Pte Samuel Stokes, 43241, 6th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on October 25th, 1916. He was the second son of Samuel and Phoebe Stokes, of 10 Alfred Street, Luton, to perish on the battlefield in three months - L-Cpl Robert Stokes was killed in action on August 9th.

At the time of Samuel's death, Robert, a holder of the Military Medal, was reported missing with hopes that he may have been taken as a prisoner of war.

Commanding Officer N. R. Hunting wrote that 29-year-old Samuel was killed by a shell on October 25th. The shell exploded near to him and he was killed instantly.

Samuel joined the Bedfordshire Regiment (service number 26082) in March 1916 and following training at Felixstowe was transferred to the Northants Regiment. Prior to enlistment he was employed at Messrs Eastman and Sons, Acton Vale, having previously worked in the straw trade for Messrs Alfred Warren and Sons, Bute Street, Luton.