Geoffrey Toynbee

Geoffrey Percy Robert Toynbee (18 May 1885 — 15 November 1914) was an English first-class cricketer and British Army officer.

Cricket and military career The son of Percy Toynbee and Frances Raitt, he was born at Paddington in May 1885. He was educated at Winchester College, where he played for the college cricket team. From Winchester, he attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. There he played for the Sandhurst XI, becoming one of the college's most successful batsman in its history, averaging 70.71 in 1904 and 42.33 in 1905. with promotion to lieutenant following in May 1909. In 1911, while playing cricket for the Green Jackets against Aldershot Command, he made scores of 115 and 101 not out. He scored 18 runs in his three first-class matches, with a highest score of 14.

In February 1914, he was promoted to captain, When the First World War began in July 1914, Toynbee travelled at his own expense to join the 1st Battalion at Le Havre on 23 August 1914 to provide reinforcements for the Battle of Le Cateau.