Pte Sidney John Vass, 23489, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died in the No. 13 Stationary Hospital in France on November 24th, 1916, 11 days after he was wounded in action on the Somme.

Pte John Radford, his lifelong pal from Luton with whom he enlisted and went to France, had also died in hospital from November 13th wounds sustained on the Somme. He passed away on November 14th, 1916.

Pte Vass, son of Alfred John and Alice Vass, of 121 Castle Street, Luton, was employed as a painter by Mr A. Perry, of Victoria Street, Luton.

Pte Joseph Ward, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on November 21st, 1916, from wounds sustained in action on the Somme four days earlier. He was aged 24.

Being an orphan, he had lived with his married sister, Mrs Alice Gore, for upwards of ten years prior to joining the Ampthill Training Camp a year earlier.

Official notification reached Mrs Gore at her home at 86 Park Road West, Luton, that her brother had sustained gunshot wounds in the right thigh and a fracture of the femur, and was seriously ill in Dannes-Camiers General Hospital in France.

Sapper Bert Tomlinson, 1749, East Anglian Royal Engineers, was killed in action on the Somme on November 14th, 1916. He was aged 32 and had enlisted in January 1915.

Sapper Tomlinson, a painter and house decorator employed by Mr Smith, of West Hill Road, was secretary of the Luton branch of the House and Shop Decorators' Union.

Pte John Radford, 23496, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died in the No. 44 Casualty Clearing Station in France on November 14th, 1916, the day after he was wounded in action on the Somme.

Pte Sidney John Vass, his lifelong pal from Luton with whom he enlisted and went to France, was also to died in hospital from November 13th wounds sustained on the Somme. He passed away on November 24th, 1916.

Second Lieut Charles Frederick Burley, 4th Battalion (attached 10th) Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on November 18th, 1916. The younger son of leading Luton hat manufacturer Richard Burley, he would not have been 19 years old until December 1st - and still under military age for service abroad.

Pte Sidney Charles Anthony, 60778, 24th Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action on the Somme on November 13th, 1916. He was aged 33.

Two comrades wrote to his widow, Marion, at 83 Bury Park Road, Luton, to say they had seen Sidney go into action in the first wave of a charge but had not seen him since.

One comrade, L-Cpl C. Lennon, said the battalion had gone into action on the morning of the 13th and had a great victory,but lost quite a number of brave lads.

Sub-Lieut Eric William Squires, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, was killed in action in the battle of Ancre on the Somme on November 13th, 1916. He was aged 24.

The son of hat manufacturer James Squires and his wife Emily, of The Mount, Hart Hill, Luton, Eric joined the public schools battalion of the Naval Reserve on November 11th, 1914. The unit was the only one allowed to use both naval and military uniform. He was in training at the Crystal Palace and obtained his commission in July 1915.

Pte Sidney Charles Worboys, 6063, 1/8th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action on October 28th, 1916. He was aged 27.

The son of Albert and Emma Worboys, of 176 High Road Road, Luton, he had served at the Front since July 1916. Second Lieut Burns said in a letter to his parents that Sidney was killed instantly by a trench mortar and was buried with military honours in a little cemetery behind the lines.

Pte Samuel Stokes, 43241, 6th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on October 25th, 1916. He was the second son of Samuel and Phoebe Stokes, of 10 Alfred Street, Luton, to perish on the battlefield in three months - L-Cpl Robert Stokes was killed in action on August 9th.

At the time of Samuel's death, Robert, a holder of the Military Medal, was reported missing with hopes that he may have been taken as a prisoner of war.

Sgt Peter Pieraccini, 19744, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on October 12th, 1916.

Born in Luton, he was the son of James and Elizabeth Pieraccini, of 19 May Street, Luton. He married Ethel May Dyer in 1906 and lived at 4 Manchester Place, Dunstable, with their six children.

A friend who was with him before they went into action wrote to his widow that Peter had been reported missing but was then found by another battalion to have been killed.

Pte John Feetham, 15868, 6th Battalion Queen's Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment, was killed in action in France on October 27th, 1916. He was aged 36.

His commanding officer wrote to Mrs Feetham that her husband was killed at 9.40 in the morning by a German shell which burst over him while he was in a trench, killing him instantly.

John Feetham had married Soiphia May Ann Taylor in Hatfield in 1908 and they had three daughters. They had lived at Pepperstock for several years and he was a woodman on the Luton Hoo Estate.

Pte George Henry (Harry) Puddephatt, 40119, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on November 13th, 1916. He was aged 19.

The son of Henry and Ann Puddephatt, of Summer Street, Slip End, he worked for Messrs F. Merchant and Sons, furnishers, of Manchester Street, Luton, before enlistment. He was in training in England until three months before his death.

Pte Percival (Percy) Frank Buckingham, 3/7179, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on November 4th, 1916, from wounds received on the Somme. He was aged 22.

Parents Alfred and Annie Buckingham, of 136 North Street, Luton, received news earlier that Percy was in hospital in France suffering from shell shock. His mother then received a letter from her son to say he was much better and was expecting to rejoin his unit.

But just a few days later she received a telegram stating that Percy had again been in action and that he had died of wounds received on November 4th.

L-Cpl Ernest Edward Fowler, 42765, 10th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, died on October 27th, 1916, from wounds sustained on the Somme four days earlier. He had transferred from the Bedfordshire Regiment.

Born in early 1896, he was the son of George Henry Fowler and his wife Louisa Elizabeth (nee Wright), of 126 Castle Street, [now in London Road], Luton.

Prior to joining the Colours he was employed by Hart, Baxter and Co, bleachers and dyers, of New Bedford Road, Luton.

Pte Henry Cecil Pugh (Brooks), 8103, 1/2nd Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), was killed in action on the Somme on October 4th, 1916. He was formerly 4403, 5th Bedfordshires.

Pal Pte Henry James wrote to Henry's mother, Mrs Mary Hannah Brooks (formerly Pugh) at her home at 7 Hampton Road, Luton, that her son was "buried by several Beds boys behind the line, with his rifle as a tombstone. He was killed instantly."