Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"Mr. John F. H. Tovell, whose death is announced "killed in action on April 25, 1915," was one of the very large number of Australian soldiers reported missing on the day of the landing in Gallipoli. He was the second son of the late Mr. C. J. [C. E.] Tovell, a very old resident of Brighton. Mr. John Tovell, who was educated at the Brighton Grammar School, was a student at the Melbourne University when war was declared, and was among the first to enlist. He was an accomplished debater, and was one of the party of young men who did such good work in addressing election meetings on behalf of the Liberal party in connection with the referendum campaign of 1914. His brother, Lieutenant Ray Tovell, is now at the front." from The Argus 13 June 1916. (nla.gov.au)

A letter dated only ten days earlier and written in response to an Australian Branch, British Red Cross Society enquiry, states; "We regret to say there is little doubt as to the fate of Pte. Towel as we received an answer from the Adjutant of the 6th Battn. stating that Pte. Tovell is now reported in the battalion records as having been killed in Action, 25.4.16, and we can find no mention of his name in our offical list of prisoners. Unfortunately we have only been able to obtain a few particulars from the comrades of Pte. Tovell as to when he was last seen, but we believe that he fought his way about two miles inland from Anzac Beach. Both Lieut. Carne, and Pte. Wall of A. Co. 6th Battalion, state that they were fighting quite close to him until late afternoon, when Pte. Tovell and about sixteen others were cut off by the Turks. The ground was rough and scrubby, and the fighting so severe, it was almost impossible for the men to see what happened to one another."

In 1921, the AIF Base Records Office wrote to John's mother requesting any information she may have received in regards to her son's last moments or his burial. Raymond Tovell responded; "...I beg to inform you that we have never had any definite information concerning the death of my late brother, No. 142 Private J. F. H. Tovell 6th Battalion. From comrades of his who have returned we learned that he got safely ashore on the day of the Landing and when last seen was well forward with a Platoon of the 6th Battalion under Sergeant Bastow and was seen to be wounded in the hand. We have been unable to get any further information than this." 

The remains of Pte. John Francis Huon Tovell were never located. He was among the nearly 5000 Australian and New Zealand servicemen, from the Gallipoli campaign, with no known grave or who were committed to the Gallipoli waters, and are remembered on the Lone Pine Memorial.