Biography

Family Background

Robert Henry Tooke was born on the 7th March 1908 in Dover. Robert's father was Harry Tooke, a professional soldier. Harry Tooke was a long term soldier having first enlisted in 1894 and having served through to the First World War. Harry moved to Collingham after the Great War and his story is told in more detail here.

We first find a record of Robert Henry Tooke in the 1911 census. Robert, his mother Sarah Tooke and his sisters, Kathleen Mary and Marjorie Tooke are living in the married quarters of the barracks attached to His Majesty's Military Prison in Woking. Robert's father is listed under the staff of the prison as Lance Corporal Tooke of the Military Provost Staff Corps.

By 1921, Harry had left the army and had moved to Collingham. In the 1921 census, Harry is living at Elmwood Terrace, Collingham, with Sarah, his wife (born in ~1879 in Sandwich, Kent) and his children, Robert (born in Dover), Kathleen (born about 1909 in Newhaven Sussex), Marjorie (born about 1911 in Newhaven), John (born about 1913 in Aldershot) and Edward (born about 1916 in York). Harry was described in this census as a gardener.

The Tooke family continued living in Collingham and in the electoral roll for Collingham for 1930, and again for 1933, the family were living at 3 Garth End, Collingham.

In 1934 Robert Henry Tooke married Nora Agnes Brooks and they made their home together in Collingham and they appear together in the Collingham electoral rolls for 1936, 1937 and in the National Registration roll for 1939 living in Main Street, Collingham.

Service Record

Robert Henry Tooke's name appears on the Supplementary list of electors for Collingham in 1945, annotated with a D, indicating that he had been recently discharged from the services. The release of the World War 2 Army Medal Cards in 2025 allowed us to identify that Robert served as Trooper 4626565 Tooke in the Royal Tank Regiment or Royal Armoured Corps, and that ultimately led to his tracer card which details his service.

Robert Henry Tooke enlisted in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment and his army number shows that he enlisted sometime around December 1939 to January 1940. He served with them until the 20th March 1941 when he transferred to the 51st Tank Regiment. After a period of time with them he transferred again, on the 16th September 1941 to the 16/5 Lancers. After another short posting with them, Robert was posted, on the 12th May 1942 to the 52nd Training Regiment. With them he formed part of a draft on the 26th May 1942 that joined (on the 20th July 1942) the Staffordshire Yeomanry. Robert served with that unit through the rest of the war until December 1945 and then his discharge to the reserve in March 1946.

After the war

After the war, Robert returned to Collingham and appears on the electoral roll living at 58 Brookside, Collingham from about 1949 to at least 1959.

Robert Henry Tooke, of 35 Garth End, Collingham, died on the 8th January 1972, aged 63.

Biography last updated 01 September 2025 19:41:39.