Stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph, May 15th, 1915.

A man who arrived in Britain as a three-month-old baby and became a naturalised British citizen withdrew from an Army recruiting meeting at Luton Town Hall after Town Clerk Mr William Smith submitted that no-one of German birth should be present.

The Town Clerk said he was sorry to take this line, but the conduct of the Germans in the past fortnight made him think it was desirable that at any gathering dealing with the war they should invite every person of German birth, whether naturalised or not, to take no part in the discussion relating to the war.

Presumably realising that Mr Hermann Stern (Bute Street vhat materials merchant), who lived in Downs Road, was already in the audience, the Mayor, Councillor Walter Primett, said: "If there is such a gentleman, I hope he will withdraw."

Mr Stern, who had risen to his feet shortly after the Town Clerk began speaking, said: "I am sorry I had the misfortune to be born in Germany. But I was only three months old when I came to England, and since then I have been in England and love it and will fight for it if called upon to do so. Now I will withdraw as Mr Smith wishes."

The meeting of local employers was one of a series around the country called at the request of Lord Kitchener to discuss ways of readjusting conditions of employment in the wholesale and retail distributing trades, so as to release a larger number of men of military age for voluntary service with the colours.

• A funeral (pictured) with full military honours took place at the Church Cemetery this afternoon for Sapper Walter William Pinney,1462, Royal Engineers, East Anglian 2nd Field Company, stationed at Norwich. He died after suction dragged him under a passing express train at Hatfield GNR Station on May 11th while crossing the track to change trains when returning to rejoin his regiment after a few days' leave. A jury at St Albans found his death to be accidental. Aged 30, Pte Pinney was the husband of Florrie Pinney, of Beechwood Road, Leagrave. His body was borne to the cemetery on a gun-carriage of the Lincolns, and about 150 NCOs and men of the East Anglian RE were among the mourners at the graveside.

• Rifleman Horace Ethelbert Meade, 2264, who was reported to have died on Sunday (May 9th), two days after being wounded in action, was the first employee of George Kent Ltd, Biscot Road, to be killed at the front. A native of Portsmouth, he had worked in the offices at Kent's until he enlisted with the 12th Battalion County of London Regiment at the outbreak of war. He arrived in France on Christmas Day 1914 and had been in the firing line practically ever since. [He is commemorated on the Luton Roll of Honour].

• The Luton Volunteers Corps now has a membership roll of nearly 300, and over two-thirds have already received their uniforms. I all over 200 drills have been held up to the present and, with the exception of guard mounting and outpost duty, all the requirements of infantry training as laid down by regulations have been mastered. On Saturday afternoon the Corps had another field day, on this occasion an attack on an extensive scale across Luton Hoo Park being carried out. The Corps also has its own bugle band.

• The Rev W. H. Hopkin, the popular curate of St Matthew's Church, is to preach his farewell service there tomorrow. He has accepted the senior curacy of Holy Trinity Church, Barnsbury (Islington) after more than two years at St Matthew's.

• Luton Town FC's Ernest Simms was the third highest scorer in the Southern League Division 1 in the 1914-15 season. He had a tally of 22 goals.

• Two members of the L16 motor air section of the Royal Engineers stationed at Houghton Regis were married to London brides on Saturday at the office of the Luton Registrar in George Street West. Sapper W. E. Dawson married Miss Robina Morrison, of Teddington, and Sapper A. Marriott married Miss Violet Rose Honeybunn, of Bethnel Green. Men of the Royal Engineers formed a guard of honour for the couples, who later left for London, the bridegrooms granted leave until Tuesday. One of the couples is pictured below.