Hill 60

Private Horace Hammett

 

Pte Horace Hammett, 3/7435, 1st Bedfords, was killed in action at Hill 60 in France on May 5th, 1915. He was posted "missing and wounded" on June 9th but it was not until September that his parents received official notification of his death.

Private George Draper

 

Pte George Draper, 10763, 1st Battalion Beds Regt, was killed in action near Hill 60 on July 11th, 1915. He was aged 20.

The son of John and Annie Draper, who were living at 128 Chapel Street [Farley Hill], Luton at the time of the 1911 Census, he was a plumber before enlisting shortly after war broke out. He was killed at a listening post which the Germans blew up at 7 o'clock in the evening.

Private Percy Impey

 

Pte Percy Impey, 9485, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed by a rifle grenade at Hill 60 on June 12th, 1915. He had been with the Bedfordshires for five years, returning from South Africa with them when war broke out.

The 23-year-old was born in Flamstead and was living with his widowed father Henry, brothers William and Harry and sisters Elizabeth (Lizzie) and Annie in London Road, Markyate, at the time of the 1901 Census. During his time with the Bedfords he was a member of the regimental football team and was the regiment's champion jumper.

Private Albert Henry Clark

 

Pte Albert Henry Clark, 10245, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action at Hill 60 on June 10th, 1915. He was aged 22, according to a report at the time.

Pte Clark, the son of Mr James and Emma Clark, of 34 Dumfries Street, Luton, joined the Bedfordshire Regiment four years previously. He had been at the Front since the outbreak of hostilities, and in October 1914 was wounded in the back while on a dangerous errand. His death on June 10th was instantaneous - he was struck on the head by a piece of shell.

Private George Jarvis

 

Pte George Jarvis, 9344, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regimen, was killed in action near Hill 60 on May 28th, 1915. He was aged 28.

He had attested with the Bedfords in September 1907 and then spent six or seven years with the 2nd Battalion. He was living at the time at 122 Langley Street, Luton.

He was wounded in the thigh at Ypres and had returned to England for a short sick furlough. He returned to the front about a month before his death.

Sergeant Walter Henry Ford

 

Sgt Walter Henry (Harry) Ford, 9047, Rifle Brigade, was killed in action at Hill 60 on May 3rd, 1915. He lived at 11 May Street, Luton, and left a widow (Minnie Clara) and three children (Doris Emily, Beatrice Maud and Harry). The couple had married at St Paul's Church, Luton, early in 1907

Corporal Charles Smith

 

Cpl Charles Smith, 7655, 1st Battalion Beds Regt, died at Base Clearing Hospital on May 8th, 1915, from the effects of poison gas inhaled while fighting at Hill 60.

The 31-year-old had been in the Bedfordshire Regiment for nine years, principally serving in Aden. He then spent three years in the reserve, during which time he worked at J. W. Green's brewery in Luton. But for the war he would have been out of the Army the previous Christmas.

Private Harold Campbell Abbott

 

Pte Harold Campbell Abbott, 10398, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action around Hill 60 on April 17th, 1915.

Aged 19, he was the second son of Mrs Emily Abbott and the late Mr James Abbott, of 96 Oak Road, Luton. He joined the 1st Bedfords in October 1913 after working in the straw trade.

Private Sydney George Bright

 

Pte Sydney George Bright, 3/7100 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action at Hill 60 in Flanders on April 18th, 1915. He was aged 20.

Born at Turners End, Toddington, he lived with his parents Mr E. and Mrs M. Bright in Chalton. He was well known in the Luton district as a telegraph boy. He had been a pupil of Toddington National School/St George's Church of England Lower.

Drummer Albert Edward Cockle

 

Drummer Albert Edward Cockle, 8041, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action at Hill 60 in Flanders on April 19th, 1915. He was aged 29.

Drummer Cockle, son of Walter and Emma Cockle, had served in the Bedfords for nearly 11 years, mostly in India and South Africa. He had returned from South Africa the previous September.

Private Henry Tuffnell

 

Pte Henry (Harry) Tuffnell, 7578, B Company, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action at the Battle of Hill 60, Flanders, on April 21st, 1915. He was initially listed as missing.

His home address was 15 York Street, Luton, and prior to being called up as a reservist was employed at Commercial Cars Ltd as a foundry worker. He had previously served in the Boer War.

He was last home in November 1914 and had returned to France just before Christmas.

 

Private William Shane

 

Pte William Shane, 18166, C Company, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in trenches at Hill 60 on April 19th, 1915.

Aged 35, he was the son of Mr and Mrs Henry Shane, of 69 Duke Street, Luton, but was living at Round Green when war broke out. A former militiaman, he enlisted in October 1914 and was eventually sent abroad with a draft of to the 1st Bedfords. He had previously written to his brother George in Richmond Hill about a narrow escape in which a bullet hit a sandbag and gave him a black eye as it passed through his hat.

 

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