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The Rushden Echo, 23rd August, 1918, transcribed by Gill Hollis
Rushden’s Casualty List
 Pte. William Thomas Laughton, of the London Fusiliers, previously of the Queen’s Regiment, has, we are sorry to report, been killed in action. Deceased, who was 19 years of age, was the son of Mrs. T. Laughton, of 93 Cromwell-road, Rushden, and official news has been received by her that her son made the supreme sacrifice on July 29th. Joining the Colours in February, 1917, he was sent to France on March 19th this year, and he had had no leave since crossing over to the Western Front. Before joining the Army the deceased soldier was employed at the factory of Messrs. B. Denton & Son, boot manufacturers, Rushden. As a lad the deceased passed through the Park-road Wesleyan Sunday school, and his name appears on the roll of honour connected with the Wesleyan Church. He was a member of the Free Gardeners’ Friendly Society. Mrs. Laughton has received the following letter from Pte. A. A. Wildman, of the London Fusiliers (a Rushden soldier): “Dear Mrs. Laughton, - I am keeping my promise to your son Will by writing these few lines to you. It is with deepest regret I write to you. Your son was killed while on sentry in the trenches, he was hit by a shell and died instantaneously. I was very much upset when I heard about Will, as we had been together for nine or ten years, going to school, and through our training, and came out here together, and we always used to look out for one another when we came out of the trenches. The last time I saw Will was in No Man’s Land on a wiring party, and we had quite a long talk about good old Rushden. He was buried in a British cemetery with a lot more English heroes. I saw his cross before it went down to his grave, so you will know he was buried in a proper manner. I cannot tell you the name of the cemetery, as we are not allowed to, but you will be able to ascertain the position from the Graves Registration Committee.”
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