

The Luton News reported that Pte Pateman had been killed after only five months service and three weeks at the front. He enlisted on September 2nd, 1914, with William Rowland, of New Town Street, Luton, before going the next day to Bedford. Both were training at Harwich until about five weeks previously. Before being transferred to France, Pte Pateman came home on 48 hours leave.

Pte Rowland, who was not sent to France at the same time, later met another old Luton chum in the trenches who told him about the Pateman death. It was Pte J. Burley, 7318, of the 2nd Bedfords Machine Gun Battery, who wrote to his parents at 71 Warwick Road, Luton, asking them to inform Pte Pateman's parents.

Burley wrote: "He had only been out here three weeks. If you would not mind going round to his mother and telling her I should be glad, as I do not like to write to her. Tell her that all his comrades send their sympathy. He died on the 25th [CWGC data says 24th]. He had a quiet death, and never said a word as he expired soon after he was hit. He was unconscious all the time, which was only half an hour."

Official confirmation of Pte Pateman's death arrived with the family on March 10th, 1915.