Harold Phillips Toon was related to Richard Edward Toon (KIA 1916) and William Henry Toon (KIA 1917) both of whom are commemorated on the All Saints memorial, Stanton Hill. Harold's grandfather Alpheus Toon and William's grandfather James Toon were brothers. Richard's father Edward Toon was the brother of William's mother Agnes Stanley née Toon; Edward and Agnes were the children of James Toon. See Richard and William's records on this Roll of Honour.
Listed in the Nottinghamshire County Council register of employees who served (Nottinghamshire Archives ref CC CL 2/12/1/1).
Kirkby in Ashfield Chapel Street County School Log Book (Notts Archives ref SL97 1/3): '29 January 1915 – Mr Toon ceased duties in this school on purpose to join the Army Corps. 21 July 1916 – Another member of staff, Lieutenant Toon, who ceased duties here on January 29th 1915, has been killed in the recent offensive on the British Front.'
From ‘Officers who died in the Great War 1914-19’ : TOON Harold Phillips. 17th Bn., Durham Light Infantry, 2/LT (TP), Killed in Action, 14th July 1916.
Mansfield Reporter, 21 July 1916: ‘Roll of Honour. News has been received by the parents of two of the officers in HM Army from Kirkby, that they have been killed in action. They are … and Second Lieut. H Toon, of New-street (Durham Light Infantry)’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Mansfield Reporter, 28 July 1916. Report of a presentation to Sergeant Frank Wright of Pleasley who had been awarded the DCM. Sergeant Wright’s old school master, Mr CE Stacey, bore testament to ‘the worth of his ex-pupil’ and mentioned two other former pupils: ‘only this week he had had news that the ;Last Post’ had been sounded over the last resting places of two of his old pupils, Lieuts, Strawson Wlson (of Mansfield) and Harold Toon (of Kirkby), both fine young fellows’ (www.britishnewspapearchive.co.uk)
Mansfield Reporter, 4 August 1916: ‘Memorial Service. A memorial service for the late Second-Lieut. HP Toon, who was killed in action on July 14th, was held on Sunday afternoon, in the Primitive Methodist Church, of the choir of which the deceased was a member. He was also a member of the young men’s Bible class under whose auspices the service was held. The Rev. TR Auty and Mr A Oakley, leaders of the class, conducted the service and the congregation included Messrs WB Edge and MH Fox representing the school manager, Lieut. Toon being a teacher under the authority. The hymns sung were ‘When our Heads’, ‘Rock of Ages’, ‘O Lord of Hosts’, and ‘For All The Saints’. The uncle of the deceased officer, Mr EA Cupit, presided at the organ, and impressively rendered the ‘Dead March’.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Probate: Toon Harold Philips (sic) of 52 New Street East Kirkby Nottinghamshire second-lieutenant in HM Army died 12 July 1916 [CWGC 14 July 1916] in France. Administration (with will) Nottingham 13 December [1916] to Herbert Toon miner [father]. Effects £100.2s.11d