Death of an Old Lutonian

London Regiment Badge [Wikimedia]

Friday 7th May 1915: In December we heard how Ernest Allin, an old boy of Luton Modern School, was enjoying life at training camp with the 24th Battalion of the County of London Regiment. http://bedshomefront.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/training-camp-life.html  News has now reached Luton that he has become the first Old Lutonian to be killed in the present conflict. He died of wounds received near Ypres on 1st May, two days after being hit by a stray bullet while leaving the trenches to draw the day’s rations. He has been buried along with many other British soldiers at Béthune. The following obituary is to be included in the next edition of the school magazine:

“Ernest Allin has fallen in the paths of glory in France. He will be greatly missed by the members of the Old Lutonians Club, with whom he was deservedly popular. He joined the school in September, 1907, and left in July, 1909, to become an engineer. He worked hard at his profession and was a regular student at the Evening Classes; when he entered the army he left a good position at the Vauxhall Motor Works. His ready wit and unfailing good-humour made him a general favourite; he was indispensable at the Old Lutonian entertainments; and when in happier times the club comes together again his absence will be severely felt. While however we extend to all his relatives and friends our deepest sympathy, we would also add the words of Milton – “Nothing is here for tears.” He died for his country.”

Source: Luton Modern School Magazine No.9 [SDLutonSFC2/9]

Old Bedfordian Casualties

German mounted patrol in East Africa [Wikimedia]

Sunday 14th February 1915: The number of casualties suffered by Old Boys of Bedford Grammar School continues to increase. This month the following obituaries have been received:

Captain Edward Raymond Lloyd of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who was officially reported as wounded on September 5th last, died of wounds on December 3rd, in hospital at Cambrai. The elder surviving son of Lieutenant-Colonel and Mrs. Lloyd, of Bedford, he was first commissioned in the 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in 1902; he subsequently transferred to the 2nd Battalion, then serving in Egypt, of which corps he was successively assistant adjutant and adjutant. He was specially mentioned in Sir John French’s recent despatches. A good all-round sportsman, he represented his School in the Public Schools Boxing Competition held at Aldershot in 1899, and was a keen follower of the hounds and a frequent rider in point-to-point hunt steeplechases. He was also a good shot both with gun and rifle. From The Times, 12th February 1915

Second-Lieutenant Philip Maurice Ramsay Anderson of the Royal Irish Regiment, who has died of wounds received in action on February 14th, was the eldest son of Mr R. A. Anderson, Sir Horace Plunkett’s chief assistant in the work of the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society. Lieutenant Anderson’s youngest brother Alan, of the same regiment, was killed at Le Pelly, at the beginning of December. His brother Philip, who was at home on leave from his employment in South America, was immediately gazetted to the vacancy in the battalion. The two brothers were educated at Bedford, and were Public School boxing champions. From The Times, 27th February 1915

Richard Edward William Kay-Mouat; I should like to draw your attention to poor old Kay-Mouat’s death at Longido, German East Africa, on November 4th.[1] He was in my troop, and was quite close to me when it happened. He pluckily left his cover to help a fellow who was wounded, and in doing so met his death.

Lieutenant William Knox Humfrey was shot through the head on August 26th. He had gone back to the firing line to save one of his men who was wounded, and whilst carrying him he was killed. The man was saved, and wrote to Mrs Humfrey, as also did a Corporal who helped to bury him.

Source: The Ousel, 10th March 1915 [Z447/22]

[1] The British force attempting to conquer German East Africa was defeated by a force half its size at the Battle of Kilimanjaro on November 3rd 1914.