Pte Arthur George White, 266358, 5th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, was killed in action on or soon after May 3rd, 1917. After not hearing from her son, Mrs Minnie White, sent a food parcel addressed to him that was received by her son's friend, Pte Rolfe.

It was he who wrote to say that Pte White was last seen on May 3rd by a comrade who saw him lying in a shell hole. Official notification that he was missing arrived shortly afterwards.

Pte George Pratt, 200870, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died of wounds at the No 54 Casualty Clearing Station in Palestine on May 13th, 1917.

The son of Sophia (and the late William Pratt), of Pyne Cottages, Chalton, he enlisted in the Beds Regiment two years earlier and gained promotion to corporal (5240). He then sacrificed his stripes on transfer to the 1/5th Battalion and went out to Egypt a year before his death.

Pte Ernest Arthur Smith, 6254, 11th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, died of wounds in Flanders on May 1th, 1917. He had been in the firing line for just a few days.

His widow, Fanny at 6 St Paul's Road, Luton, was informed in a letter from the matron of a casualty clearing station in France that her husband was admitted badly wounded. All that was possible was done for him, but he lived for only a few hours. He was hardly conscious any of the time and was unable to send a message himself. He was buried in the British Cemetery.

Pte Frederick John Moorhead, 50151, 11th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action near Arras on May 4th, 1917.

Second Lieut Guy Chipperfield, in charge of his her husband's platoon, wrote in a letter to widow Eleanor that Pte Moorhead was killed by a shell while on a night carrying party. "He was unfortunately buried by the shell, and will probably be reported 'Missing, believe killed' but there is, I fear, no doubt as to his fate."

Pte Charles William Peet, 22170, 1st Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was reported missing, believed killed, near Arras on May 3rd, 1917.

War Office notification that he was missing was received by his sister at 64 Warwick Road, Luton.

The son of Johnathan and Ellen Peet, he was born at Greenfield in Bedfordshire in 1878, Charles Peet was an employee of George Kent Ltd before enlisting in October 1916. He proceeded to the Front in March 1917 after a short period of training.

Pte Walter Ernest Boskett, 32209, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died as a prisoner of war on May 9th, 1917. He was aged 38.

There does seem to have been some confusion on the battlefield. Second Lieut Dudley W. Wright wrote to widow Maud at 99 Ashton Road, Luton: "With great regret I have to inform you that your husband, Pte W. E. Boskett, of this battalion, was killed in action on the 25th of April. He was killed by a shell, and his death was instantaneous. The officers and men would like to send their deepest sympathy."

Pte John Cain, 29205, 13th Essex Regiment, was killed in action near Arras on April 28th, 1917. The 23-year-old had initially been posted as missing and his widow, Eliza Jane, had received no further regular letters from him.

John Cain was employed as a grinder at the Diamond Foundry in Dallow Road before joining up in August 1916. He had married Eliza Jane Hall at St Matthew's Church, Luton, on November 20th, 1915, and lived at 116 Hartley Road, Luton. He was drafted to France within a few days of his first wedding anniversary.

Pte Albert Hughes, 42733, 10th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on May 7th, 1917. He was an old Territorial who had served for over 10 years in India with the Bedfordshire Regiment before being called up at the outbreak of war for service with the Worcesters.

Second Lieut Macleod, writing to his family at 39 North Street, Luton, said that Pte Hughes had been buried behind the lines. His death had been practically instantaneous, thus causing no pain.

Pte William Horsler, G/50146, 11th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, died on May 6th, 1917, from severe wounds sustained on the battlefield. He left a widow and six children at their home in Limbury.

On May 5th a chaplain wrote to Ellen Horsler at Warden View, Limbury, informing her that her husband had wounds in both legs and his right hand, which had had to be amputated. Four days later another chaplain wrote that Pte Horsler had died on May 6th.

Pte Victor Freeman Baxter, 33013, 8th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, was killed in action near Arras on May 3rd, 1917. He died just days before his 19th birthday.

He had joined the Bedfordshire Regiment at the outbreak of war, but was later transferred to the Leicesters. He spent some time in England before being drafted from Halton Camp to France.

One April 22nd he had written to parents William and Minnie Baxter at 7 Villa Road, Luton, to say he had just come out of action and was quite well. That was followed by a letter from a pal to say that Victor was missing.

Pte William Hankin, 307038, 2/7th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment), was killed in action in France on May 3rd, 1917. Older brother, Alfred (Beds Regiment), had died from wounds in France on October 30th, 1914.

Dunstable-born William had enlisted in the West Riding Regiment in March 1916 and went to France the following January. Parents Alfred and Alberta Hankin had moved from Dunstable and were living at 64 Ivy Road, Luton.

Pte Edward Anstee, 30849, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action near Arras on May 3rd, 1917. He was aged 35.

No report of his death appears to have been published in the local Press at the time. He was born around 1881 and married Louisa Fox in Luton in 1900.

At the time of the 1911 Census the couple were living at 17 Cowper Street, Luton, Edward working as a straw hat blocker. Their only child had died.

Pte Archie Walter Patten, 32151, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died in Etaples Hospital, France, on May 4th, 1917, from serious wounds sustained in the Battle of Arras on April 23rd. He was single and aged 24.

He had enlisted in the 1/5th Bedfords at the outbreak of war and took part in the Dardanelles campaign. He was invalided home with dysentery and spent three months in the Mile End Hospital. In November 1916 he was drafted to France.

Pte George Summerlin, 30601, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action near Arras on May 3rd, 1917. He was aged 26.

No newspaper report of his death appears to have been published around the time, but in the 1911 Census he is shown living with parents George and Jane Summerlin at 15 Stuart Street, Luton. Also living there was his wife Alice Maud (nee Hill), whom George had married in 1907, and their three children at that time - Leslie, Reginald and Wilfred. Records suggest they later had two daughters.

Pte William Souster, 25633, 8th Battalion East Surrey Regiment (ex-3455 Middlesex Regiment), died on May 2nd, 1917, from wounds sustained near Arras earlier the same day. He was aged 33.

William married Emily Hatton, from Dorking, Surrey, at St Cuthbert's Church, Kensington, on August 6th, 1908. The couple lived at 446 Hitchin Road, Luton, and they had five children.

Before enlistment, William was employed as a straw hat factory foreman by Gilbert Brown & Co, 28 Victoria Street, Luton.