Toole | James
Biography
James Toole (Service No. 3602688) was killed in action on 30 October 1944. He was a Private in the 1st Battalion of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers. He was initially buried at the Cemetery A. vd Wijst in Overloon and subsequently re-interred in grave II. B. 3 at the Overloon Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery on 15 May 1947. His grave inscription reads “On Whose Soul, Sweet Jesus, Have Mercy, R.I.P.”
Family background
James Toole was the son of Frank Toole and Jane Huddart who had married in the Whitehaven district of Cumberland in early 1916. Frank was born on 12 June 1891 and Jane in 1896, both in Frizington which is near Whitehaven. They went on to have seven children as follows, all in Frizington: James 24 July 1916, John 23 November 1917, Elizabeth 14 April 1919, Francis 1920, Thomas 1921, Mary 1 September 1926 and Basil on 4 April 1938.
In June 1921 they were living at 22, Frizington Road in Frizington. Frank had been employed as an Iron Ore Miner, Underground, for the Parkside Mining Company Ltd. – but was out of normal employment at the time. Their first four children were with them, including James.
Sadly, James’ mother died in the Spring of 1938 at around the time of her son, Basil’s, birth.
By September 1939, Frank was living at 221 Frizington Road, Frizington. He was again working as an Iron Ore Miner. With him were his two daughters and Basil. His daughter Elizabeth was looking after the home. At this time, James was working as a Grocery Shop Assistant and living in the household of George and Eizabeth Hayton at 29 Frizington Road, Frizington. George was an Iron Ore Miner.
James enlisted in the Army on 2 April 1940.
He married Catherine Hazard on 17 February 1943 at the Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Cleator which is near both Frizington and Whitehaven.
Catherine was the daughter of John Hazard and Maragret Davitt who had married in the Whitehaven area in 1904. John had been born on 6 January 1881 and Margaret on 8 April 1881, both in Cleator Moor in Cumberland. They had eight children as follows: Elizabeth Maria 20 July 1906, James 1908, Mary 16 February 1910, Josephine 1912, Margaret 20 February 1914, Thomas 1917, Catherine 30 June 1920 and Philomena 6 October 1923. In June 1921, John and Margaret were living at 12, Prospect Row, Cleator, Cumberland. John was working as an Iron Ore Miner for United Steel, but, like James’ father, was out of work at the time. With them were their first seven children including Catherine as well as a 26 year old female visitor.
By September 1939, John and Margaret were living at 46 Hilden Cottages in Cleator. John was now working as a General Labourer in a Mill. With them were daughters Elizabeth, Catherine and Philomena and also married daughters Margaret Johnston and Mary Adair with her husband Samuel Adair (b 2 December 1905) and six unnamed children, probably children of Margaret and Mary. Catherine was working as a Photographer’s Assistant. Elizabeth was working as a Packer in a Bakery while Philomena was a Draper’s Assistant. Samuel Adair was working as a Bricklayer.
James and Catherine had a daughter, Mary Toole, in Spring 1944 in the Whitehaven District.
Military career
As has been seen, James enlisted on 2 April 1940. He stated that he was born on 24 July 1940 in Frizington. He gave his address as 29 Frizington Road, Frizington. He was described as being 5ft 5 ¾ in tall, weighed 133 ½ lbs and had dark brown eyes and dark brown hair. He gave his religion as Roman Catholic. He had been employed as a Grocer on enlistment. He had Grade 1 health. He was single at the time he enlisted.
On enlistment he was posted as a Private in the 6th Battalion of the Border Regiment. This was known as the 6thBattalion (East Cumberland) Battalion. It had been re-formed for WW2 and was based at Carlisle Castle.
He seems to have been posted to a unit in Greenock in Scotland on 28 March 1941, though it is not clear what this was – or for how long.
After his marriage on 17 February 1943, he named his wife as his next of kin at 46 Hildon Rd, Cleator, Cumberland.
In the late summer of 1943 the 6th Battalion of the Border Regiment was posted to Gailes Camp in Ayrshire, training as a Beach Group. The role of Beach Groups was to land with the first assault troops, organise the landing beaches and establish supply dumps for other troops. Training continued in Ayrshire through late 1943 and early 1944. In February 1944 there was a major eight day exercise at Gullane on the east coast of Scotland near Edinburgh. Shortly before D-Day, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Troops, General Eisenhower, carried out an inspection at a Divisional Parade.
James embarked for France on 31 May 1944. A news clipping after his death indicates that he was among the first to land in Normandy on D-Day, and had been entrusted with the task of planting the Union Jack after the landing. This fits with the idea that the Battalion was acting as a Beach Group.
He was transferred to the 1st Battalion of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers on 1 August 1944.
The 1st Battalion of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers had also taken part in the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944 and played their part in Operation Goodwood in July as part of the larger battle for Caen. On 31 July, the Battalion moved to Bieville, going into the Army reserve. August 1st was Minden Day when the Battalion, along with several others, celebrated the Battalion’s role in the Battle of Minden during the Seven Years’ War on that date in 1759. A party went off to spend the day at the 3rd Division Club, and the Pipe Band played in the afternoon. In the evening a percentage of the Battalion attended an ENSA concert at Brigade HQ. A draft of 3 Officers and 100 Other Ranks, chiefly from the Border Regiment, arrived. One of these was James Toole.
