Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, September 27th, 1917.

We regret to record the very pathetic end to the military career of Luton's only double DCM, Second Lieut Arthur Andrews, of the Northumberland Fusiliers, and son of George and Isabella Andrews, of 110 Wellington Street.

Second Lieut Andrews (pictured right before his promotion) was wounded in the legs on Easter Monday. He was taken to a Manchester hospital, but, despite the care bestowed upon him, septic poisoning set in and his leg had to be amputated. He came through the operation splendidly, and now he is progressing well at a convalescent home near Manchester. Three weeks ago he came home to Luton on leave.

Arthur Andrews received his commission with the Highland Light Infantry but was posted to the Northumberland Fusiliers.

He expects to leave the service and return home permanently to his wife and four children in a month or so. We trust that local employers will see that he is treated with that generosity appropriate to his bravery and the sacrifice he has made for his country.

[Arthur William Andrews was born in Chaul End on December 10th, 1887, and attended Queen Square School in Luton. He gradually gained promotion during an Army career spanning nearly 14 years, during which time he married Agnes McKean in Edinburgh on May 25th, 1907. He was living at 49 Belmont Road, Luton, up until his death on October 22nd, 1949.]

• Lutonians are quite accustomed by now to the flights of aeroplanes over the town and accept their appearance without great interest. But on Tuesday morning attention was attracted by an airman who flew very low round the town and suddenly gave a most interesting exhibition of looping the loop. He subsequently brought his machine to ground near Biscot Windmill, and flew off again in the afternoon. The same evening another aeroplane appeared at dusk. The pilot had evidently lost his bearings and he came down at Leagrave Marsh for the night. His machine was guarded by soldiers.

• The visit of the teachers' deputation to the Luton Education Authority a week or two ago was productive of many useful suggestions, not the least useful the the Luton Town Council should take advantage of the knowledge of the teachers and co-op representatives on the Education Authority. Mr H. C. Middle and Mr F. Mander were the spokesmen for the teachers, and placed the case admirably for their colleagues. So favourably were the Authority impressed that members made no secret of the fact that they hoped, if teachers were co-opted, Mr F. Mander would be selected. At a meeting on Friday night of the Luton Teachers' Association. Mr F. Mander, acting Headmaster of Hitchin Road Boys' School, was elected, together with Miss D. J. Gunton, Headmistress of Beech Hill Girls' School, as the representative of women teachers.

• Chief Fire Officer Andrew is making steady progress at the various schools in the district in his tuition in case of fire or air raids. Referring to the question of warnings, many teachers seem to be under the impression that half an hour's warning would be given in case of an approaching air raid. If such were the case, Mr Andrew says, the wisest thing would be to disperse the children to their homes.

• On Sunday afternoon the Special Constables of the Borough paraded for inspection by the Mayor and members of the Watch Committee. The roll call showed over 100 members of the Force on parade.

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• Early yesterday afternoon great excitement was caused in the neighbourhood of Hitchin Road when the police carried out an alleged gambling raid at a boot repairing shop situated at the bottom of the road. Police entered the premises and made several arrests of people who were bailed and will probably be brought before the court on Saturday.

• Gunner Sid Hoar, the Luton Town inside left, is now home on ten days' leave. Although not fully recovered from the effects of the poison gas of which he was a victim a month or two ago, it is pleasing to know that he is now almost his old self again.

• We are also pleased to learn that L-Cpl Arthur Roe, the old Luton Town left-wing forward, had recovered from his accident without being compelled to leave France. He has written a very cheery letter to Mrs Marlowe, of Kenilworth Road, is which he states that he is now attached to the Royal Flying Corps and is quite recovered from his injury.

• The people of Luton will be pleased to hear that Sgt-Major W. S. Deller ( pictured right) has been granted a commission in the Bedfordshire Regiment. An old soldier, he served with the 1st Battalion in India, also with the 2nd and 3rd Battalions at home. Leaving the service some years ago, he was employed by Messrs Henry Durler & Sons. On the outbreak of war he rejoined the Colours in August 1914, and assisted in the formation of the 6th Battalion, and went to France with them, later transferring to the East Lancashires. He was recommended for a commission and gazetted back to the Beds Regiment, with whom he is now joining the British Expeditionary Force for the third time.

