possibly Albert Ayres, Corporal 60010 26th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers who was killed in action on Thursday, 7th June 1917. Resident and enlisted Bedford. Formerly 40293, Bedfordshire Regiment. No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 6 and 8

possibly John Bartram, Private 8440 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment who died on Tuesday, 18th May 1915. Born and resident Wilstead, enlisted Bedford. No known grave. Commemorated on LE TOURET MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 10 and 11

or James William Bartram, Private 18184, 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Died of wounds Saturday 12th May 1917 in France. Aged 31. Native of Kempston, Bedfordshire. Born and resident Kempston, enlisted Bedford. Buried in BOULOGNE EASTERN CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Grave IV. B. 17. See also Kempston

Private 30565 1st/1st, Bedfordshire Yeomanry who was killed in action on Monday, 27th May 1918. Aged 33. Born and resident Cotton End, enlisted Bedford. Son of Ann Lydia Bartram, of Cotton End, nr. Bedford; brother of Percy (above). Buried in ABBEVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Somme, France. Plot IV. Row B. Grave 9.

Private 45499, 55th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps who was killed in action on Sunday, 1st October 1916. Aged 24. Born Harrowden, enlisted Bedford. Son of Frederick and Thirza Shreeves, of Harrowden, Bedford. Buried in LONSDALE CEMETERY, AUTHUILE, Somme, France. Plot VIII. Row E. Grave 9.

Note: Henry Ritchie SHELTON was Sergeant in the 55th Field Ambulance and kept a diary he states that Russell SHREEVES died on Wednesday 27th September 1916, the day after their Division took the Schwaben Redoubt.

Details of his death appeared in Bedfordshire Times and Independent 20 October 1916:

A BRAVE "MEDICAL"

Pte. Russell Shreeves, R.A.M.C., who was killed in action on the 1st Oct., was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Shreeves, of Harrowden Post Office, and was aged 24. In a letter to the young soldier's father, the officer Commanding stated that Shreeves was carrying a wounded man when a shell exploded and killed him immediately. "He was one of my very best men in the Field Ambulance," the writer continued, "and was already noted for very excellent work he had done and for his bravery. His loss is deeply regretted by all of us."

The Captain of the deceased's unit wrote that he had strongly recommended him to the General for his gallantry and devotion to duty. "He was a splendid man and we all, officers and men, were full of his praises. This time, had he lived, he would most certainly have receibed the D.C.M." In detailing the circumstances of Shreeve's death, the Captain wrote, "On Sunday I was standing in a trench in ...., a village which our division had just taken. Your son with his squad had just brought a wounded man from a trench further on, when a shell burst amongst us, killing or wounding 14 out of 20 there. Your son, who was next but one to me, was hit in the head and killed almost instantaneously ; he can have suffered no pain. Next day I asked for volunteers, and it shows how fond our men were of him that many volunteered to bring his body down out of that hell spot. This was done, and he lies buried in a small cemetery by a pretty wooded valley off the River Ancre. We all attended his funerla, tired and busy though we were. The Rev. Stofford, a Church of England chaplain, conducted the service. --- Yours faithfully. W H. Lister, Captain, R.A.M.C."

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