Luton's People 1914-1918
This page contains a list of soldiers/civilians from Luton and surroundings 1914-1918, and the ancestors of people who live in Luton today. It has been compiled from the 1918 Luton Absent Voters List, Rolls of Honour; and information researched and uploaded by project volunteers and members of the public.
If you find your ancestor here, and there is only basic information available, then feel free to use the comment box to add further information you may already know. The WWI Project Team, can then add this further information to the basic data we already hold.
The sources of this information can be found via the links below. Please feel free to download and use this information, but please please search for and upload your ancestor to the site if/when you find them:-
Absent Voters List
Luton Roll of honour
Before adding anybody to the site, it is always advisable to search for your ancestor first.
Pte Stanley George Randall, 69187, 1/6th Northumberland Fusiliers, had been in Flanders only a week when he was posted missing, presumed killed, on April 11th, 1918.
L-Cpl Archibald Christopher Allwood, 41386, 13th Battalion Rifle Brigade, had been in France only a month and in the front line trenches just a day or two when he was killed by a shell which dropped into his dug-out on June 2nd, 1918. He and his comrades died instantly.
Pte Ernest Llewellin Godbehear, 44027, 10th Battalion Essex Regiment, died of wounds in France on May 22nd, 1918. He the third son of Thomas James and Emma Godbehear to die, but the first on the battlefield.
Pte Henry James Pool, 69182, 1/6th Northumberland Fusiliers, was reported to have died of wounds sustained in action in France on April 11th, 1918. After 12 months of training in England, he had been drafted to France only a week earlier, on April 4th.
Pte William Glenister, 25053, 11th Suffolk Regiment, was reported missing, believe killed, on April 9th, 1918. He was the 29-year-old son of William and Ellen Glenister, of 74 Saxon Road, Luton.
Pte Arthur Glenister, 14539, 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, was killed in action near Ypres on November 15th, 1917.
te Edwin Henry Billingham, 44636, 8th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, was killed in action in France on May 30th, 1918, just days before his 19th birthday and only weeks after being sent to France.
Sapper John Wesley, 524163, 82nd Field Company Royal Engineers, was killed in action in France on June 12th, 1918. He left a widow, Lillie, whom he had married in Luton a year earlier, and had been in France for only 11 weeks.
Pte Charles Barker, 42539, 11th Battalion Essex Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on May 28th, 1918. He was a second son of the last James Barker and Mrs Sarah Barker, of 26 Back Street, Luton, to die on the battlefield.
Sgt Elvin Peggs, 248092, 2nd Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), was killed in action in France on April 24th, 1918. He was aged 23 and left a widow and one child residing in East Hyde.
Pte Frederick Halsey, 2473, 2/1st West Riding Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, was one of three stretcher-bearers who died together under enemy shell fire in France on the morning of June 21st, 1918.
Pte William James Wells, 38483, 19th Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps, died of wounds in France on June 9th, 1918. No further detail were given in local newspapers.
Pte Bertie Bleaney, 201383, 4th Essex Regiment, was reported missing, later killed in action, in Palestine on March 27th, 1917. Confirmation of his death was not received by his family until more than a year later.
Cpl Horace Stanley Lowin, 41475, 12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, was killed in action in Flanders on April 15th, 1918, the date he was initially reported to be missing. He had completed a year's training at Halton, near Wendover, before being drafted out to France in January 1917.
Pte Albert Ernest Bithrey, 41546, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on July 1st, 1918, according to military records.
Pte Sidney Ernest Hoole, 67609, 6th Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 1st, 1918. He was a month short of his 19th birthday.
Pte Alexander (Alec) Hynd, 24964, 6th Battalion The Buffs (East Kent) Regiment, died of wounds in hospital in France on July 2nd, 1918.
At 5.30 on the evening of July 5th, 1918, one of Luton's prominent businessmen, Mr Walter Thomas Lye, died at his home at Leagrave Hall. The head of the Luton bleaching, dyeing and chemical firm of Messrs T. Lye & Sons, he was aged 61 and left a widow (Nancy), one son (Ernest B.
Pte Eddie (Edwin Frederick) Thompson, 307504, 2/7th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was reported missing, later presumed killed in action, near St Quentin in France, on March 22nd, 1918.
