Those Who Served
World War I
Welcome to the Eaton Bray site for those who served in The Great War.
All the names on this page were resident in the village at the time of enlisting in Luton.
There is also a list of Serving Soldiers from 1916 below.
If you know of any others either born or resident of Eaton Bray at the time please contact us.
BEST W Sapper, Royal Engineers
2 Bower Lane Eaton Bray
He volunteered in August 1914 and in the following July was drafted to Egypt where he took part in the Palestine Campaign and was present at the Battle of Gaza and also served at the capture of Jerusalem. During his service overseas he was chiefly engaged on important duties in connection with the wiring of lines of communication and after the conclusion of hostilities returned to England and was demobilised in June 1919 holding the 1914-15 Star and the General Service and Victory Medals.
CLARKE E Private, Bedfordshire Lancers
8 Bower Lane Eaton Bray
He volunteered in January 1915 and in the following July was sent to the Western Front where he took part in many important engagements including those at Loos The Somme and Vimy Ridge. In Febuary 1917 he was transferred to Egypt and served at Gaza and Jerusalem. He returned home and was demobilised in March 1919 and holds the 1914-15 Star and the General Service and Victory Medals.
CLARKE W L/Corporal, The Buffs East Kent Regiment
8 Bower Lane Eaton Bray
He volunteered in June 1915 and in the same year was drafted to Mesopotamia and was engaged at Kut. He rendered valuable services until March 1919 when he returned home and was demobilised holding the 1914-15 Star and the General Service and Victory Medals.
COOK E Private, Norfolk Regiment
7 Chapel Yard Eaton Bray
He joined in October 1918 on attaining military age and having completed his training was drafted to India where he was engaged on important garrison duties at various stations. In 1920 he was still serving.
COOK S Private, Labour Corps
7 Chapel Yard Eaton Bray
He joined in July 1916 and in the following November was drafted to the Western Front.Whilst in this theatre of war he was he was engaged on important duties in several sectors including those of The Somme, Ypres, Arras and Cambrai. He remained overseas until after cessation of hostilities and after returning home was demobilised in March 1919 holding the General Service and Victory Medals.
DEVERELL S G Private, RASC
Eaton Bray
He volunteered in August 1915 and after his training was engaged on important duties with his unit until July 1917 when he was drafted to the Western Front. He was present at numerous important engagements until hostilities ceased including those at Ypres and Armentieres. He was demobilised in March 1919 and holds the General Service and Victory Medals.
FOUNTAIN A Private, Bedfordshire Lancers
St Johns Yard Eaton Bray
Volunteering in September 1915 he was drafted to France in the following year. He took part in severe fighting in The Somme offensive of 1916 and at Arras, Bullecourt, Ypres and Cambrai. He also did good service in the retreat and advance of 1918. He was demobilised in 1919 after returning home and holds the General Service and Victory Medals.
FOUNTAIN H L/Corporal, East Surrey Regiment
1 Bower Lane Eaton Bray
He joined in February 1917 and at the conclusion of his training in the following June was drafted to the Western Front. His service in this theatre of war lasted for 2 years during which time he fought in the Battles of Ypres, Passchendaele, and Cambrai and in the retreat and advance of 1918. At Cambrai in 1918 he was wounded but able to rejoin his unit after treatment. He was demobilised on his return to England in February 1919 and holds the General Service and Victory Medals.
FOUNTAIN J Private, Essex Regiment
High St Eaton Bray
He joined in June 1916 and after his training was engaged on duties of an important nature at various stations. Owing to physical unfitness he was unable to secure his transfer overseas but did valuable work in many capacities until February 1918 when he was invalided out of the service.
FUFF E Private, RAVC
High St Eaton Bray
He volunteered in January 1915 and in the following June was drafted to France. During his service on the Western Front he was engaged on important veterinary duties attending to the sick and wounded horses. He was frequently in the forward areas notably on The Somme and at Ypres and Cambrai and rendered valuable service throughout. He was demobilised on his return to England in Febuary 1919 and holds the 1914-15 Star and General Service and Victory Medals.
