James Toohey Collection
Collection
The collection comprises two diaries covering James Toohey's service in France and Belgium as a gunner during the First World War, one notebook, three leather wallets, one medal, an embroidered 'Souvenir of Egypt' silk cloth, six photographs including later years, one newspaper clipping, war service records and army identity tags.
James Toohey was born on 15 September 1895, the son of Peter Toohey and Kate O'Kane of Logan Road, South Brisbane. Before the First World War he was a telephonist and enlisted on 7 September 1915 as a gunner with the Field Artillery Brigade 3, Reinforcement 14. His service number was 11138. His unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board the RMS Osterley on 15 January 1916 and arrived in Egypt in February. He saw active service in France and Belgium and was awarded the Military Medal for his actions on 28th June 1918, near Merris in Northern France. Toohey was engaged on the upkeep of communications between the forward Artillery Observation posts and Battalion Headquarters. Through a heavy artillery barrage he displayed great bravery and ability. For three hours he kept the lines of communication open assisting in the success of the operation. Toohey returned to Australia on 20 April 1919. After the war James Toohey worked as a postman in the Greenslopes and Coorparoo areas of Brisbane before retiring at the age of sixty. He married Nora Burke in 1924 and had ten children. He died in 1964.
Multiple copyright statuses.