• Another Stopsley lad to make the great sacrifice is Pte Albert Cooper (Lancashire Fusiliers), youngest son of Mr A. Cooper, of Ramridge Road, Stopsley. Official notification has been received stating that he was killed on September 6th - one day before his 22nd birthday. He had been in France only nine weeks.

• Several Luton men who were recently reported missing are now known to be prisoners in the enemy's hands. Mrs Lewis, of 3 Wood Street, has received a letter from her husband, Pte Thomas Lewis, that he is in a camp at Dulmen, Westphalia, and Mrs S. F. Cook, of 15 Langley Road, has learned that her son, Pte Alfred George Cook, is now a prisoner in Turkish hands.

• News has been received that Rifleman A. C. Brown, son of Mr Alfred Brown, 218 High Town Road, Luton, was wounded on September 3rd. Enlisting in the Queen Victoria Rifles in November 1915, he proceeded across the Channel last February and now lies in the General Military Hospital at Edmonton suffering from shrapnel wounds in the face and left leg. Before joining the Forces he was the assistant manager of the Park Street branch of the Luton Co-operative Society.

• L-Cpl T. G. Sole, of 106 Clarendon Road, Luton was gassed on September 9th and is now at the Field Stationary Hospital, where he is progressing favourably.

• The only son of Mrs Bailey, 33 Brache Street, Luton, Pte Harold Bailey, is in hospital in France suffering from a bullet wound in the wrist sustained on September 9th. Enlisting as soon as he attained the age of 19 last November, he went to the Front in March with the Cheshire Regiment. Before joining up he was apprenticed as a pattern maker at Messrs Hayward Tyler's.

• Mr Walter Stronnell, a sidesman at St Thomas's Church, Stopsley, has been wounded in action an sent to a hospital at Cardiff. Another Stopsley casualty of the war was Horace Church, who is lying badly wounded in a base hospital.

• On Monday afternoon Driver Arthur Wright, of the R.F.A., Biscot, was doing special riding drill when he fell from the horse and fractured his left leg near the ankle. He was taken to hospital, and is going on satisfactorily.

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• Commencing on Monday next at Gordon Street Picture Palace, a most interesting series of films will be screened, showing the history of the present war. The incidents have been specially compiled by the world-renowned Pathe Freres Co, and should prove interesting to both young and old.

• Many patrons of the Football Club who were at the match on Saturday against Southampton saw a war-worn warrior there in khaki with his left arm in a sling. Although he had changed considerably, 'Gus' Inwoods (Beds Regiment) was at once recognised, for he was a well-known member of the Luton Amateurs Football Club, and had on several occasions played for the Town team during the 1914-15 season when they were compelled to fall back on a reserve. In some particularly heavy fighting on June 1st he received a bullet through the elbow. He was conveyed to the base hospital and then sent back to Blighty, to a hospitalat Oxford. He is now convalescent and has been home on leave. He is an old St Matthew's School boy, and after leaving school was employed by Messrs George Carruthers in Park Street.

• The quoits season finished last Saturday so far as the Luton Works Quoits League is concerned, with Commercial Cars A as winners of the cup and medals, and Skefko B as winners of the B Section. Commercial Cars have now won the cup two years in succession.

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• There has been a considerable influx of people into Luton recently, and every day adds to the already overcrowded state of the town. Last night in particular there was a considerable addition, a goodly proportion of whom were of the Jewish race. Many have come down from Luton without an idea of what Luton is like, and have had great difficulty in finding accommodation. As late as 10pm some were searching for lodgings, leaving their wives and children at the station in the meantime.

• One day this week we were admitted into the home of a Luton resident who comes from one of the oldest members of a local family. There we were interested in a painting signed "I. Bradley, 1832". It is not exactly a work of art. Its intrinsic value is little more than that of the cheapest Christmas calendar, its colours a little less brilliant, but it depicts Lancrets Farm on Tower Hill, Luton. But it gave one an idea of the wonderful progress of the town, for where stood the farm is now an area of busy thoroughfares, with factories and shops.