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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Capt Geoffrey Percy Robert Toynbee


Perth Digger

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According to all the usual records (1914 Star, B&V, Effects etc) and the on-line site Winchester College at War, Toynbee served with the 1st Rifle Brigade in 1914. He was KIA on 15 November 1914, but is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial. There is no Service Record for Toynbee of the Rifle Brigade, but there is one, with same three forenames, for a Capt Toynbee of the Connaught Rangers. I assume that this is the same man, but wondered if the fact that as the Rifle Brigade War Diary does not mention his death or missing status, that he may have been temporarily attached to the Conaught Rangers. Would anyone know if this true?

 

Thanks

 

Mike

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Soldier's Effects gives Rifle Brigade and the death date as 15 Nov 1914

 

TNA record has Connaught Rangers

 

IWM has

Captain Geoffrey Percy Robert Toynbee. Unit: 1st Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort’s Own). Death: 15 November 1914 Killed in action near Armentieres Western Front
Item description Part Of "Bond Of Sacrifice - First World War Portraits Collection" (Photographs)
Edited by corisande
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From=  British Battalions in France & Belgium: 1914 By Ray Westlake in a secion on Rifle Brigadetoynbe.PNG.5734c7e9feb75c246da5cccd7ba53f60.PNG

 

My feeling is that TNA entry is wrong - he does not appear to have been attached to Connaught Rangers

 

I suggest you email TNA - there are details on their site, and they will investigate a possible typo for you. Thjey are very helpful with this sort of enquiry. You want to give them  full details

Edited by corisande
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Well known problem with the TNA cataloguing of RB officers' service files as being Connaught Rangers.

 

Andy will no doubt be along soon to give more detail.  I seem to remember he outlined it in one of our topics about 1914 officer recruitment a while back.

Mark

 

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The 94th Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment, raised as the Scotch Brigade in October 1794. It was renumbered as the 94th Regiment of Foot in December 1802 and disbanded in December 1818. The regiment was reformed in December 1823 and served until 1881 when it amalgamated with the 88th Regiment of Foot to form the Connaught Rangers.

 

The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army. Formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, scouts and skirmishers, they were soon renamed the "Rifle Corps". In January 1803 they became an established regular regiment and were titled the 95th Regiment of Foot (Rifles). In 1816, at the end of the Napoleonic Wars, they were again renamed, this time as the "Rifle Brigade".

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Interestingly that excerpt from WO338 above also  shows Ralph Victor Toynbee as 94th foot, but TNA in his case has him as

 

Lieutenant Ralph Victor TOYNBEE The Rifle Brigade.

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Mike,

 

There over 100 Rifle Brigade Officers in the December 1914 Army list alone that are listed by the TNA as Connaught Rangers. TNA misfiles.

 

Andy

DSCN7688.jpg

Edited by stiletto_33853
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Chris,

 

That seems to be the problem with a 94 in the front cover of them.

 

Andy

DSCN7682.jpg

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And yet this is another 1914 casualty, similarly marked with 94 but labelled by the TNA as Rifle Brigade.

DSCN0426.jpg

Edited by stiletto_33853
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See also this topic from June 2017 where most of us here in this topic discussed these errors :thumbsup:

 

 

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Thanks to all. I hadn't seen the original thread on this TNA problem. I just didn't want to waste money getting the wrong file.

 

Mike

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Mike,

 

Sent you a pm but if you need his file and WO76 material let me know and I will e-mail it over to you. His obit in the 1914 Rifle Brigade Chronicle is somewhat short but if that helps I can scan that for you also. Photograph from Wykehamists who died in the war 1914-1918, volume II.

 

Andy

Toynbee, G. P. R.jpeg

Edited by stiletto_33853
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Mike,

 

All sent including his WO76/280 file, Winchester bio,  picture and 1914 Rifle Brigade Chronicle bio. Hope it helps.

 

Andy

Edited by stiletto_33853
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Mike,

 

Just a little extra for you, cricket team photograph 1903 for the game against Eton.

img961.jpg

Edited by stiletto_33853
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