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 William Brooks

William Brooks was born in Nottingham in 1881. 1 of 13 children born to Albert & Emma.

On 11th December 1899, aged 18 years old William married Clara Smith in Luton.

In 1901 he is working as a milkman, Clara is working as a straw hat finisher & they are living with their 1 year old son Baden William at 42 Arthur Street.

In 1908 William married Annie Frost, because in January 1905 Clara had died.

Private Henry Cecil Pugh

Henry Cecil Pugh was born in 1899.

In 1911 he was 13 years old & living with his parents Albert & Mary Hannah Brooks at 97 Ash Road.

On the outbreak of war he enlisted into the Bedfordshire Regiment alongside his father, but later transferred to the 1/2nd Battalion London Regiment Royal Fusiliers.

He was killed in action in France & Flanders.

Private Stanley Bell

Stanley Bell was born in Barton le Clay on 22 April 1887.

He married Hephzibah Powell on 11th May 1904 at St Matthews Church.

In 1911 they are living with their 2 year old daughter Lily May at No 8 Havelock Road. Stanley is working as a domestic coachman & Hephzibah is working at home as a straw hat finisher.

In September 1915 Stanley enlisted into the Army Service Corps. He was working as a motor driver & living at 87 Frederick Street at the time.

Private Charles Thomson Barnard

Charles Thomson Carl Barnard was born in Luton in October 1896.

In 1911 he is 14 years old & living with his family at 203 Castle Street.

His father Charles 45, is a partner in the straw hat materials firm of Barnard and Dawson (23-27 King Street, Luton), his mother Emily Jane (nee Punter), 46, is at home with the children, Emily Gladys 13 & 11 year old Robert Hugh. Charles' older sister Nellie is 16 years old & is working as a ledger clerk.

Private Frank Boutwood

 

Pte Frank Boutwood, 4626, B Company, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died in the 5th Southern General Hospital at Portsmouth on October 23rd, 1915, from complications arising from dysentery contracted in Gallipoli. He was aged 34.

His death meant that Luton had its first experience a funeral of one of its Territorials who had been on active service with the 1/5th Bedfords in Gallipoli. He had been invalided home about a month before his death suffering from dysentery, but complications set in and he passed peacefully away in the presence of his relatives.

Private Arthur Walter Aylott

Arthur Walter Aylott was born in September 1897 to Bransom Aylott & Elizabeth (ne Cook). He had an older sister Lily who was also born in Luton, in 1890.

In 1901 Bransom died & the family was split up. 11 year old Lily went to live with one of her father's sisters, Annie Toyer at 11 New Town Street & 3 year old Arthur went with his mother to live with her parents, Thomas 70 & 71 year old Mary Ann Cook at 10 Upper George Street. Elizabeth is 30 years old & working as a straw hat sewer.

Private Charles Carter

 

Pte Charles Carter, 142, East Anglian Division Cyclist Corps, died of dysentery on October 14th, 1915, while returning from Gallipoli on board the hospital ship HMHS Assaye.

The only son of Mrs Elizabeth Carter, of 112 Hartley Road, Luton, he had enlisted in the 1/5th Bedfords but transferred to the Cyclist Corps earlier in 1915. He sailed for the Dardanelles at the same time as the 1/5th Bedfords.

Private Herbert John Clarke

 

Father-of-ten Pte Herbert John Clarke, 3/8664, 2nd Bedfords, was killed in action at Loos in France on September 27th*, 1915. He was aged 39 and a labourer at White Hill Farm, Stopsley.

A native of Offley born in the summer of 1876, he worked at the farm for Mr Allingham and lived in a cottage opposite Lilley Church.

Private Charles Whelpton Few

 

Pte Charles Whelpton Few, 1889, 1/1st Eastern Mounted Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, died on October 19th, 1915, from dysentery while on board ship in the Mediterranean.

He was one of three sons of Great Northern Railway stationmaster Thomas Henry Few [born in Montreal, Canada], of Station House, Bute Street, and Hyde House, Hart Hill, Luton. He joined the Eastern Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, RAMC, after the outbreak of war.

Private George Hutchings

 

Pte George Hutchings, 4229, 1/5th Beds Regt, was killed in action on August 16th, 1915, aged 20, The son of William and Sarah Hutchings, of Canning Street, Bedford, he had come to the Luton area to be engaged on harvesting work at Eaton Green in 1914.

He enlisted in the Bedfords in Luton and struck up a close friendship with Pte Herbert Stanley Toyer, of 22 Duke Street, Luton. During the three months or so of drilling at Luton under Major (then Capt) Lathom, Pte Hutchings made his home with Pte Toyer's parents at 7 Burr Street.

Private Ernest White

 

Pte Ernest White, 20201, 23rd Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, was killed in action in France on September 26th, 1915. He was aged 28 and lived at 109 Highbury Road, Luton.

He was in the RAMC when war broke out and was mobilised with his unit. He came home for the last time in September 1914 and went out to France the following month.

He left a wife, Mary, and three young children. Before the war he worked as a painter for Mr Jennings. He was well known among local footballers, being a member of the Silver Star FC.

 

Private Robert Watson

 

Pte Robert Watson, 9652, King's Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, died on October 12th, 1915, from wounds sustained in action in France on September 29th. A piece of shrapnel had hit him in the back.

Born in Luton on February 19th, 1881, he was the son of Edmund (died 1889) and Tamar Watson (nee Humphrey).

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