Pte Ernest William Armitage, 20432, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on June 25th*, 1918. He was single, and his widowed mother lived at 26 Albert Road, Luton.
L-Cpl Bertram Stanley Wright, 202053, 1st Battalion Essex Regiment, died in hospital in France on July 7th, 1918, from wounds that he sustained in action two days earlier. He left a widow and a young son in Luton, and had served in France for 14 months.
L-Cpl John (Jack) Hayden Healey MM, 102086, 15th Sherwood Foresters (Derby & Notts Regiment), was killed in action at Kemmel Hill, near Ypres in Flanders, on July 16, 1918. He was aged 29 and single and had been a journalist, latterly employed by The Luton News.
Pte Stanley Welch, 27349, 7th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on July 22nd, 1918. He was aged 34 and married.
L-Cpl George Hale, 235558, 2/4th East Lancs Regiment, was killed in action in France on March 21st, 1918, the opening day of the German spring offensive of that year. He was reported missing, and parents Richard and Sarah were still awaiting news of him four months later.
Pte Percy Charles Keightley, 41987, 2/5th West Yorks Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own), was killed in action shortly after going over the top with comrades in the advance on the Marne in France on July 20th, 1918.
Pte Thomas Charles Prudden, 25926, 10th Battalion The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), was killed in action in Flanders on the night of July 27th-28th, 1918. He had recently spent his 19th birthday in the trenches.
Gunner John Lewington, 254847, 31st Medium Trench Battery, Royal Field Artillery, was killed in action in France on August 3rd, 1918. He was single, aged 30 and had been in Luton for 15 years.
Sapper Horace Charles Godfrey, 78464, OO Cable Section, Royal Engineers, was killed in action in France on August 1st, 1918. He was aged 22 and the only son of Edward and Annie Godfrey, of 13 Baker Street, Luton.
Sapper Walter George White, 60334, 11th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action in France on August 6th, 1918. He was married, had resided at 86 Cromwell Road, Luton, and had been wounded twice previously on the battlefield.
Pte Llewelyn Cadwaller Lamb, 29669, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was reported missing in France on July 1st, 1918, later assumed to have been killed in action on that date.
Born in Thornaby-on-Tees, Yorkshire, he was working at the Diamond Foundry in Luton before he joined up.
Gunner Edward Joseph Asbury, 153810, Royal Field Artillery, was listed killed in action on March 25th, 1918, after he had initially been reported wounded and missing on that date.
Pte William Henry Wilson, 88025, 3rd Cavalry Division Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, was killed in action in France on August 9th, 1918. He was aged 25 and single.
Gunner Fred Gordon West, 881989, 312th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, was killed in action in France on July 29th, 1918. He was aged 28 and single.
L-Cpl Charles Horace West, 40645, 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers, was killed in action in Flanders on April 11th, 1918. He was aged 30, married and had a son.
Lance-Sgt Reginald Charles Goodridge Weeks, 23070, 2nd Battalion Beds Regiment, died of wounds in a battlefield casualty clearing station in France on August 7th, 1918. He was aged 21 and single.
Sgt Harry Abbott, 104336, 1st Garrison Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment), died on duty in Egypt on July 1st, 1918. He was one of three sons of widow Mrs Agnes Abbott, of 11 Moreton Road, Luton, who had been serving in the Forces.
Pte Edward Gatward, 19785, 1st Battalion Northants Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on or soon after November 15th, 1917. Ten months later, parents George and Sarah Ann Gatward, of 61 Hartley Road, Luton, had heard no news of him but were still hopeful that he was alive.
Pte Richard Cyril ('Dick') Eads, 69348, 6th Battalion The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), died in the 55th Casualty Clearing Station in France on August 18th, 1918, from wounds sustained in action.
Pte Richard Cyril ('Dick') Eads, 69348, 6th Battalion The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), died in the 55th Casualty Clearing Station in France on August 18th, 1918, from wounds sustained in action.
Pte Fred Clark, 103495, 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment), died in the 2nd Canadian Hospital in France on August 19th, 1918, as a result of gas shell poisoning while in action. He was aged 38 and married.