Pte Stanley George Randall, 69187, 1/6th Northumberland Fusiliers, had been in Flanders only a week when he was posted missing, presumed killed, on April 11th, 1918.

The 19-year-old's last letter to parents Walter and Elizabeth at 220 Wellington Street, Luton, was dated four days previously, on April 7th.

In 1911 Stanley was a schoolboy living at 220 Wellington Street with his parents, two sisters and two brothers. He joined the Army in May 1917 by which time he was working for hat trade blockmakers F. Oakley & Son, of 11 Williamson Street.

Pte Horace George Bird, 27369, 1st King's Shropshire Light Infantry, was killed outright by a gas shell which hit his shelter as he slept at 1am on April 20th, 1918.

Pte Horace George Northwood, 41061, 1/4th King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), was killed in action in France on April 26th, 1918. He was a single man aged 19 and the second of the four sons of Francis and Edith Northwood to die on the battlefield.

Horace, whose home was at 118 Wellington Street, Luton, was killed within two weeks of leaving Ireland on April 14th and being transferred from the Essex Yeomanry.

He was born at Woodside, near Luton, in 1899.

Pte Frederick Norman Burchmore, 17574, 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, died in hospital at Boulogne, France, on May 10th, 1918, after being admitted on April 30th with severe gunshot wounds in the chest and extensive internal injuries.

A doctor performed a successful operation to remove shrapnel from around his heart. There had at first been hope of recovery, but his condition deteriorated and he passed peacefully away at the age of 22. He was buried with full military honours on May 12th at St Martin's Cemetery, Boulogne.

L-Cpl Charles James Whittington, 43269, 6th Battalion Northants Regiment, died in the Royal Fortress Hospital, Cologne, on May 24th, 1918, from a gunshot wound sustained when taken as a prisoner of war at St Quentin in France some weeks earlier. The 23-year-old was buried at the Cologne Southern Cemetery in Germany.

Pte Charles Harold Robinson, 51669, 1st Lincolnshire Regiment, was presumed killed in action in Flanders on April 16th, 1918. He was single and aged 19.

He was the son of Fanny Wellard and stepson of David Wellard, of 54 Langley Road [now Latimer Road], Luton, who had initially been notified only that Charles was posted as missing.

Before joining up he worked for hairdresser Mr Holmes, of Park Square, Luton. He is commemorated on the Luton Roll of Honour and in the Luton Book of Life compiled at St Mary's Parish Church.

Pte Frederick Leonard Marshall, 51742, C Company, 61st Battalion Machine Gun Corps, was presumed killed in action on March 22nd, 1918. His Red Cross record lists him as missing near St Quentin in France from that date, although a comrade had reported him to have been killed.

Born in Luton in 1893, Frederick was the only son of Frederick Tarrant Marshall and Edith Marshall, of 18 Langley Street, Luton. He had joined the Beds Yeomanry in October 1914 and later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps.

Rifleman Ernest William Pyne, 205137, 9th Battalion King's Royal Rifles, died of wounds shortly after being taken as a prisoner of war by the Germans during their spring offensive on March 27th, 1918.

'Corporal,' as he was known to his friends, was the youngest son of William Benjamin and Mary Ann Pyne, of 39 Beech Road, Luton. He had joined the Training Reserve in March 1917 at the aged of 18, and in December 1917 was transferred to the King's Royal Rifles. He went to France in January 1918.

Pte William (Thomas William) Dean, 60131, 26th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action in France on March 24th, 1918, according to his family's entry in the Luton Book of Life compiled at St Mary's Church.

The Commonwealth War Grave Commission website gives a date of death of April 2nd, 1918, with William's commemoration on the Arras Memorial.

Pte Frederick Dean, 60115, 101st Labour Company (ex-34th Battalion Royal Fusiliers), died in the 5th General Hospital in Rouen, France, on May 18th, 1918, five days after being admitted with gas shell poisoning.

His eldest brother William (Thomas William Dean) had been killed in action in France just weeks earlier, on March 24th, while helping a wounded soldier. Both brothers had been associated with the Clarence Football Club in their younger days.

Pte Percy Wood, 200885, 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on April 26th, 1918. He was a single man, aged 19, who had been in the Army for three years but in France for only two months.

Pal Pte Harold Merkins wrote to parents Arthur and Sarah Ward at 51 Frederic Street, Luton, that their son was “sniped through the head” and his death was instant.

Pte Herbert Leonard Lawrence Ball, 20667, 9th Battalion Norfolk Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on April 15th, 1918. He had been in France for a year and nine months.

Herbert, born in Surrey in 1884, left a widow and four children living at 70 Oak Road, Luton. Since arriving in Luton he had been a labourer at the Luton Gas Works (1911 Census), and, according to a Luton News report, was a former licensee of the Four Horseshoes pub in Park Street who had worked for George Kent Ltd until joining the Army two years before his death.

Pte Ballantyne Blake, 269159, 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment, was reported missing, on July 31st, 1917, following the battle of St Julien. It was nearly a year later that widow Ada Blake was officially told the War Office had concluded that he was killed on or soon after that date.

A comrade had said he saw Pte Blake shot through the head by a machine gun bullet, and he had been left for dead. No further information had been obtained.

Sgt Frederick James Munns, 10394, 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards, was killed in action in France on May 6th, 1918. He was aged 34 and left a widow and two children.

An officer wrote to Ivy Munns, who was living in London, that her husband was killed instantly by a sniper's bullet while he was out with a wiring party.

Born in Limbury, a son of Charles and Jane Munns, of The Tanyard, Frederick was called up as a reservist on August 4th, 1914. He had gone through the whole campaign without a scratch until the the fateful night of Monday, May 6th, 1918.

Pte Christopher Barton, 10716, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was reported missing, later killed in action, in Flanders on May 8th, 1918. He was aged 25 and the son of Martha Jane and the late John Samuel, of 59 Chase Street, Luton.

Christopher married Ellen Riddle under licence at St Paul's Church, Luton, on November 17th, 1915. They had a daughter, Ivy, born the following year, and their home address was 73 Park Road West (now Strathmore Avenue), Luton.