Luton's People 1914-1918
This page contains a list of soldiers/civilians from Luton and surroundings 1914-1918, and the ancestors of people who live in Luton today. It has been compiled from the 1918 Luton Absent Voters List, Rolls of Honour; and information researched and uploaded by project volunteers and members of the public.
If you find your ancestor here, and there is only basic information available, then feel free to use the comment box to add further information you may already know. The WWI Project Team, can then add this further information to the basic data we already hold.
The sources of this information can be found via the links below. Please feel free to download and use this information, but please please search for and upload your ancestor to the site if/when you find them:-
Absent Voters List
Luton Roll of honour
Before adding anybody to the site, it is always advisable to search for your ancestor first.
Pte Wilfred Tompkins, 57896, 11th Battalion Cheshire Regiment, was killed in action in Belgium on July 12th, 1917. He was within a few days of his 28th birthday.
Lieut Frederick Charles Cook, RAF, died in the Empire Hospital, Victoria, London, on October 9th, 1919, as a result of wounds sustained in action over a year earlier. He was aged 21.
Joseph Arthur Freeman was born in 1894 in Luton, only son of Joseph and Rose.
Pte Charles Frost MM, 15525, Gloucestershire Regiment, died in hospital at Taplow, Bucks, on September 27th, 1918, as the result of a gunshot wound that fractured his right thigh in France on August 11th.
Peter joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, then transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. He saw service in France in November 1914. Peter died on 7th July 1917 & was buried in the cemetery on Rothesay Road.
C H Smith served in The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). He died on 25th March 1920 & was buried in the Rothesay Road cemetery.
Reginald Roland Gurney Press was born in St Albans on 4th February 1895, 1 of 3 children born to Frederick Edmond & Lillian Ada.
Percy Luck was born in 1884 in Luton, 1 of 4 children born to William & Sarah Ann.
Sydney Charles Powell was born in 1882 in Luton.
In 1904 Sydney married Lizzie Gregory.
Percy Gurney was born in Luton in January 1893. He was 1 of 8 children born to Tom & Emily.
Bertie Frederick Eales was born in Luton in 1886. Eldest child of 6 born to Edwin & Kate.
Pte Samuel George Whittington, 200564, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action under shell fire near Ypres on July 18th, 1917. He was aged 34, married and had a daughter.
Pte Arthur William Purser, 13857, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was severely wounded on the Somme on July 1st, 1916. For the next 12 months he underwent operations in hospital. In July 1917 he was sent home on leave to prepare for a further operation.
Pte Cecil Harold Blaydon, 200712, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed instantly in a raid on enemy lines on July 20th, 1917. The 21-year-old was buried in a cemetery behind British lines.
Cpl Bertie Breed, 200662, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Palestine on July 20th, 1917 - in a battle with a growing casualty list described by the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph as almost, if not quite, as severe as that in the struggle on the Gallipoli Peninsu
Pte Thomas Felks, 203179, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was confirmed killed in action in Palestine on July 20th, 1917, after initially being reported missing. He was aged 33.
Pte Frederick James Bysouth, 200992, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Palestine on July 20th, 1917 - a day of particularly high casualties for the regiment. He was aged 32 and married with a wife living at 123 Russell Street, Luton.
Friday, July 20th, 1917, was a day of double tragedy for widower William Hull, of 34 Buxton Road, Luton. Three weeks later he learned that on that day youngest son Lance-Sgt Charles Hull, 200294, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, had been killed in action in Egypt.
Friday, July 20th, 1917, was a day of double tragedy for widower William Hull, of 34 Buxton Road, Luton. Three weeks later he learned that on that day youngest son Lance-Sgt Charles Hull, 200294, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, had been killed in action in Egypt.
L-Cpl Robert John Cecil Moate, 200634, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Palestine on July 20th, 1917, and has no known grave. He was aged 20 and the only son of widowed Lizzie Moate, of 23 Union Street, Luton.
Pioneer William Rhodes, 528165, 488th Field Company Royal Engineers, was killed in action in Palestine on July 20th, 1917. He was aged 21 and single.
Pte Percy Thurlow, 200236, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was the second son of Arthur and Harriet Thurlow, of 216, Wellington Street, Luton, to die on the battlefield.
L-Cpl Philip Herbert Watkins, 200985, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Palestine on July 20th, 1917. He was aged 27 and married to Maud, living at 14 Highbury Road, Luton.
Sgt Nelson Tom Pike, M1/07617, Army Service Corps, died in the 41st Stationary Hospital, Gailly, France, on July 20th, 1917. He had been taken to hospital the previous day suffering from shell wounds.
Pte William Flitton, 200760, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died of wounds on July 21st, 1917, after seeing action in Palestine. He had previously fought in the Gallipoli campaign in which he was wounded in the arm but quickly recovered to serve in Egypt.
Ernest Breed was born on 22nd March 1878 in Luton. He was 1 of 8 children born to William & Mary Ann.
Pte Bert Frederick Good, 43098, 6th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, was killed in action in Belgium on July 21st*, 1917. He was aged 20 and single.
Gunner Albert Bunnage, 365941, 308th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery, died on July 22nd, 1917, from wounds sustained on the battlefield. He had been attended to by the No 6 Canadian Field Ambulance. He was aged 32 and single.
L-Cpl Walter Jesse Goodge, 50300, 9th Battalion Suffolk Regiment, was killed in action in France on July 22nd, 1917. He was aged 21.
Just ten days after returning from home leave, Military Medal recipient Pte William Henry Brown, S/7023, 9th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, was killed in action in Flanders on July 23rd, 1917. He was aged 26.
Sapper Arthur Page, 524547, 228th Field Company Royal Engineers, died on July 23rd, 1917, from multiple shell wounds to the head received in Belgium. The 31-year-old had been taken to the No 10 Casualty Clearing station.
Pioneer Thomas Henry Williams, 244645, 2nd Field Survey Company Royal Engineers, died of wounds in France on July 26th, 1917. He was aged 27 and single.
Cpl Vincent William George Ivory, 25690, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Belgium on July 26th, 1917. He was aged 24 and single.
Sapper Harry Perry, 184418, 526th Field Company Royal Engineers, was killed in action in France on July 27th, 1917. He was aged 25, single and his home was at 45 Boyle Street, Luton.
Pte William Peck, 31136, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, is recorded as having died of wounds on July 27th, 1917, after being in action near Arras. A newspaper report at the time said widow Elizabeth, of 69 Chobham Street, Luton, was informed that her husband had been killed in action.
Pte Joseph William Hare, 33634, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action in Flanders on July 28th, 1917. He left a widow, Alice, and had been married for only 16 months.
Pte Alfred Ball, 22996, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died on July 29th, 1917, from shrapnel wounds sustained on the battlefield in France. He was aged 21 and single.
L-Cpl Harry Woodbridge, 42230, 11th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was reported missing, later presumed killed, in France from July 29th, 1917.
Pte James Lamb, 235257, 8th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, was killed in action on July 29th-30th, 1917, when a shell fell on his trench. A comrade with him escaped simply because he had gone to get his rifle.