He would see his first serious action with his new Battalion at Vire on 9 August. The Battalion was then held in reserve during attacks at Tinchebray. From 20 August to 3 September they had a period of rest and training. They received a further 6 Officers and 88 Other Ranks as reinforcements in August. On 3 September they moved 147 miles to near Rouen where they again rested and trained until 16 September, receiving a further 30 Other Ranks as reinforcements.
They then moved quickly past Brussels and through Leuven to support the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Ulster Rifles and 2nd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment as they crossed the Meuse Escault Canal and on into Belgium and the Netherlands, reaching Milheeze on 28 September. At this point the war diary mentions that the bath unit arrived and “the whole battalion felt clean again for the first time since Etrepagny”, which was over 3 weeks previously.
On 1 October they reached St Hubert where they were very well received by the inhabitants. They remained there until 12 October. They spent their time training but also had time for relaxation. A soccer match was arranged against the Regiment’s 6th Battalion on St Hubert’s football field. They lost 4 – 1 and the Pipe Band played at half time and at the end of the match. They also had two film shows on the 10th and 11th. The diary notes that they left St Hubert on 12 October after a pleasant stay of 10 days.
On 12 October they reached an assembly area just west of St Anthonis. On that day, the 1st Suffolks succeeded in capturing Overloon and took up a position just to the south of the town. The following day, the 1st KOSB attacked the wood to the south west of Overloon and reached the south of the wood, though coming under fire as they reached it. They remained there the following day while the Royal Ulster Regiment and Lincolns attacked the wood further east.
On the 15th they moved a little further south and on the 16th continued south, expecting to remain there that night. Instead, they were ordered to take over from the 4th Battalion King’s Shropshire Light Infantry east of Overloon in the area near Smakt, with the companies lining up north to south on the west of the railway. They only took over the position at 1930 hours in very heavy rain with the reconnaissance parties hardly able to see their positions before dark. They remained there until 4 November, often under heavy shelling and mortaring. On the 17th the War diary states that the battalion suffered its worst shelling and mortaring so far which continued at a similar level until the 20th. Their time was spent patrolling the area west of the railway and monitoring enemy positions. The enemy were both still in Smakt and across the railway to the east. On 22 October a platoon entered Smakt to find the enemy still present. Only 3 men escaped with two more returning later. One officer and 19 Other Ranks were assumed killed or taken prisoner.
On 30 October, Nebelwerfers fired twice into their area shortly after 0300 hrs. At 0700 hrs C Coy recce patrol reported having heard and seen nothing in the area of the Steel Factory which lay just to the west of the railway 1 km south of Smakt. Little enemy movement was seen during the morning. At about 1500 hrs an enemy machine gun firing from the vicinity of the railway into C Coy forward platoon killed one man. This was James Toole. He died just 4 days before the Battalion was relieved by the Lincolnshire Regiment and moved back to St Anthonis for a rest period.
He was buried on the premises of A. vd Wijst at Schaartven which lies between Overloon and the railway line. He was buried alongside Sgt. Clark, Cpl. Tallon, Lcpl. McKenzie, Pte. Chambers, Sgt. Wilson, Lcpls. Fenn and Cluett and 2 others.
During the period from the 14 to 31 October one officer of the 1st KOSB was wounded but subsequently returned to duty, one was missing, 32 other Ranks were wounded, 10 were killed and 20 were missing.
The West Cumberland Times of 18 November 1944 reported his death as follows:
“Planted Union Jack on D-Day
Cleator Moor Lad Killed
Official information has been received by Mrs C Toole, Hilden Road, Cleator, that her husband, Pte. J Toole, has been killed in action on the Continent. Pte. Toole, who was 28, had been in the Army over four years and was previously employed as a grocer with a firm in London. He was among the first to land in Normandy on D-Day, and had been entrusted with the task of planting the Union Jack after the landing.
A native of Frizington, he was a devout member of St Joseph’s Church, where, for a number of years, he was altar server. Pte. Toole leaves one child. He is the son of Mr F. Toole and the late Mrs Toole, Frizington, and has three brothers in the forces.”
James had served for a total of 4 years and 212 days of which 163 days were in North West Europe. He was awarded medals as follows: 1939/45 Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939/45. His wife was awarded a pension of £1/12/6 per week from 12 February 1945 with an allowance of 11s a week for her child.
On 5 May 1945 his wife was sent a letter from the Army which included James’ personal effects. They consisted of the following: A Bundle of Letters, 2 Prayer Books, a Wallet, 6 Photos, 2 Calendars, a News Cutting, 3 Rosaries, a Crucifix and 5 Coins.
Aftermath
His wife remarried in 1954 in the Whitehaven district. Her husband was Michael W Campbell. It is thought that they had six more children as follows: Colin W, Catherine M 1956, Christopher J 1957, Elizabeth M 1958, Judith A 1960, David F 1963. The first three and the last were born in the Whitehaven district while the other two were born in the Cockermouth District.
His daughter, Mary Toole, is thought to have married Matthew McLeod in the Whitehaven district in 1965. They are believed to have had two sons, Paul in 1967 and Alan in 1970, both in the Whitehaven district.
His father, Frank Toole, died in 1967 in the Whitehaven district.
