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.

Pte Samuel Sydney Kilby, 47425, 15th Battalion Canadian Infantry, died on April 28th, 1915, from wounds received in action north of Ypres. He was aged 23 and the youngest son of Samuel and Emily Jane Kilby, of Hilldene, 102 Midland Road, Luton.

Pte Ernest Allin, 2421, 24th Battalion County of London Regiment (The Queen's), died on May 1st, 1915, of wounds sustained in action near Bethune in France. He was aged 22, born on April 10th, 1893.

The former Luton Modern School scholar had been employed for three years as an apprentice technician at Vauxhall and West Hydraulic Company before he enlisted at the outbreak of war. He lived with his sister, Miss C. Allin, a well-known vocalist, at 104 Selbourne Road, Luton.

William applied to the army in 1917, after his two brothers Harry and George. In the Attestation form for general service in the NZ Army during WWI, a typical question provoked an interesting response from the young William Harris:

“Question 17: If single, how many persons are absolutely dependent on you?

Answer:  Mother and 6 children.

Signed: William Harris 22 June 1917.”

Elizabeth was a Luton munitionette and is shown in a group photograph  from 1916 kindly supplied by a reader of this website. She is the fourth person from the left on the top row.

Elizabeth married William Fisher who served with the Hertfordshire Yeomanry and the couple were residents of Redbourn and Harpenden.

Memories of what my father told me

by Harold Smith, November 2014

The award of the Military Cross to Luton-born Sec Lieut Walter William (Bill) Brown (Royal Field Artillery), who had originally enlisted in the Canadian Infantry when in North America in October 1914, was reported in the Tuesday Telegraph of January 14th, 1919. He was son of hat manufacturer Walter E. Brown and his wife Georgina, of 6 Dunstable Road, Luton.

Pte Clement Victor Arthur Custance, 14095, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died of wounds on April 24th, 1915. He was born in 1892.

Born in Slough, Berkshire, he was living with his widowed dressmaker mother Mary Ann and a borough labourer brother Henry James at 112 Langley Street, Luton, at the time of the 1911 Census. Clement was a stringer in a dye house.

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, 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.

Cpl Walter Seabrook Gay, 14058, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regimen, was killed in action at Hill 60, Flanders, on April 21st, 1915. His family home was at 33 Chapel Street, Luton. He was born in Goole, Yorkshire, in July 1880 to John and Annabella.

Pte Frederick Keen, 3/8793, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action at Hill 60 in Flanders on April 21st, 1915. He was born in Caddington and his family home was in Luton.

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.

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.

Pte Stanley Frederick Mooring, 9271, 2nd East Yorkshire Regiment, was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle on March 17th, 1915. He was in his last year as a soldier and had spent the previous three years in India, where he was awarded good conduct stripes and a medal.

His mother, Mrs L. T. Channing, of 30 Pondwicks Road, Luton, had last seen her son in December, 1914, when on short leave. She said the climate of India had not done his physique any good.