Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, May 16th, 1918.

The members of the Luton branch of the National Federation of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers made their first appearance in public on Sunday. They held a very successful church parade in aid of the widows and orphans of the men who have made the great sacrifice.

There was a fair assemblage at The Moor in New Bedford Road at 2pm, and shortly afterwards, headed by the Salvation Army band, the procession started off. The chief officers were in front with the new banner which the Federation has had made. The banner bore the title of the Federation with the phrase in the central triangle, "non-party, non-sectarian, democratic". On the back was the exhortation to the public to support the fund and do their duty for the men who had fought, "We did our duty. There were also one or two small banners in the procession..

Nearly 200 silver-badged men, some of whom were unable to walk and rode in a conveyance, were in the procession which marched along New Bedford Road, Collingdon Street, Dunstable Road, Stuart Street, Wellington Street, George Street to the Parish Church, where a service was held. Former Luton branch Chairman Mr Herbert W. Booth gave the address as a licensed lay preacher. The procession re-formed after the service and returned to The Moor via another route, including Midland Road [picture]. The sum of £39 17s 8½d was collected for the excellent cause.

• An important matter was considered by the Luton Borough Tribunal on Saturday evening. The Town Clerk (Mr William Smith) had sent in his resignation. Alderman Staddon explained that they sympathised with the Town Clerk in his position. He came under the new military age, and he might feel reticent at criticising the men when he himself was liable. Of course, he was one of those who had been placed in a reserved occupation as a Corporation official, and whatever action he wished to take his (the speaker's) opinion was that the Town Clerk was essential to the proper conduct of the borough and the Tribunal. Councillor Primett moved that the resignation be not accepted, and the resolution was unanimously carried.

• Six new JPs – five from Luton and one from Dunstable – have been appointed to the County Bench in the Luton Division. The appointments are Councillor Charles Dillingham, Councillor W. J. Primett, Mr H. Cumberland Brown, Mr Robert S. Tomson, Alderman H. O. Williams and, from Dunstable, Mr F. T. Garrett.

• Bute Hospital Saturday flag day realised a record grand total of £260, which is a vast improvement on last year's result of £150. It represents an achievement worthy of the pride of all who helped in it.

• On Saturday an al fresco concert will be given in Wardown during the afternoon and evening in aid of the 'N-T-F' Fund for the Prisoners of War. The 'N-T-F' journal has raised a sum of £750 for the Fund and is making a bold bid to bring the total of £1,000 by the end of the second year of existence.

• Arthur Wileman, the Luton Town footballer, has been killed in action. The news came to Luton on Tuesday afternoon, being received at the residence of Mr S. Arnold, 44 Kenilworth Road, where Mrs Wileman was resident for a considerable time before and after her marriage. She is now at her home in Somerset. No particulars are to hand other than the bare announcement of the death.

• The funeral took place with full military honours at the Church Cemetery yesterday afternoon of the late Driver Thomas Alfred Ernest Rickard, whose home was at 34 North Street, Luton. He was fatally kicked by an Army mule last Thursday while he was training at Darlington. The funeral service was conducted by the curate of St Matthew's Church, the Rev W. E. Lewis.

• Mrs White, of 56 Norman Road, Luton, has been informed that her son, Gunner Alfred White (Royal Field Artillery), has been killed in action. A letter to Mrs White said: “His death occurred at 9pm on April 15^th when, during a heavy shelling of the battery, a shell his the dug-out he occupied and killed him instantly.”

• The second son of Mr William Charles Aylott (a stoker of the Vauxhall Motor Works), Pte Herbert Cecil Aylott has been reported killed on March 30th. He had been married only a year, his wife and one child living in Dorset.

• An official letter has brought the sad news to Mrs E. Hunt, of 13 May Street, Luton, that her son, Cpl George Thomas Hunt (Bedfordshire Regiment), was killed in action on April 24th.

• Pte Sidney Louis Felks, 33000, of the Bedfordshire Regiment, is posted as missing since March 22^nd. His parents at 39 Collingdon Street, Luton, were appealing for information on his whereabouts. [Pte Felks was later confirmed to have been killed in action on the Somme.]

• The death is notified of Cpl Harry Meeds (Sufolk Regiment), second son of Mr W. Meeds, late undertaker, of 2 Windsor Street, Luton. Cpl Meeds was killed in action in France on April 29^th. The news reached Luton on Thursday last.

• It is with regret we have to report the death of Pte John Rogers, aged 20, who was killed in France on April 22^nd. He was standing at the door of a dug-out with a comrade when a shell came over and caused his death before he could take shelter. His parents live at 3 Kenilworth Road, Luton.

