Signaller Cyril Osborne Smith, 30387, 1/1st Bedfordshire Yeomanry, was killed by a shell on January 15th, 1918, while in action in France. He was aged 21 and a son of Frank William and Annie Elizabeth Smith, of 3 Salisbury Road, Luton.

The following day, Major A. C. S. Benning, the second in command and son of Dunstable's Town Clerk, wrote to Mr Smith: "It is with deep regret that I have to inform you of the death of your son, who was killed instantaneously by a shell yesterday afternoon. He was buried this afternoon, and his grave has been carefully marked. A wooden cross will be erected in the course of a few days."

Major Benning added: "He was one of the best signallers in the regiment, and was next on the squadron list to be promoted to Cpl-Signaller."

Cyril Smith joined up in September 1914, having been working at the time for hat manufacturers Messrs Down & Pope, John Street. He was associated with St Saviour's Church, and had been in France for two and a half years without injury.

Brother Edmund was serving in Salonica with the Army Service Corps, while another brother, Graham, had been sent into munitions from the Army.