Rushden Echo, June 7th, 1918, transcribed by Greville Watson
Double Honours for Rushden Man - Magnificent Work
We are pleased to report that Pte. Frank Toby, of the Cheshire Regiment, son of Mrs and the late Mr W. Toby, of 11, Oswald-road, Rushden, has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and also the Military Medal for bravery on the field. He was awarded the D.C.M. in November last year at the battle of Cambrai for keeping up communication between his company when it was cut off and the Brigade Headquarters. Pte. Toby’s company had advanced, and subsequently the enemy by a counter-attack cut them off. Pte. Toby, being the company runner, was entrusted with a message for headquarters, and had to find a way through the enemy’s lines, which difficult task he succeeded in accomplishing in spite of the fact that he had to fight his way through. He carried nothing in the way of arms except a revolver and a few bombs, with which he managed to put “paid” to the account of such of the enemy as tried to stop him, and after much difficulty he succeeded in delivering his message, thus saving the company.
On delivering the message one of the staff-officers shook him by the hand, congratulated him and told him that he would be recommended. On that occasion he got through without a scratch.
It was on February 3rd this year that he was awarded the Military Medal for having gone out on patrol entirely unaccompanied into a village behind Fritz’s lines. He stayed there three days and three nights, keeping himself well concealed, and succeeded in obtaining valuable information, which he reported to headquarters, with the result that the next morning, after he returned to his unit, the village was blown to smithereens by the British artillery. On March 24th Pte. Toby received shrapnel wounds in both legs and both arms, and after having been in hospital at Aberdeen and Inverness is now home on ten days’ sick leave. He still has a piece of shrapnel in the right leg. Altogether he has been in France over two years, having joined the Colours in November, 1914. Up to the time of enlistment he was employed by the C.W.S. Boot Works, Rushden, and was formerly a bugler in the Rushden Church Lads’ Brigade.
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Kettering Leader, 14th June 1918, transcribed by Kay Collins
 Rushden Soldier Wins Double Distinction - Pte. Frank Toby
Rushden will be proud to hear of the honours won by Pte. Frank Toby, of the Cheshires, and son of Mrs. W. Toby, of 11 Oswald-road, Rushden. The gallant soldier has won both the D.C.M. and the M.M. The former decoration was for keeping the communications with Brigade Headquarters when his company was cut off in the Cambrai battle, while acting as company runner. He got through the enemy lines with a message which saved the company. On Feb. 3rd of this year he won the M.M. for going out on patrol quite alone into a village behind the German lines. He was wounded in March, and still has shrapnel in his right leg. The brave man has been in France over two years. In civilian life he was employed at the C.W.S. Works, Rushden. He is an old C.L.B. boy.
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