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| Hugh Tohill - Otago Witness, 21/8/1918. |
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| Alexandra Cemetery. |
OBITUARY.
LATE PRIVATE HUGH TOHILL
Still another of our tine local boys has laid his young manhood on the altar of National Service. Word reached Alexandra on Saturday that Private Hugh Tohill son of the late Harry Tohill of Alexandra had died as the result of wounds received on or about 25th July. Hugh was one of our own, born, brought up and educated in our township. He enlisted and proceeded to Europe with the 22nd reinforcements, taking part in several engagements. Recent letters home mentioned that he was serving in what is well known to be at times the dangerous work of despatch running. But Hugh ever possessed the indomitable courage which shirks at no danger, and his many local friends feel sure that his death is but the price he was willing to pay in the performance of his duty. Hugh Tohill was a keen footballer, and a distinguished wearer of the Green, for which colour he put up many a hard battle on the football field. Twenty-three years of age, Alexandra will know him no more, but his many local friends honour his passing, and will revere his memory. -Alexandra Herald, 7/8/1918.
Hugh Augustus Tohill was born in Alexandra and was farming nearby when he joined the army. He'd had some previous military experience, having spent time before the war with the 5th Mounted Rifles (Otago Hussars).
Hugh was in France by June of 1917 and served for nearly a year in the 10th Comapny, 2nd Battalion of the Otagos before being wounded in action - the records show multiple bullet wounds to a leg. The action in which he was wounded was described by the Official History of the Regiment: "At the revised time, 5 p.m. on July 24th, under a brief light trench mortar bombardment only, the two Companies of the Regiment committed to the operation, 10th Company of the 1st Battalion on the left and 10th Company of the 2nd Battalion on the right, advanced to the attack. The enemy being busy with his evening meal was taken completely by surprise; there being also evidence that he was on the point of being relieved. His resistance was accordingly weaker, and his posts were either rushed or bombed in quick succession. On the left of the attack, the first post yielded two prisoners and a machine gun to the 1st Battalion; while further ahead at the junction of a communication trench with Shag trench another post was encountered and bombed, the enemy being driven out, leaving one killed. The left platoon met with temporary opposition from a machine gun position in Shag trench, from which quarter 2nd-Lieut. A. M. Rhinesmith and his orderly were shot down on entering the trench. Right parties, working from the flank, drove the post out; the enemy abandoning a machine gun in his flight. The left attacking platoon, after establishing a block in Railway trench, worked its way across the open to the sunken road and rushed a position, which we then took over and established a block at the junction of the sunken road and Railway trench. A number of the enemy were killed, and three prisoners, two machine guns, and a quantity of equipment captured. The assault over the left portion of the selected front had thus achieved distinct success."
This was the action for which Sergeant Dick Travis won his Victoria Cross. Hugh died the same day as Dick, at an Advanced Dressing Station behind the lines, but was not saluted by the officers he passed on his way to the graveyard at Foncquevillers.
News had also recently come to hand of the death of private Hugh Tohill. Private Tohill was one of our local boys, born and brought up here, and he with other brothers joined the army to serve his country. The receipt of the sad news had cast a gloom over the town. He (the Mayor) moved "That the clerk be instructed to write to both families conveying the sympathy of the council in their bereavement."—Seconded by Cr. Weaver, and carried by the council upstanding. -Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, 7/8/1918.
FOOTBALL
...Millers' Flat defeated Roxburgh by a try to nil; Cromwell defeated Alexandra by 16 points to nil (three brothers Tohill withdrawing from the Alexandra team on receipt of a telegram that their brother Hugh had been killed in action); Cromwell defeated Millers' Flat by a try to nil, and thus... -Otago Witness, 14/8/1918.
FOR THE EMPIRE'S CAUSE
IN MEMORIAM
TOHILL.—In sad and loving memory of Hugh Augustus, who died in action, France, on July 25, 1918.—Inserted; by his loving mother, sister, and brother.
TOHILL.—In sad and loving memory of Hugh Augustus Tohill, 22nd Reinforcements, died of wounds received while in action near Passchendaele, France, July 25, 1918. R.I.P. —Inserted by his loving mother, sister, and brothers. -Otago Witness 27/7/1920
Hugh Augustus Tohill was born in Alexandra and was farming nearby when he joined the army. He'd had some previous military experience, having spent time before the war with the 5th Mounted Rifles (Otago Hussars).
Hugh was in France by June of 1917 and served for nearly a year in the 10th Comapny, 2nd Battalion of the Otagos before being wounded in action - the records show multiple bullet wounds to a leg. The action in which he was wounded was described by the Official History of the Regiment: "At the revised time, 5 p.m. on July 24th, under a brief light trench mortar bombardment only, the two Companies of the Regiment committed to the operation, 10th Company of the 1st Battalion on the left and 10th Company of the 2nd Battalion on the right, advanced to the attack. The enemy being busy with his evening meal was taken completely by surprise; there being also evidence that he was on the point of being relieved. His resistance was accordingly weaker, and his posts were either rushed or bombed in quick succession. On the left of the attack, the first post yielded two prisoners and a machine gun to the 1st Battalion; while further ahead at the junction of a communication trench with Shag trench another post was encountered and bombed, the enemy being driven out, leaving one killed. The left platoon met with temporary opposition from a machine gun position in Shag trench, from which quarter 2nd-Lieut. A. M. Rhinesmith and his orderly were shot down on entering the trench. Right parties, working from the flank, drove the post out; the enemy abandoning a machine gun in his flight. The left attacking platoon, after establishing a block in Railway trench, worked its way across the open to the sunken road and rushed a position, which we then took over and established a block at the junction of the sunken road and Railway trench. A number of the enemy were killed, and three prisoners, two machine guns, and a quantity of equipment captured. The assault over the left portion of the selected front had thus achieved distinct success."
This was the action for which Sergeant Dick Travis won his Victoria Cross. Hugh died the same day as Dick, at an Advanced Dressing Station behind the lines, but was not saluted by the officers he passed on his way to the graveyard at Foncquevillers.
News had also recently come to hand of the death of private Hugh Tohill. Private Tohill was one of our local boys, born and brought up here, and he with other brothers joined the army to serve his country. The receipt of the sad news had cast a gloom over the town. He (the Mayor) moved "That the clerk be instructed to write to both families conveying the sympathy of the council in their bereavement."—Seconded by Cr. Weaver, and carried by the council upstanding. -Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, 7/8/1918.
FOOTBALL
...Millers' Flat defeated Roxburgh by a try to nil; Cromwell defeated Alexandra by 16 points to nil (three brothers Tohill withdrawing from the Alexandra team on receipt of a telegram that their brother Hugh had been killed in action); Cromwell defeated Millers' Flat by a try to nil, and thus... -Otago Witness, 14/8/1918.
FOR THE EMPIRE'S CAUSE
IN MEMORIAM
TOHILL.—In sad and loving memory of Hugh Augustus, who died in action, France, on July 25, 1918.—Inserted; by his loving mother, sister, and brother.
TOHILL.—In sad and loving memory of Hugh Augustus Tohill, 22nd Reinforcements, died of wounds received while in action near Passchendaele, France, July 25, 1918. R.I.P. —Inserted by his loving mother, sister, and brothers. -Otago Witness 27/7/1920
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