GADSDEN W Private, 124th Labour Company
High St Eaton Bray
He joined in February 1916 and in the following June was drafted to France where he was engaged in various sectors on important duties in the construction of roads and trenches and rendered valuable services. He was demobilised in January 1919 after returning home and holds the General Service and Victory Medals.
GADSDEN W J Corporal, Bedfordshire Regiment
3 Chapel Yard Eaton Bray
Joining in June 1916 he was drafted to France at the close of his training in the following December. He took part in severe fighting at Arras, Vimy Ridge, Ypres and Passchendaele and was killed in action near the latter place on October 6th 1917. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.
GRAY J H Sergeant, Bedfordshire and Suffolk Regiment
Summerleys Eaton Bray
He volunteered in September 1914 and served on important duties as an instructor for his unit until 1918 when he was sent to France. He took part in various engagements including those at Ypres, Armentieres and Amiens. He was demobilised in March 1919 and holds the General Service and Victory Medals.
HORNE A Private, 6th Bedfordshire Regiment
13 Bower Lane Eaton Bray
He volunteered in October 1915 and in the following January was drafted to France where he served until the end of hostilities. During this time he fought at Ypres, The Somme, Arras and Cambrai where he was badly gassed and after the singing of the Armistice advanced into Germany with the Army of Occupation. He was demobilised in February 1919 and holds the General Service and Victory Medals.
JACKSON A Private, Bedfordshire Regiment
High St Eaton Bray
He volunteered in September 1914 and in the following June was drafted to the Western Front where he fought at Loos and The Somme. On April 23rd 1917 he was killed in action at Arras and was entitled to the 1914-15 Star and the General Service and Victory Medals.
For more about his life, please see Private Arthur Jackson in the Serving Soldiers' Biographies section.
KEFFORD H Gunner, RGA
Summerleys Eaton Bray
He volunteered in December 1914 and began his service in France the following year. Whilst in this theatre of war he did excellent work as a gunner at Bapaume, Givenchy and Festubert. In 1916 he was drafted to Solonika where he served against the Bulgarians during their retreat and in many important engagements on the Balkan front. He holds the 1914-15 Star and the General Service and Victory Medals. He was demobilised in February 1919.
PIPKIN J Private, 3rd Northamptonshire Regiment
St Giles Yard Eaton Bray
Joining in July 1917 he embarked for France in June of the following year and was engaged in many battles during the retreat and advance of 1918 including those at The Somme, Marne and Cambrai where he was wounded in September 1918. Invalided to England he received hospital treatment and was demobilised in March 1919 and holds the General Service and Victory Medals.
For more about his life, please see Private Jesse Pipkin in the Serving Soldiers' Biographies section.
PUTMAN T Private, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
7 Chapel Yard Eaton Bray
He joined in June 1916 and 3 months later proceeded to France. During his service on the Western Front he fought at The Somme, Arras, Ypres, Cambrai and in the retreat and subsequent advance of 1918 and was wounded. He was demobilised in 1919 and holds the General Service and Victory Medals.
ROLLINGS G R Private, 16th Essex Regiment
High St Eaton Bray
He joined in October 1916 and after his training was stationed at various depots with his unit engaged on guard and other duties. He was unable to obtain his transfer to a theatre of war owing to medical unfitness but rendered excellent services until his demobilisation in February 1919.
ROLLINGS H Corporal, Machine Gun Corps
Hope & Anchor Eaton Bray
Volunteering in January 1916 he sailed for Mesopotamia in the following July and fought at the second battle at Kut and in the operations resulting in the capture of Baghdad and the concluding operations in that theatre of war. He returned to England and was demobilised in February 1920 and holds the General Service and Victory Medals.
SEAR H W Private, Royal Fusiliers
Coffee Tavern Eaton Bray
Joining in May 1916 he proceeded overseas in the following September. He served with his unit on the Western Front and whilst there fought at The Somme and other important engagements and was wounded at Arras in May 1917 and invalided home for treatment. He was demobilised in March 1919 and holds the General Service and Victory Medals.
