Major Cecil Toogood DSO

[mikebriggs]

Hello all

Cecil Toogood was a POW in Germany. Does anyone (perhaps with access to War Diaries) know the curcumstances under which he was captured?

Oh yes and when he escaped?

thanks

Mike

[sotonmate]

Mike

The National Archives Catalogue shows the War Diary for 2 LR is WO95/1730,and runs from Nov 1914 to Jan 1918. It is a digital record which can be downloaded for 3.50.

There is also a Service Record for TOOGOOD C at the NA under WO339/107402,it may be his. There is a second one with the initials CG under WO339/22671. You won't be able to download this digitally however. You ask for an estimate of the cost to copy and send,but you can't be sure which is his ! Someone here has a copy of the index in WO338 and might be able to point you at the right file.

Sotonmate

[mikebriggs]

Thanks Sotonmate

I've just got the War Diaries now for both 1st and 2nd Battns (I hadn't realised they had all been consolidated so it doesn't keep costing £3.50 for every section!).

No sign of him in the WDs yet

I'm still hoping some kind Lincs expert will say, YES this is him and he did this..........................

[jim_davies]

Original member of 1st Lincs landing in France in Aug 1914 as a Major, appears to have already have DSO (Boer War perhaps) as MID on 18 Oct 1914 with 1st Lincs lists that award after his name.

At La Cateau "wounded by a sniper and left in the trenches". Presumably leading to his capture.

Jim

[mikebriggs]

Thanks Jim, that's really helpful

You're right about the Medal, he was awarded it in the Boar War

cheers

Mike

[jim_davies]

And likely to be him briefly mentioned in this publication;

http://www.archive.org/stream/comradesinca...00harv_djvu.txt]

Reference the experiences of a POW in Germany.

Jim

And again briefly in these thread

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...mp;#entry901660

[SteveE]

There is also a Service Record for TOOGOOD C at the NA under WO339/107402,it may be his. There is a second one with the initials CG under WO339/22671. <snip> Someone here has a copy of the index in WO338 and might be able to point you at the right file.

Sotonmate

Without checking further I'm not sure either file is the one you need. Closest one is file reference WO339/22671 TOOGOOD C G, Lieut 1914-1919 which is for a Cecil George Toogood, Lincolnshire Regiment and subsequently RFA and Special List but note his rank is Lieutenant and no higher. There is another C. TOOGOOD listed in the WO338 index for a Lieutenant-Colonel C. Toogood, again Lincolnshire Regiment but there appears to be no corresponding file at the NA.

Regards

Steve

[liverpool annie]

You probably have this already Mike - and it's not what you asked for ..... but just in case !

TOOGOOD, CECIL, Captain, was born 31 March 1870, son of Captain A D Toogood, Bengal Fusiliers, and later Queen's Bodyguard. He was gazetted, 29 October 1890, Second Lieutenant, Border Regiment. He became Lieutenant 21 December 1892. He served during the Waziristan Expedition, 1894-95; became Captain, Manchester Regiment, 26 May 1900. He served in the South African War, 1899-1900, on the Staff, afterwards employed with the Mounted Infantry; was present at the Relief of Ladysmith; during the operations in the Transvaal October to December 1901, and February to April 1902; in the operations in Orange River Colony, December 1901 to February 1902; during operations in Cape Colony in September to October 1901. He was mentioned in Despatches (Sir R H Buller, 30 March and November 1900 [London Gazette, 8 February 1901, and 25 April 1902]). He received the Queen's Medal with three clasps, and the King's Medal with two clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 19 April 1901]: "Cecil Toogood, Captain, Manchester Regiment. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". The Insignia were sent to South Africa, and presented there by the Duke of Cornwall and York 14 August 1901. He was Adjutant, Volunteers, 3 January 1904 to 31 October 1907, and Regimental Staff Officer 13 December 1907; was promoted to Captain, Lincolnshire Regiment, 18 January 1908; Recruiting Staff Officer, Sheffield Recruiting Area, 3 December 1907 to 4 May 1911; Recruiting Staff Officer, Belfast Recruiting Area, 5 May 1911 to 31 March 1912; promoted to Major 15 May 1914; Adjutant, Officers' Training Corps, 23 May to 4 August 1914. He served in the European War from 1914, commanding the 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment; was mentioned in Despatches, and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel 11 March 1918. He married, in 1899, Mary Elizabeth, eldest daughter of General Henry Pipon, CB, and Louisa Anne, daughter of Admiral Sir William Edmonstone, 4th Baronet, CB, of Duntreath, Stirlingshire, Scotland.

http://www.angloboerwar.com/DSO/t/toogood_c.htm

[mikebriggs]

Dear all

many thanks for the input most helpful

thanks for that Annie; puts his 14-18 career in perspective.

