William

Morris Toulson

1898-1918

Extract from the Lincolnshire Boston & Spalding Free Press, Tuesday 17th December 1918:

For nearly three months, Mr and Mrs Toulson of Bourne have been in suspense in regard to their son, Private William Morris Toulson. He joined the Royal Flying Corps nearly three years ago but at the beginning of the present year was transferred to the Tank Corps. During the autumn he took part in the great offensive against the Hun and since the latter end of September nothing has been heard from him. Through the medium of the Red Cross, news has been received that he was a prisoner of war and was wounded but confirmation of this has been lacking from official quarters.
A London officer, who has just be repatriated, and who was captured at the same time as Private Toulson was missing, has written a letter to Mr and Mrs Toulson which puts a different complexion upon the situation and, sad to relate, the officer writes that he was sorry to hear of the death of Private Toulson in hospital from wounds received in action on September 29th last. The officer states that when the car was disabled, the deceased being a motor driver attached to a Tank Corps, they all took cover in a hole but they were bombed out and Private Toulson was then unharmed. Subsequently they were bombed again and became separated and were about half a mile inside German lines.
The officer states that he was wounded at the time of his capture but the next day saw some of his men and learned that Private Toulson had been wounded by machine gun fire and taken to hospital. It was not until November 14th that the officer heard of his death. When the Armistice was signed, they were allowed outside the prison camp and they went to a local hospital and some of their boys happened to be there. This officer's friend found one of his men in that hospital and Private Toulson had lain in the next bed to him and it was from this soldier that they learned the sad news.
The officer concluded his letter by stating that he was very much attached to Private Toulson who was keen and efficient in his duties. A long suspense has thus been broken by this sad news which yet awaits confirmation by the War Office. The deceased was a popular young man of the town and before joining up was in the employ of Messrs Mays and Company.