• Mrs Lane, of 36 Chobham Street, Luton, has heard nothing from her son, Pte Arthur Lane (Cheshire Regiment), who has been officially reported missing since March 27^th. [Pte Lane was later confirmed killed in action on that date].

• Mrs Evans, of 219 High Town Road, Luton, has received the official news that her husband, Cpl Lionel Burt Evans (24^th London Regiment), was killed in action on April 30^th.

• Pte W. Lake (Royal Engineers), of Tea Green, who was recently home on leave prior to returning to France, is now back again in the old country and is an inmate of Napsbury Hospital, St Albans, suffering from trench fever. He is making good progress.

• Mrs Graham, late of the Harrow Inn, Hitchin Road, Luton, has received news that her son, Pte Leonard Graham, has been admitted to St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, wounded in the left hand. Pte Graham joined the R.F.A. In February 1915 at the age of 17 and was later transferred to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He was wounded on April 25^th.

• Mrs Stone, of 23 Wimbourne Road, Luton, has just received news that Gunner W. A Stone (R.F.A.) has been gassed and is now lying in a London hospital. Prior to joining up he was managing Messrs Durrant Bros' shop in High Town Road.

• The many friends of Mr William Gilder, the Luton hat manufacturer, will hear with great pleasure that his second son, Pte Sidney Gilder, has been awarded the Military Medal for a brave act. An officer wrote to the family that Sidney took in hand the whole of the dressing of wounded under heavy fire, and carried on under most difficult conditions.

• One of those blue cards, headed with mysterious many-syllabled German words which are becoming all to familiar in the town of late, has reached Mr W. Farmer, of 47 North Street. The card related to his son, Pte William Henry Farmer (Lancs Fusiliers), who is only 19 and was captured on March 23^rd.

• Pte Harold Phillips (Beds Regiment), son of Mr and Mrs Phillips, of 30 Cromwell Road, Luton, has been reported missing since March 21^st. The former Vauxhall workers was was at St Quentin when the enemy offensive started. [Pte Phillips was later confirmed to have been a prisoner of war held in Germany.]

• Pte Horace Frederick George Sach, a partner in the leather manufacturing business of Messrs Sach Bros, Market Hill, is a prisoner of war in Germany. His praents and wife are living at 7 Court Road, and they received the notification on Saturday morning. He had been missing since March 22^nd.

• Pte Frank Hull (Sherwood Foresters), son of Mr and Mrs John Hull, of Sundon, is reported missing since March 21^st, when he was in action against the Germans. [He was later confirmed to be a prisoner of war.]

• Pte Walter Charles Harris, of Sundon, has written from Limburg, where he is a prisoner of war. He was reported missing after being in action with his regiment (Royal Fusiliers) on March 22^nd.

• Lewis gunner Pte Victor Pack, son of Mr and Mrs B. Pack, of 42 Butlin Road, Luton, was posted as missing on March 23^rd, but on Friday a card was received stating that he is a prisoner of war in Germany.

• Mr and Mrs Cawdell, of 1 Peach Street, Luton, would be pleased to receive any information concerning their son, Pte Gilbert Cawdell (North Staffordshire Regiment), who has been reported missing since March 21^st, after only a month in France. [He, too, became a prisoner of war.]

• Pte Arthur Cogans (Lancs Fusiliers), son of Mrs Cogans, of 27 Dorset Street, Luton was captured on the first day of the German offensive.

• Mr Frank Hewitt, of 40 Winsdon Road, Luton, has received a brief message from Pte A. O. Goodwin, who was wounded on March 23^rd and is a prisoner of war in Germany. Hde wrote that his wounded had caused a great deal of pain, b ut he was getting on as well as could be expected.

• Signaller H. E. Corley (King's Royal Rifles), only son of Mr and Mrs H. M. Corley, of 20 Old Bedford Road, Luton, has been posted as missing since March 21^st, the date of the opening of the big German offensive. [Signaller Corley was later confirmed taken as a prisoner of war].

• Capt A. W. East, son of Mr and Mrs W. East, of Moor Street, Luton, has received the position of O.C. of No 2 Base Depot, Salonika, and been promoted to the rank of Major.

• One of a party of men cutting down timber in Bull Wood on the Luton Hoo Estate met with an accident yesterday afternoon. A tree had just been felled, and Mr A. H. Clarke, of Watbridge Cottage, Luton Hoo, was lopping off branches when his axe slipped and cut a nasty gash in his leg. He was taken to Dr Bone's surgery and later conveyed to the Bute Hospital for treatment. He is one of a gang of men employed by Messrs H. Brown & Sons.