Many wartime romances arose from soldiers being billeted in Luton. Some had happy outcomes, others ended in the man being jilted after he left the town or an acceptance that it had all been a fleeting affair that was over. However, rarely did the jilted man (and his friends?) vent their spite in public, as was the case in this article in the Bedfordshire Advertiser. The central unnamed character was a self-confessed deceiver of a girl and his own parents who blamed Luton mothers for not controlling wayward daughters, who should regard a women's place as in the home. This article, reproduced in full, speaks volumes about the vain attitudes of some men "in a decent position" at the time of the Great War and before.

"I like being at Luton. It is one of the best towns I have been in, and if for nothing else I am glad I enlisted because I have got a nice little girl at Luton. She only works in the straw trade, and I am not sure that my people will be quite pleased about it. They are rather old-fashioned and, although I don't want to brag about it, in a decent position. In fact, if I had asked permission to enlist they would have kicked up a row if I mentioned going into the ranks, so I took the shilling first and mentioned it afterwards. I wanted to see soldiering at the bottom as well as the top, inside as well as out, and I am doing it. I am sentimental enough to believe that providence had a hand in it too, for if I had not been a private I should not have won my little Luton lass.

"She will always be that to me, because we are engaged. No, I have not told her all about my people and my prospects, because I want her to feel that I am only a simple working chap. As a matter of fact I told her I was a book-keeper, and she took it in. She thinks I get about 30 shillings a week, but she does not mind that and she has promised to marry me when I get back from Berlin.

"Oh she's all right. She's a bit lively, but she's got a good heart, and I am not afraid of losing her."

That is substantially the statement of a soldier who was billeted in Luton last September, says a contributor. It is not for me to divulge any further particulars which might reveal his identity, but the subsequent events are such that they may serve as a warning to the brave fellows billeted in Luton, and may give some of our girls seriously to think before leading these noble men on to that stage when they feel satisfied that the happiness of the future is assured, only to throw them over when they are out of sight - probably of the Continent, and may be fighting for the safety and honour of the young womanhood of England.

Occasionally I heard from this young man after he left Luton and since he has been in France. I may say that I warned him to think seriously and to make quite sure before he became engaged to any girl of whose character and bona-fide he was not fully assured.

I happen to know that his father was in a large way of business, and in such a position that he could have purchased for his son, and provided for him to live up to, a commission in the most expensive regiment in the Army.

Three months ago I received a letter from the son serving in France in which he said: "You might go round to ----- and make a few inquiries concerning -----. I have not heard from her for three weeks, and I am wondering if she is ill. In fact, she's only written three times to me since I crossed the Channel. If she is ill, tell her that I think it will be a jolly fine place for a honeymoon here. WE can watch them rebuilding the houses that the Huns have wrecked."

The young lady was not ill. She had in fact become so friendly with another 'Tommy' that she had no time, neither had she the inclination, to write to the first sweetheart. I eventually saw her mother, and she politely told me to mind my own business.

It was the first time I had interfered in any love affair, and then only at the request of one who was fighting for his King and country. It will be the last, you can take it from me, but in the meantime I am getting a good revenge, I daresay, for if I know anything of feminine character both this lady and her daughter will be sorry for their behaviour when they read this.

I wrote to my soldier friend and told him the exact facts. I had also made inquiries concerning the girl, and found that she had more strings to her bow than fingers on her hands, and I made it quite clear to him that he had not lost much.

For reply, I simply got a brief note telling me that he was very much upset, but he would find plenty to do to keep his mind occupied, and he would live it down.

Now comes the sequel. A few weeks ago I received a letter in which he said he had been decorated for bravery in the field and was coming home to take up a commission in a well-known regiment.

He concluded that: "My heart is still sore, and will be for many years I am afraid, for I am not a young man, and I have seen a good deal of life. I shall not come to Luton to see you, but you will perhaps do me the honour of visiting me during my seven days' leave, which I shall spend at home, of course. I have already told my father of your kindness, and he says he owes you more than I can imagine."

I have had three pleasant days at this young man's home, and the young Luton lady who so ruthlessly jilted this young man will be surprised to hear that it requires seven servants to keep the household in order; that her erstwhile sweetheart had only kept books as a partner in his father's firm; and that some day his annual income will run in the direction of five figures.

I am afraid that many of our Luton girls are nothing more than pretty faces under pretty hats, and that this case is by no means an exception. At any rate I fancy it would be to the advantage of the reputation of Luton (I am not a war-baby monger) if the mothers of these girls would exercise a better control over their offspring. I am afraid it is a somewhat sweeping indictment, but I have excellent opportunities of seeing and knowing that at least 60 per cent of Luton girls are not domesticated, that they do not appreciate the value of home life, and their only idea is to get as much pleasure out of life as possible. By pleasure I mean that selfish, thoughtless love of ease and gaiety which neither helps the parental home not takes any thought for the true sphere of womanhood - matrimony and womanhood.

[This article was published in the Bedfordshire Advertiser on July 23rd, 1915, along with an Editor's disclaimed that "we take no responsibility for the views of our contributor, particularly as expressed in the last paragraph"]