Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

# 1666 TOOHILL William Herbert Charles                             2nd Division Trench Mortars
William Toohill was born the youngest of three sons to Patrick and Helen Toohill at Gravesend on the Thames Estuary, Kent. According to a Mrs Menzies, writing on behalf of
Helen Toohill, Patrick Toohill abandoned the family and went to live with his wife’s sister. Perhaps in an effort to begin a new life away from the gossip and shame, Helen decided that she and the three boys would go to Australia. Friends assisted her in raising the cost of passage. On 13th July 1906, Helen aged 48, Thomas 17, Edmeades (Edmond) 11 and William 10, boarded the steamship “Orca” in London and landed at Brisbane on 31st October. Helen’s occupation on the ship’s passenger manifest is shown as nurse and it is likely that she secured employment at the small Toogoolawah hospital. Helen may have also reverted to her maiden name of Tolhurst.
William Toohill worked as a stockman in the Toogoolawah area and supported his mother, who presented herself as a widow. Thomas Toohill, the eldest son, was accidently killed around 1908. When William presented himself to the recruiting office at Adelaide Street in Brisbane on 29th July 1915, he stated he had been born in Brisbane. This may have been a further attempt to hide the true family history. On the strength of his occupation as stockman, William was assigned to the 12th reinforcements of the 2nd Light Horse Regiment.
The reinforcements boarded the “Suffolk” in Brisbane on 30th November 1915 and landed at Suez in early January 1916. With the closure of the Gallipoli front and evacuation of the AIF forces back to Egypt, the authorities began to organise an expansion of the AIF which would effectively double its size from two to four divisions. This expansion was achieved by placing an experienced core of Gallipoli veterans into new battalions with the rest of the numbers required coming from the large number of reinforcements in the Egyptian camps. There was also an increase in the number of artillery brigades which called for experienced horse handlers, harness makers and farriers.
William was transferred from the Light Horse Remounts to the 2nd Division Ammunition Column; the transport arm of the artillery which kept the gunners supplied with shells. On 20th March, William along with the rest of the 2nd DAC embarked in Alexandria for the six day crossing of the Mediterranean. Upon arrival at Marseilles, the men of the ammunition column proceeded to the large British base at Etaples where they took possession of horses, mules, harness and wagons.
It took the most of April and May 1916 for the column to come up to standard as far as harnessing and driving was concerned. In addition, a number of men were transferred to field artillery units as drivers and gunners. When the reorganization was complete, William was sent to the Trench Mortar School at Camiers on 11th June. When his training was completed, he was posted to the 2nd Division Trench Mortar section on 22nd July.
The trench mortars were attached to various brigades of the 2nd Division AIF which had been called up into the line to continue an attack against the village of Pozieres during the Battle of the Somme. Pozieres village was taken by the 1st Division AIF on 26th July. The second division’s objective was to take a blockhouse which had been built on the site of a windmill above the village. The windmill was behind two lines of trenches, and provided a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. The attack, the first major offensive by the 2nd Division since arriving in France, was to begin just after midnight on the 29th July. The infantry attack was to be supported by an 18 pounder barrage and trench mortars. For many of the men involved, including Gunner William Toohill, the attack at Pozieres was their first exposure to enemy action. The men of the 7th Brigade of the 2nd Division had the task of attacking in the centre of the line and they moved up to the jumping off trenches once it became dark on the 28th. Probably while moving the awkward trench mortar into position with the 7th Brigade, William’s mortar crew were raked by machine gun fire just before midnight.
William received several serious gunshot wounds to his head and neck. He was carried out to a casualty clearing station and then taken to the 13th Stationary Hospital at Boulogne on 30th July. Four days later, William died of his wounds. William was 23. He was buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. Helen Toohill received a cable dated 12th August advising that her son was seriously ill but he had died 8 days previously.
Almost 12 months after William’s death, Helen received a parcel of his personal effects which included a rosary, two prayerbooks, a pair of hair brushes, a razor in a case, a pocketknife and several French coins. The files contain no evidence that Helen was granted a pension. Helen’s surviving son, Edward, enlisted in February 1916 and was seriously wounded. He was repatriated back to Australia in October 1917.
In 1920, as medals were being distributed to relatives of fallen soldiers, Helen received a standard letter from the authorities enquiring if William’s father was still alive. This was a normal request because the order of recipients for medals was laid down in regulations but it obviously caused Helen great anguish. The letter explaining the circumstances about her husband’s desertion was written by a confidant, Mrs Menzies whose family ran a plumbing and undertaking business in Toogoolawah. Once the letter was accepted by the authorities, William’s medals were despatched to his mother. She also signed for the memorial plaque and commemorative scroll.
When permanent headstones were being erected by the Imperial War Graves Commission. Helen chose the following inscription: HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY FOR HONOUR FAITH AND RIGHT.