Pte Frederick Allen, 20981, 10th Border Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 30th, 1916. He was aged 34 and he and some chums had been fighting with the 16th Battalion Manchester Regiment for just a few days before his death.

Born in Luton in 1882, he was the only son of Arthur and Julia Allen, of 47 Chase Street, Luton. He had originally joined the Bedfords at Ampthill and was a special reservist. But for the commencement of the war he would have completed his Army service.

Pte Charles Gregory, 3/6858, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 27th, 1916.

Born in 1893, he was the son of Alfred and Florence Gregory, of 15 Langley Place, Luton. In the 1911 Census he is described as working in a foundry. No report of his death appeared in Luton newspapers at the time.

Pte Percy Haydn Day, 15608, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died of wounds sustained in action on the Somme on July 27th, 1916.

Born in the summer of 1895, he was the son of Arthur and Mary Jane Day, of 17 Holly Walk, Luton, where Percy was born and where the family had lived for 23 years. The couple had 11 children, eight of them boys.

Prior to enlisting, Percy was employed in the Bute Street warehouse of hat manufacturers Wright and Giddings. He had been educated at Queen Square School and his father was formerly a straw hat manufacturer.

L-Cpl Edwin Granville Harvey, 14925, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme at Longueval on July 24th, 1916. He was aged 21.

He had joined the Colours on September 4th, 1914, and went to France the following April. He was gassed at Hill 60 and blown up by a mine in November 1915, requiring eight weeks of hospital treatment. After 15 months in the trenches he was killed by a shell while serving his Lewis gun.

Pte Aubrey Stanbridge, 27467, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, attached to the 10th Worcesters, was killed in action on the Somme on July 23rd, 1916.

Born in Luton in 1877, his birth registration shows his full name as Haydn Aubrey Stanbridge. He was the son of the late Frank Shapcott Stanbridge (died 1907, aged 54) and Caroline Stanbridge (died 1913, aged 60). His last known address was 77 Wellington Street, Luton, where his mother lived until her death.

Pte Albert Smith, 27481, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was the second son of George and Sophia Smith, of 73 North Street, Luton, to be killed in action on the Somme within four days. He died on July 22nd, 1916, at the age of 21.

His brother, Cpl Frederick Smith, 6289, 2/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment, was killed on July 19th at the age of 24.

Pte Smith had been in the Army only four months, having been drafted as a "Derby" recruit. Prior to enlistment he had worked for blockmaker Mr F. Webb, of Lancrets Path.

Pte Ernest George Foord, 27058, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment attached to the 10th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, was killed in action on July 22nd, 1916, after serving only three weeks on the Somme. He was aged 29.

Cpl Fred Smith, 6289, 2/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 19th, 1916. He was aged 24 and one of five sons of Thomas George and Sophia Smith, of 73 North Street, Luton, serving with the Colours.

The Rev A. R. Tucker, a Church of England Chaplain, wrote to Mrs Smith to inform her of the death of her son. He wrote: "I have buried him in a cemetery for British troops. A cross will be erected to his memory over the grave."

Second-Lieut Arthur Haworth, King's Liverpool Regiment, attached to the Machine Gun Corps, was killed in action rallying his men against a German counter-attack on the Somme on July 19th, 1916. He was aged 20.

Pte Leonard Stapleton, 18413, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 18th, 1916. He was aged 33.

Born in 1883 in Stondon, Beds, he was the son of Sarah Stapleton, who married George Hyde in Stondon, also that year.

Leonard married Maud Jepps, of Shillington, in 1905, and in 1911 he was a market gardener living with his wife in Marsh Road, Leagrave.

Pte Albert Ford, 25327, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on July 17th, 1916, of wounds sustained on the Somme. He was aged 19 and the second son of John and Emma Ford, of 48 Burr Street, Luton, to die on the battlefield.

Pte Ford was a "Derby" recruit and was called up five months previously. He was drafted into the Bedfords and had been at the Front only a short time. A letter from the Record Office to his mother said he son had been buried in the Dive Copse Cemetery,

Before enlisting he work at the bleaching and dyeing firm of Mr Stewart Hubbard.

Father of ten children, Pte Alfred George Brown, 21170, 7th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 16th, 1916. He was aged 38, and his enlistment documents stated that he was fit for home service only.

Pte Joseph Payne, 18510, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on July 16th, 1916, from wounds sustained on the Somme ten days previously.

He was the son of Mrs E. Payne, of 15 Inkerman Street, Luton. He was aged 24 and prior to enlistment was employed at the Gelatine Works in New Bedford Road, Luton.

Pte Walter George Bryan, 18238, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was presumed killed in action on the Somme on or after July 15th, 1916. He was aged 30.

Pte Bryan is included on the Luton Roll of Honour but without an address. Military records also say he resided in Luton and enlisted at Bedford, but there were no reports in the Luton Press about him or his death around that time.

Pte Josiah Webb, 18683, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on July 12th, 1916, from wounds sustained in action near Trones Wood on the Somme.

He was a son of John Thomas and Ellen Webb, of Farley Green, Caddington, and was described in the 1911 Census as a cowman on the Stockwood Estate, where he had been employed for some years.

A younger brother, Pte Charles William Webb, 13085, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action at Trones Wood on July 10th, 1916. Three other Webb sons were also serving in the Colours.