Private

In the British Army, a private (Pte) equates to both OR-1 and OR-2 on the NATO scale, although there is no difference in rank. Privates wear no insignia. Many regiments and corps use other distinctive and descriptive names instead of private, some of these ranks have been used for centuries, others are less than 100 years old.[2] In the contemporary British Armed Forces, the army rank of private is broadly equivalent to able seaman in the Royal Navy, aircraftman, leading aircraftman and senior aircraftman in the Royal Air Force, and marine (Mne) or bandsman, as appropriate equivalent rank in the Royal Marines. The term as a military rank seems to come from the Sixteenth Century when individuals had the privilege of enlisting or making private contracts to serve as private soldiers in military units.

Private Albert Jesse William Day

 

Pte Albert Jesse William Day, 32114, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on or soon after April 23rd, 1917, at the Battle of Arras. Two months later his widowed mother Emily at 25 Brache Street, Luton, was still awaiting definite news of the fate of her son, who had been reported missing since April 23rd.

Private George Alfred Folks

 

Pte George Alfred Folks, 32117, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in the Battle of Arras on April 23rd, 1917. He was aged 22.

A letter to parents George Edward Oliver Folks and Josephine Folks, of 20 Salisbury Road, Luton, from Sgt S. C. Lawrence, George's platoon sergeant, said their only son had been killed in action on April 23rd and he was sorry to lose such a good soldier.

Pte Folks had joined the Bedfordshire Regiment in November 1915 and went to France a year later.

Private Leonard Anderson

 

Pte Leonard Anderson, 33586, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in the Battle of Arras in France on April 23rd, 1917. He was aged 28.

He was the eldest son of Frederick and Annie Anderson, of Ferndale, 57 Russell Rise, Luton. Lieut T. H. Warren, of a Canadian Infantry Battalion, wrote to Mrs Anderson to say the body of her son was buried reverently on the field of battle by a party from his battalion.

Private Henry Steer

 

Pte Henry Steer, 31483, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France on April 23rd, 1917. He left a widow, Clara May, and two children, Henry William and Marjorie Louise, living at 144 Baker Street, Luton.

Although no official news had initially been received, one of his officers wrote to Clara to say her husband had been killed in action on April 23rd. He did not suffer any pain as his death was instantaneous.

Private Herbert Corney

 

Pte Herbert Corney, 33791, 8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died at the 33rd Casualty Clearing Station in France on April 20th, 1917, from extensive shrapnel wounds sustained in action. He was aged 36 and left a widow, Alice, and three children - Thomas, Dorothy and Hilda.

He enlisted in May 1916, having been a member of the Volunteer Corps since its formation, and underwent his training at Halton Camp. He was drafted out to France on New Year's Day, 1917, and had since been regularly in and out of trenches.

Private Arthur Dillingham

 

Pte Arthur Dillingham, 18421, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action near Arras in France on April 19th, 1917. His death was reported to be instantaneous.

He was 30 years of age and had enlisted in the Bedfords at the outbreak of war. He had served in France for two years and three months, during which period he was gassed, mined and spent a spell in hospital suffering from shell shock.

Private William Stanford

 

Pte William Stanford, 33856, 8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action around Arras in France on April 18th, 1917. Born in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, he was appointed a postman there in December 1908 before later transferring to Luton around 1912.

He had married Mary Ann Scrivener, from Marsh Road, Leagrave, at Biscot Church on Monday, May 31st, 1909, before the couple initially set up home in Kings Lynn.

William Stanford had enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment in June 1916 and, after training at Tring, went to France on New Year's Day 1917.

Private Stanley Glenister

 

Pte Stanley Glenister, 90031, Royal Army Medical Corps, was lost at sea when the troopship SS Arcadian was torpedoed by a German submarine off the Greek island of Milos in the Aegean Sea on April 15th, 1917. A total of 279 lives were lost, including another Lutonian, Pte Cyril Charles Scoats, R.A.M.C., as the converted cruise liner with 1,335 soldiers and crew on board sank within six minutes on a journey from Thessaloniki to Alexandria in Egypt.

Private Cyril Charles Scoats

 

Pte Cyril Charles Scoats, 90044, Royal Army Medical Corps, was lost at sea when the troopship SS Arcadian was torpedoed by a German U-boat off the Greek island of Milos in the Aegean Sea on April 15th, 1917. A total of 279 lives were lost, including another Lutonian, Pte Stanley Glenister R.A.M.C., as the converted cruise liner with 1,335 soldiers and crew on board sank within six minutes on a journey from Thessaloniki to Alexandria in Egypt.

Private Arthur Joseph Wright

 

Pte Arthur Joseph Wright, 33833, 8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action near Loos in France on April 15th, 1917. He left a widow, Florence Caroline, and a three-year-old son, Sidney, residing at 6 Clarendon Road, Luton.

Pte Wright was killed instantly by a shell which burst through the parapet of his trench two days after his 31st birthday. His last letter home was written on his birthday, but Florence had received no early news as her husband's chums were killed with him.

Private George Hull

 

Pte George Hull, 15287, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in France some time between April 9th and 12th, 1917. He was 28 and single from Upper Sundon, and had worked at the Sundon Cement and Lime Works before enlisting.

He was first reported to be missing on April 9th but it was not until early June that his mother Anne had confirmation that George had been killed in action.

Private Charles William Soper

 

Pte Charles William Soper, 32160, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment was killed in action in France on April 11th, 1917. He was aged 23.

In a letter to parents Charles and Jane Soper at 81 Boyle Street, Luton, Second Lieut Dudley W. Wright wrote that their son was killed during the last great advance on April 11th. Charles was shot through the head and his death must have been instantaneous.

Private Albert Edward Nicholson

 

Pte Albert Edward Nicholson, 233543 (8090), 1/2nd Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), was killed in action in Flanders on April 12th, 1917. He was aged 28.

A Roll of Honour advert in The Luton News appears to the only local mention of Pte Nicholson's death. That was placed by his widow, Florence (nee Phillips), whom Albert had married in Luton in June 1915, and who was living at the time at 68 Tavistock Street, Luton. Florence later returned to live with her widowed mother, Hannah, at 50 Ivy Road, Luton, and never remarried.

Private Harry Gilmore Bumstead

 

Pte Harry Gilmore Bumstead (Bumpstead*), 90017, 45th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, was killed in action in France on April 12th, 1917. He was aged 21.

He had joined the Territorials in October 1913, and on the outbreak of war was stationed near Brighton and later at Rendlesham Park, Norfolk. He saw service overseas when he went to the Dardanelles in October 1915. There he contracted dysentery and was invalided home the following January. After a stay in England he went to Ireland before being drafted to France.

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