Stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: July 1st, 1916.

"German defences penetrated for 16 miles" and "The great advance - official". These were two of the headlines with which the Saturday Telegraph told Luton readers about the launch of what would be known as the Battle of the Somme - 141 days of unprecedented bloodshed that would cost many Lutonians their lives.

The initial reports were optimistic. General Sir Douglas Haig, Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force, issued a despatch via the Press Bureau at 11.55 that morning saying an attack had been launched north of the River Somme at 7.30 am in conjunction with the French Army.

"We have broken into the German forward system of defences on a front of 16 miles. Fighting continues," said the despatch. "An attack on our immediate right by the French Army is proceeding equally satisfactorily. On the remainder of the British Front raiding parties again assisted in penetrating the enemy's defences at many points, inflicting losses on the enemy and taking some prisoners."

A report from a Press Association special correspondent with the British Headquarters in France said: "Many prisoners have already fallen into our hands, and as far as can be ascertained, our casualties are not heavy." [In fact, more than 19,000 British soldiers would lose their lives on the first day of the offensive.]

• The adjourned case of Robert Hawkes, the Luton Town football, came before the County Appeals Tribunal at the Town Hall on Thursday. It had been adjourned until the Tribunal received instructions in regard to one-man businesses. It was a military appeal against a local Tribunal decision after it was contended that Hawkes was an athletic man and could serve the country best in the Army. The appeal was dismissed and Hawkes given conditional exemption after the Tribunal Chairman said his straw hat business would otherwise have to close and be ruined.

• This morning the case came up again at the Borough Court of Richard Irons, of Park Road West, a baker employed by the Co-operative Society, who failed to answer a call to the Army. The case had been adjourned for the man to get his birth certificate, having stated that he was 41 years of age. Defendant now produced the certificate and said he had made a mistake in his age. He was born on June 3rd, 1877, thus being 39 years of age. He did not do it intentionally.

• The 3/3rd London Brigade R.F.A. Pierrot Troupe gave their third concert on Wednesday in aid of the V.A.D. Hospital, Wardown, and the 3rd line men serving overseas. By their two previous efforts £24 was raised, and by this entertainment in the Town Hall Assembly Room another £17 was realised.

• Hardly within living memory has the price of potatoes risen to such an abnormal and, indeed, prohibitive figure as that asked by wholesalers within the last week. £10 per ton is a rude contrast from the 50 shillings and £3 per ton which up to a year or so ago were the customary rates of exchange. The demands of the Army in great measure are held to be accountable for this. Although, if one may judge by the manner in which the tubers were doled out to the men billeted hereabout, the consumption per head under the colours was not nearly so great as if they had remained in civilian life.

• On Friday afternoon Alfred Warner, of Eaton Green, was driving a horse attached to a milk float owned by Messrs B & W. Hartop, of Eaton Green and Stopsley, when the animal fell and cut its knees very severely. The horse was walked at a very slow pace back to Eaton Green, where it was attended by a veterinary surgeon.

• At Bedford market on Saturday there was keen competition for a consignment of 14 large white and middle white boars and yelts from Mr Albert Laird's Sundon herd, the boars making up to £8 15s and yelts up to £8.

• Lord Kitchener's manuscript letter appealing for 300,000 recruits for the new armies, was sold in London yesterday for £6,000. The buyer was Mr T. Fenwick Harrison, of Kingswaldenbury, who is chairman of the Harrison Steamship Company, Liverpool, and it is stated that he will present the letter to the nation after it has been exhibited throughout the country for the further benefit of the Red Cross Fund. [The letter went on display in a marquee outside the Town Hall in Luton later in July. People paid up to 2s 6d to see it.]