SHARPE W Private, 1st Bedfordshire Regiment
High St Eaton Bray
He volunteered in November 1914 and the following January was sent to France. He took part in the fighting at Ypres, Vimy Ridge and was wounded on The Somme in 1916. On recovery he returned to the firing line and was in action at Arras and was again wounded near Ypres in 1918. He was demobilised in February 1919 and holds the 1914-15 Star and the General Service and Victory Medals.
SHARRATT A L/Corporal Royal Engineers
High St Eaton Bray
He joined in 1916 and in December of the same year proceeded to France. He served with his unit in many sectors including those on The Somme, Arras, Ypres and Cambrai on important duties in connection with wiring trenching and pontooning. He was demobilised in December 1919 and holds the General Service and Victory Medals.
SKEGGS A Sapper, Royal Engineers
8 Bower Lane Eaton Bray
He volunteered in January 1915 and was shortly afterwards drafted to the Western Front where he was engaged on special duties in connection with operations at The Somme, Arras, Passchendaele, Cambrai and other important engagements. On the cessation of hostilities he was sent into Germany with the Army of Occupation and was stationed at Cologne. He was demobilised in April 1919 and holds the 1914-15 Star and the General Service and Victory Medals.
WILDMAN A Private, 9th Suffolk Regiment
High St Eaton Bray
Joining in January 1917 he proceeded to the Western Front in the following June and was engaged in heavy fighting at Ypres, and Passchendaele. He was unfortunately killed in action at Cambrai on November 20th 1917 and was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.
Serving Soldiers 1916
Below is a list of serving soldiers resident of Eaton Bray in 1916 (Taken from the Dunstable Year Book)
- Ashwell, G - East Anglia Regiment
- Bates, H - Beds Yeomanry
- Bates, M - Kitchener's Army
- Bates, S - Beds Yeomanry
- Bliss, A.R - Australian Contingent
- Bodsworth, F - Beds Regiment
- Bodsworth, H - 5th Reserve Beds Regiment
- Brooks, G - Beds Yeomanry
- Brooks, S - 5th Beds Regiment
- Channin, C - 16th Lancers
- Clinton, H - Royal Navy
- Cook, C - Beds Regiment
- Cook, C - 5th Beds Regiment
- Cook, F - Beds Regiment
- Cook, H.J - Beds Regiment
- Cook, J - Beds Regiment
- Deeley, J - Beds Regiment
- Deverell, S - 5th Beds Cycling
- Durrant, H - Army Service Corp
- Farnham, G - 5th Beds
- Farnham, J - Wiltshire Regiment
- Farnham, John - 5th beds
- Fountain, A - Herts Regiment
- Fountain, C - Army Service Corp
- Fountain, G - Kitchener's Army
- Fountain, J - 5th Beds
- Fountain, J - Beds Yeomanry
- Fuff, E - Army Vetinary Corp
- Groom, W - Beds Regiment
- Hall, W - Beds Regiment
- Hardy, F - Royal Field Artillary
- Harris, P - Royal Navy
- Hawkins, F - Royal Artillary
- Hebbes, A.G - Canadian Expeditionary Force
- Henley, F - Grenadier Guards
- Horne, A - Beds Special Reserve
- Howlett, G - Beds Regiment
- Impey, P - East Anglia Regiment
- Jackson, A - Kitchener's Army
- Kifford, H - Royal Garrison Artillary
- Lugsden, A - Royal Army Medical Corp
- Lugsden, A - Beds Regiment
- Lugsden, F - Beds Regiment
- Lugsden, H - Royal Field Artillary
- Lugsden, J - Royal Horse Artillary
- Meakins, C - Beds Regiment
- Neville, W - Beds Regiment
- Osborne, H - Royal Navy
- Paddock, F - Public Schools Battaleon
- Pratt, J - Beds Regiment
- Pryor, F - Royal Artillary
- Rollings, M - Beds Regiment
- Sharp, W - 1st Beds Regiment
- Sutton, B.E - Army Service Corp
- Sutton, G.A - Irish Fusiliers
- Sutton, W.M - 1st Sommerset Light Infrantry
- Tooley, F - Beds Regiment
- Weedon, Fred - 5th Beds Regiment
- White, W - Beds Regiment
- Woodcraft, E - Beds Regiment