Name
Harry Duncan Toogood (MC)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/03/1918
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
King's Royal Rifle Corps
9th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Military Cross
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES MEMORIAL
Panel 61 to 64.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Sawbridgeworth Town Memorial, Great St Mary’s Church Memorial, Sawbridgeworth
Pre War
Harry was the son of Mr. William S (looks like Senar) and Florence Lucy Toogood, of Burton-on-Trentborn in November 1894.
In 1901 the family were at 57 Cross Street, his father was a brewers engineer and in1911 the family at the same address. Harry had one elder sister Gladys Maud, and two younger brothers, Robert William and Leslie Donald. His father was listed as a Master Brewer for the Charrington’s Brewery and Harry as a brewer chemists assistant.
His mother had died by the time Harry was killed.
Wartime Service
Harry volunteered to serve and was commissioned as 'Temporary' Second Lieutenant into the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, serving with the 9th Battalion.
The Battalion arrived at Boulogne in France 20 May 1915, but Harry had gone ahead of them, probably to organise billets etc. and he was in France on the 2nd May 1916.
The 21 March 1918, the date of Harry's death, was the opening day of the German ‘Michael’ offensive. This was an attempt to defeat the allies before the Americans could arrive in force. The Germans fired over 350,000 shells in the first 5 hours before advancing at great pace, in fact the British Army cane close to defeat. Harry Toogood died that day defending near Pozieres, and he was awarded a posthumous Military Cross for his gallantry. Like many on that day he has no known grave, but is commemorated on Pozieres Memorial. He was aged 24.
The link between Harry Toogood and Sawbridgeworth may be tenuous, the only connect found so far is (perhaps) that because he (and his father) were working at the brewery and therefore working for Colonel Francis Charrington at Burton on Trent. Colonel Charrington lived at Pishiobury House, maybe had Harry’s name placed on the War Memorial at Sawbridgeworth.
Additional Information
In later records Harry is recorded as Henry - a more suitable name for an officer?
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Duncan Coe
