Pte Leonard Anderson, 33586, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in the Battle of Arras in France on April 23rd, 1917. He was aged 28.

He was the eldest son of Frederick and Annie Anderson, of Ferndale, 57 Russell Rise, Luton. Lieut T. H. Warren, of a Canadian Infantry Battalion, wrote to Mrs Anderson to say the body of her son was buried reverently on the field of battle by a party from his battalion.

Pte Henry Steer, 31483, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on April 23rd, 1917. He left a widow, Clara May, and two children, Henry William and Marjorie Louise, living at 144 Baker Street, Luton.

Although no official news had initially been received, one of his officers wrote to Clara to say her husband had been killed in action on April 23rd. He did not suffer any pain as his death was instantaneous.

Acting Cpl David Dilley, 33620, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on April 23rd, 1917. He had celebrated his 23rd birthday just four days previously.

A pal wounded by the same shell that killed David wrote to parents William and Mary Ann Dilley at 8 Milton Road, Luton: "Your son was killed in the same shell hole I was in. I was wounded and managed to crawl from the hole. He did not suffer at all, but died quickly." The letter was written from a base hospital.

Pte Arthur Dillingham, 18421, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action near Arras in France on April 19th, 1917. His death was reported to be instantaneous.

He was 30 years of age and had enlisted in the Bedfords at the outbreak of war. He had served in France for two years and three months, during which period he was gassed, mined and spent a spell in hospital suffering from shell shock.

Cpl Leonard Euinton, 32990, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France by a minenwerfer [trench mortar] on March 16th, 1917. He was aged 28.

A chaplain wrote that he had been killed while holding a post in a front trench. His death must have been instantaneous as the part of the trench in which he was on duty was blown in. He was buried the next day in a little cemetery near the line he was defending, in the presence of a number of his comrades.

Pte Arthur Dumpleton, 27845, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on September 25th, 1916.

Born in 1877 at Stopsley, he was a son of Daniel and Ann Dumpleton. He was living with his then widower father in Gardenia Avenue, Leagrave, at the time of the 1911 Census and, like his parent, had become a gamekeeper. Daniel was bailiff at Little Bramingham Farm in 1881 and gamekeeper at Wigmore Hall Farm in 1891, when the family lived at Ramridge End Cottage. Both father and son were gamekeepers at Little Bramingham Farm in 1901.

Luton-born Pte Herbert Owen Sawyer, 18362, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on September 5th, 1916.

Born in 1885 to flour miller Frederick Sawyer and his wife Annie, he spent most of his life in Ponders End, Middlesex, to where his family moved after 1891, when they were living at 20 Melson Street, Luton.

Herbert married Mary Ann Susan Swain at St Matthew's Church, Ponders End, in October 1910, and the couple had two children, Florence (born 1911) and Jessie (born 1913).

Pte Charles Wood, 27844, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on September 5th, 1916.

Born in 1878, he was one of ten children of widow Mrs Louisa Wood and the late Mr George Wood (died 1908), of 74 Hitchin Road, Luton. Three sisters living at home were sent news of Charles' death.

Before enlistment he was a straw hat blocker working for Mr E. Burgess, 28 Old  Bedford Road. He attested under the Derby Scheme and was called up in March 1916. He went to the Front just five weeks before his death..

Pte Fred Harper, 13942, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on on the Somme on September 4th, 1916. He was the first man in Offley to volunteer for war service and the sixth man from the village to perish on the battlefield.

In a letter to his widow Mary Elizabeth, the captain of his company wrote that her son's body was recovered and given a proper burial. However, he is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial, suggesting he had no known grave and where he was buried may have been destroyed or not relocated.

Pte Samuel James Carter, 27755, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on September 4th, 1916.

Born in 1880, Samuel was the only son of the late Alfred (died 1904) and Clarissa Elizabeth (died 1887) Carter. The family were living at 57 Hastings Street at the time of his birth, and later moved to Stanley Street and then Bury Park Road.

In early 1916 he married 41-year-old Minnie Foster, of 12 Wood Street, Luton, just a week or two before going to France. For upwards of six years he had lodged at 12 Bridge Street.

L-Cpl Ellis Henman, 27814, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on September 4th, 1916. He had been in France foronly a month when he was reported missing in an attack on Falfemont Farm.

The 31-year-old had married in Luton just before going to the Front, and was the first of two sons of William James and Alice Priscilla Henman, of Breachwood Green, to die on the Somme within 11 days. Pte Walter Henman, 19546, 8th Bedfords, lost his life on September 15th, 1916, and both brothers are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Pte Horace Fensome, 13261, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was presumed killed in action on the Somme on or after September 3rd, 1916.

Born in 1892, he was the son of Samuel and Ellen Fensome, of Ramridge End Lane (later Ashcroft Road), Stopsley. Prior to enlisting he was a farm labourer.

He is commemorated on Stopsley War Memorial.

L-Sgt Joseph Plater, 8393, C Company, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on September 3rd, 1916. He was aged 29 and left a widow Ellen Beatrice (nee Bingham) and one son, Ronald (born 1913).

Writing to Mrs Plater at 73 Dudley Street, Luton, Capt S. Norrish said her husband was killed by a shrapnel bullet while leading his men in an advance. He died almost instantly.

Pte William Bavister, 18577, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment died on August 3rd, 1916, in the London General Hospital from wounds sustained on the Somme. He had been in France for around 12 months.

Born in late 1892, he lived most of his life in Westoning, where in 1911 he was a farm labourer living with parents William and Mary (their youngest son) and older sister Ada. The couple had had 10 children of whom only four were still living in 1911.

Pte Albert Rolfe, 18312, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on August 1st, 1916, from wounds sustained in action on the Somme. He had been in France since July 27th, 1915.

Born in Chesterton, near Cambridge, he had joined the Army in December 1914, and before enlistment was employed on the Luton Hoo Estate. He was included on a Luton Hoo roll of honour provided by Lady Wernher's agent, Mr James Baker, that was published in The Luton News in July 1915. In that he was listed as Pte R. Rolfe, Beds Regt.