Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: May 18^th, 1918.

Last night there was a terrible tragedy at Flitwick. A thunderstorm raged from 4.30 to 7.30 and was of such extreme violence that in parts the roads were like rivers. Flagg Lane was a swirling torrent, and Canadian soldiers who were cutting trees in the vicinity had to dash for shelter.

In the lane soon after 7pm was Mr Leonard J. Lee, the well-known seed farmer of Marsh Farm, Leagrave, with his horse and trap, when all of a sudden just as Mr Lee was negotiating the brook there was an overwhelming downpour. In a sheet the rain came down, and Mr Lee was espied by the soldiers clinging to his cart.

His groom was washed free of the cart and managed to clutch the branches of a tree at the side of the brook. The water swirled down the road at a tremendous pace. The soldiers called out to Mr Lee to hang on to the cart but, in spite of his efforts, he appears to have been swept away with the horse and cart into the deeper water of the brook.

The soldiers went to the rescue, but no trace of Mr Lee could be found, and his body was still undiscovered this afternoon. Mr Lee, who was about 50 and unmarried, was handicapped by the fact that he has suffered physical infirmity since childhood. He wore irons weighing about 28 lbs and has been enabled to struggle painfully along only by the aid of crutches.

The groom, Fred Hull, appears to have saved his life by clinging to some boughs against which he was swept. The Canadians rescued him from his perilous position and eventually succeeded also in pulling the horse out, but Mr Lee was not seen again.

• An alarming occurrence took place at 3 o'clock this afternoon in Dallow Road, opposite the end of Brantwood Road, when one of the wheels of a motor car which was conveying a wedding party to a house in the Dallow Road district came off. The motor was going at a fair speed, and it was let down with considerable force, the occupants being bumped about inside. The driver, however, kept his steering wheel and the party escaped with nothing more than a severe shaking. They continued their journey on foot.

• On Wednesday afternoon, while working on a pressing machine at Messrs Balmforth's Works, Frederick King, aged 16, of Church Street, Slip End, had his right hand caught in the press. It was badly crushed, and the boy was taken to the Bute Hospital, where the top of one finger was amputated.

• Yesterday morning a serious accident occurred on Farley Hill, resulting in injuries to a soldier home on leave after being gassed in France. It appears that shortly before 8 o'clock Pte A. E. Wright (Bedfordshire Regiment) was returning to 28 Malvern Road after taking a cycle run into the country. He was riding down Farley Hill when he lost control of his machine and swerved, Wright dashing head first into the wall at the corner of Russell Street. He was badly hurt and found lying on the ground in an unconscious condition. He was taken in the Luton Bleaching and Dyeing Co's motor car to Wardown Hospital, where he was attended by Dr Verdon. It was found that the soldier had concussion of the brain, but is now progressing satisfactorily.

• Mrs Brown, of 73 Langley Street, Luton, has received a card from her husband, Sgt Thomas Brown (Beds Regiment), saying he was captured by the Germans on March 22^nd and is now a prisoner in their hands. Likewise, Mrs Born, of 5 Baker Street, Luton, has heard from her son, Pte Walter Born (Machine Gun Corps) that he too is a prisoner of war, captured on March 21^st. Mr and Mrs Winch, of 104 Ashton Road, Luton, are awaiting new of their son, Cpl Frederick Charles Winch, who was posted missing on April 18^th [He was later confirmed to be a prisoner in Germany.]

• Mrs Smith, of 90 Cromwell Road, Luton, has just visited her son, Pte Archibald E. Smith (Beds Regiment), in Epsom Hospital, where he is recovering from from an operation on wounds received in action on May 8^th.This is the second time he has been wounded, the injuries being in the left leg. In civilian life was was a moulder employed by George Kent Ltd.

• Everything is apparently 'set fair' for the camp of the Bedfordshire Volunteer Regiment which began this afternoon at Luton Hoo Park. Yesterday's storm had a beneficial effect in clearing the atmosphere, and given a continuance of the present conditions a thoroughly pleasant and instructive week under canvas is in store for the civilian soldiers.

• Housewives who have lately had to be content with currant-less cakes and puddings for some time, will be glad to hear that there will probably soon be a distribution of raisins, currants and sultanas when the Ministry of Food has collected sufficient stocks. A considerable stock of currants bought last January in Greece have not come over yet, simply through lack of shipping, and difficulties and risks are too great to make it worth while bringing them overland. There are more essential things than currants to be brought into the country in ships.