….. put his age up by two years to enlist

Little did the family know that when Edward Toogood died on 8 May his brother Walter who enlisted just days after his death on 21 May would also die at the front two years later. Edward was born at Coongulmerang in 1896 to Henry and Jemina Toogood. When he was 19 years old he put his age up by two years to enlist with the 7 th  Battalion on 4 November 1914. By claiming to be 21 years old parental consent was not required. He embarked from Melbourne on 2 February 1915 for Egypt and on 9 April was admitted to the 2 nd  Field Ambulance with tonsillitis. He was again admitted with rheumatoid arthritis on 24   April before returning to his unit at Gallipoli. It was determined by a board of enquiry in August that he was killed in action at Helles on 8 May when he disappeared. He is remembered at the Cape Helles memorial and at Lindenow. He was 19 years old. We have been unable to locate a photograph of Private Edward Toogood, if you know of one, please make contact. Our group would appreciate your assistance.