Pte 23846 John Henry Toombs

• Age: 32
• From: Carlingford, County Louth
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• D.O.W Saturday 8th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Etaples Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: II.A.66A

There is debate over the correct  first name of this man as SDGW show James whilst CWGC shows JOHN Henry Toombs, son of Robert and Annie Toombs, of Omeath, County Louth, Ireland. The Army Pension was in the name of John and went to his mother, Anne M., Mrs. Annie Toombs, the Bungalow, Omeath, County Louth. His effects were sent in the name  JOHN Harry X Henry again to his mother Anne M. The medal roll refers to him as John H. 

John Henry Toombs (known as Harry) was born in Drummalla(as written), Carlingford, County Louth, on the 21st July 1883. He was the younger son of Robert Toombs, a marine pilot, and Annie Maria(née Harrison) who were married on the 2nd February 1875 at the Parish Church, Omeath. He had one brother, Edward James born 1879, and sisters Annie Jane, born 1881, and Elizabeth Lucinda (Lucy) born 1886. Two other sisters, Madge aged 7, died of measles in 1881, and Sarah Curry Toombs aged three months, died in infancy through convulsions in 1882. 

Family Tree's on Ancestry give DOB as 21st July 1883 and place of birth as Drummullagh, Carlingford, Louth, Ireland. 

His father died aged 54 on 20th August 1899 of phthisis(T.B.) 

On the 1901 Census the family are living at house 67, Drummallagh(a later spelling).

Widowed mother Annie is aged 53, a farmer, with daughters Annie 20 and Elizabeth 15. Their religion is Protestant Episcopalian, Church of Ireland. Harry and Edward cannot be found, presumably they had made their way to Liverpool, the rest of the family following later.  

On the 1911 census the family are living at 81 Moses Street, Toxteth Park.

Widowed mother Annie Toombs is aged 58(?), with daughter Lucy, 24, and sons Edward, 30, and Henry, 28, both seamen, born Co. Louth. Another daughter Annie Jane was a professional nurse living in Southport in 1911, born Omeath.  

Harry, as John Henry Toombs, and his sister Elizabeth Lucinda, were witnesses at his brother Edward’s marriage in St. John the Baptist Church, Toxteth, in January 1913.  Their father Robert, mariner, is deceased.  

(An advertisement in the Liverpool Echo in March 1914 suggests that the home in Ireland was still held in the family – “Seaside, To Let.  Board and Residence 25/- per week.  Mrs. R. Toombs, the Bungalow, Omeath, Co. Louth, Ireland.”)

Harry enlisted in Liverpool, probably in November 1914, as Private 23846, 20^th (Pals) Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment. After being quartered at Tournament hall, Knotty Ash, Liverpool, the 20^th Bn moves to Knowsley, where the four Pals battalions begin training as an infantry brigade. At the end of April 1915 the Pals battalions leave Liverpool for Belton Park Camp in Grantham, Lincolnshire, where they become the 89^th Brigade, 30^th Division.  By September, the entire 89^th Brigade has moved to Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain for final infantry training. Harry ships to France from Folkestone with his battalion, disembarking at Boulogne on 07^th November 1915.  The next day the battalion entrains for Pont Remy, and soon afterwards moves to Vignacourt, northeast of Amiens, much closer to the front line. 

In the new year the Pals battalions take up position in the south of the Somme line near Carnoy, and in April are in the line near Maricourt.  In late May the battalion comes out of the line and moves to Abbeville for specialist training for the ‘Big Push’.  The 24^th June is the beginning of the British bombardment preparatory to the Battle of the Somme.  Unfortunately the details of Harry’s Army service are not know as his service record has not survived, but it is likely that he was one of the many wounded during enemy shelling before or during the Battle of the Somme, or was wounded going over the top on the 1^st July 1916, the deadliest day in British military history, or on the days following.  He would have been transported to a Casualty Clearing Station and from there to a hospital in Etaples, to be evacuated to England.  Sadly, Harry died from his wounds on 08^th July 1916, before he could be sent home.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 17^th July 1916:  

“ Died of wounds received in action, with the Pals, Harry, the dearly-beloved son of Mrs. Toombs, “The Bungalow”, O’Meath, County Louth, Ireland, and only brother of Edward Toombs, 46 Netherby Street, Dingle, Liverpool.  (Greater love hath no man than this – that he should sacrifice his life for another.)” 

He now rests in Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais. He was 29 years of age.

During the First World War, the area around Etaples was the scene of immense concentrations of Commonwealth reinforcement camps and hospitals. It was remote from attack, except from aircraft, and accessible by railway from both the northern or the southern battlefields. In 1917, 100,000 troops were camped among the sand dunes and the hospitals, which included eleven general, one stationary, four Red Cross hospitals and a convalescent depot, could deal with 22,000 wounded or sick. In September 1919, ten months after the Armistice, three hospitals and the Q.M.A.A.C. convalescent depot remained.

The cemetery contains 10,771 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, the earliest dating from May 1915. 35 of these burials are unidentified. It is the largest CWGC cemetery in France, and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Harry earned his three medals: the 1914-15 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

Harry earned his three medals: the 1914-15 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. His effects, army pay of £4 7s 11d, war gratuity £7, and pension of 5/- pw went to his mother, at “The Bungalow”, Omeath, County Louth.

Harry is commemorated on Ireland’s National Roll of Honour (incorrectly as James Henry Toombs).

His brother Edward died tragically in December 1919, through injuries received from falling down the hold of the S.S. Benue, Elder Dempster Line, in Harrington Dock. He was 40. (Reported in Liverpool Echo - Friday 05 December 1919) 

Liverpool Evening Express - Tuesday 09 December 1919 

TOOMBS - Dec 4, at the Royal Southern Hospital, Edward, the darling husband of Eileen Tombs of 46 Netherby Street, Dingle. (My all) Funeral at Allerton Cemetery, tomorrow (Wednesday), at 2 p.m. (Friends please accept this, the only, intimation) 

His mother does not appear on the 1921 England Census, she had returned to Ireland where she died aged 78 in 1925. 

We currently have no further information on John Henry Toombs, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.