Just to let you know what happened to him post-War.

He was OC 2 Lincs in Poona. His eldest son was serving in the 1/Lincs in Ireland when he was captured and executed by the IRA in June 1921. A telegram was sent to Col Toogood who returned immediately. There is quite lot of correspondance between Col Toogood and the War Office regarding his son, and if there was only negligence by his son's Commanding Officer in allowing him (and two fellow Officers) to leave base. He resigned his Commision in January 1922 maybe as a result of what happended to his son?

thanks

Mike

[sar2jec]

There is a footnote in the Regimental History that mentions he was wounded "whilst observing the Germans through his field glasses."

I dont't know if you've seen this before but here's a photo of his son taken shortly before he was died.

- Jonathan

[mikebriggs]

Jonathan

thats fantastic; many thanks for posting. How did you come by the photo? if you mind me asking

cheers

Mike

[sar2jec]

Mike,

The photo is kept at the Lincolnshire Archives along with a number of other documents relating to the Lincolnshire Regiment in Ireland, including this very sad letter:

[JimSmithson]

What a document! So sad.

[mikebriggs]

god, just a bit........

apparently one of the firing squad fumbled with their magazine at the last moment giving the three officers the hope that they were just being 'tested' and might be spared.....

[Piley]

god, just a bit........

apparently one of the firing squad fumbled with their magazine at the last moment giving the three officers the hope that they were just being 'tested' and might be spared.....

Dan Breen was supposed to have presided over the murder of Lt. Toogood at Woodroffe, but never mentioned in his autobiography.

[yellow]

The brutal and cowardly murder of 2/Lt A. C. H Togood came as tremendous shock to all ranks of the Battalion. This murder differs from the others, as Mr Toogood, together with two Royal Field Artillery officers, was out in mufti for recreational purposes and not on duty of any sort. The three officers left Fethard on Sunday afternoon, June 20th 1921 and failed to return to barracks. The first intimation that somethings was amiss was received at Tipperary Barracks about 10.30 am on Monday June 21st 1921, a report being received that three officers were missing and that search parties were out, but half an hour later a message came through to say that they had been found shot dead.

Mr Togood was a very popular officer with all ranks, enthusiastic on parade, on the playing field, always busy and smiling, he is sadly missed. There were mainly moist eyes in the barracks on that day.

[mikebriggs]

The brutal and cowardly murder of 2/Lt A. C. H Togood came as tremendous shock to all ranks of the Battalion. This murder differs from the others, as Mr Toogood, together with two Royal Field Artillery officers, was out in mufti for recreational purposes and not on duty of any sort. The three officers left Fethard on Sunday afternoon, June 20th 1921 and failed to return to barracks. The first intimation that somethings was amiss was received at Tipperary Barracks about 10.30 am on Monday June 21st 1921, a report being received that three officers were missing and that search parties were out, but half an hour later a message came through to say that they had been found shot dead.

Mr Togood was a very popular officer with all ranks, enthusiastic on parade, on the playing field, always busy and smiling, he is sadly missed. There were mainly moist eyes in the barracks on that day.

Yellow,

Thats an intersting quote, is it from the War Diary?

thanks

Mike

[yellow]

No its from the battalion bugle of the day; The Imp magazine.

[Paddy Jackson]

Mike,

I found this thread re Cecil Toogood with a random search online.  I am researching a fellow POW for a book,  who was involved with escapes (and also my dad).  I see Toogood was gazetted for his escape attempts (London Gazette 1234 Supplement 30 January 1920).  Did you happen to discover any more about his escape attempts ie where and when and whether he was successful. Do you have any family connection ?

Regards

Paddy