Claude Tozer
Encyclopedia
Claude John Tozer DSO
(27 September 1890 – 21 December 1920) was an Australian medical doctor and first-class cricketer who played for New South Wales
. He was the nephew of Australian Test cricketer Percie Charlton
.
The son of a Bank of New South Wales official, John and Beatrice Tozer (née
Charlton), he was educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School
. Whilst at the school he was a member of the Cadet Corps attaining the rank of cadet officer. He graduated from the University of Sydney
with a Bachelor of Medicine in 1914. Whilst at the university he played for the university's cricket club and was a member of their premiership
winning team in 1913-14.
A right-handed batsman, Tozer juggled his early cricket career with medical studies at university and as a resident
at the Royal Hospital for Women
, Paddington
. Before the war, Tozer played four first-class matches for New South Wales as a middle order batsman.
In May 1915 he enlisted in the army with the rank of Captain and was posted to the 1st Field Ambulance, Australian Army Medical Corps
at Gallipoli. After the evacuation he was hospitalised in Egypt with paratyphoid in early 1916. Later in 1916 he served on the western front and was wounded severely in the head and right leg in July 1916 during the Battle of Pozières
. Following an extended convalescenece he returned to France in January 1917 and served in various capacities in hospitals and field units. He was promoted to the rank of Major
in June 1917. In November he was mentioned in dispatches
by the Commander of British Forces, Field Marshal Douglas Haig
for "distinguished and gallant service and devotion to duty in the field" and awarded the Distinguished Service Order
.
Returning to Australia in early 1919 he resumed his duties with the state cricket team, this time as an opening batsman. In 1919/20 he played his fifth first-class match, against Queensland at Brisbane and made innings of 51 and 103. He also made his Sheffield Shield debut that season, at the SCG against South Australia and scored 37 in the first innings before being run out. Tozer was by now working as a general practitioner on Sydney's North Shore
.
His prolific 1920-21 season in grade cricket, which saw him make 452 runs in three matches earned him selection for an Australian XI to play against the touring MCC. Opening the batting, he made a pair of half centuries.
Tozer was due to play as NSW captain in a match against Queensland on the 1 January, 1921 but on 21 December he was shot three times and killed by a depressed married female patient who had developed a fixation on him at her home in Sydney. At her trial the woman, Dorothy Mort was found not guilty on the ground of insanity but was imprisoned in Long Bay Gaol at the Governor's pleasure, and was released nine years later.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(27 September 1890 – 21 December 1920) was an Australian medical doctor and first-class cricketer who played for New South Wales
New South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
. He was the nephew of Australian Test cricketer Percie Charlton
Percie Charlton
Percie Chater Charlton was an Australian cricketer who played in two Tests in England in 1890....
.
The son of a Bank of New South Wales official, John and Beatrice Tozer (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Charlton), he was educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. Whilst at the school he was a member of the Cadet Corps attaining the rank of cadet officer. He graduated from the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
with a Bachelor of Medicine in 1914. Whilst at the university he played for the university's cricket club and was a member of their premiership
Sydney Grade Cricket
Sydney Grade Cricket is a cricket competition played in Sydney, Australia. The competition began in 1893 when a number of clubs, which had been playing for many years on an ad hoc basis, voted to create a formal competition structure....
winning team in 1913-14.
A right-handed batsman, Tozer juggled his early cricket career with medical studies at university and as a resident
Residency (medicine)
Residency is a stage of graduate medical training. A resident physician or resident is a person who has received a medical degree , Podiatric degree , Dental Degree and who practices...
at the Royal Hospital for Women
Royal Hospital for Women
The Royal Hospital for Women is a specialist hospital for women and babies located in the suburb of Randwick in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.-History:The RHW began life in 1820 as a 'lying-in' hospital under auspices of the Benevolent Society...
, Paddington
Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Paddington is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Sydney and the Municipality of Woollahra...
. Before the war, Tozer played four first-class matches for New South Wales as a middle order batsman.
In May 1915 he enlisted in the army with the rank of Captain and was posted to the 1st Field Ambulance, Australian Army Medical Corps
Royal Australian Army Medical Corps
The Royal Australian Army Medical Corps is the branch of the Australian Army responsible for providing medical care to Army personnel. The AAMC was formed in 1902 and has participated in every Australian Army operation...
at Gallipoli. After the evacuation he was hospitalised in Egypt with paratyphoid in early 1916. Later in 1916 he served on the western front and was wounded severely in the head and right leg in July 1916 during the Battle of Pozières
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
. Following an extended convalescenece he returned to France in January 1917 and served in various capacities in hospitals and field units. He was promoted to the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in June 1917. In November he was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
by the Commander of British Forces, Field Marshal Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig
Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC, was a British senior officer during World War I. He commanded the British Expeditionary Force from 1915 to the end of the War...
for "distinguished and gallant service and devotion to duty in the field" and awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
.
Returning to Australia in early 1919 he resumed his duties with the state cricket team, this time as an opening batsman. In 1919/20 he played his fifth first-class match, against Queensland at Brisbane and made innings of 51 and 103. He also made his Sheffield Shield debut that season, at the SCG against South Australia and scored 37 in the first innings before being run out. Tozer was by now working as a general practitioner on Sydney's North Shore
North Shore (Sydney)
The North Shore is an informal term used to describe the primarily residential area of northern metropolitan Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The term usually refers to the suburbs located on the north shore of Sydney Harbour between Middle Harbour and the Lane Cove River, up to...
.
His prolific 1920-21 season in grade cricket, which saw him make 452 runs in three matches earned him selection for an Australian XI to play against the touring MCC. Opening the batting, he made a pair of half centuries.
Tozer was due to play as NSW captain in a match against Queensland on the 1 January, 1921 but on 21 December he was shot three times and killed by a depressed married female patient who had developed a fixation on him at her home in Sydney. At her trial the woman, Dorothy Mort was found not guilty on the ground of insanity but was imprisoned in Long Bay Gaol at the Governor's pleasure, and was released nine years later.
External links
- National Archives of Australia item 8392965 - Tozer's Army Records
- Scene of the shooting murder of Dr Claude Tozer - NSW Police crime scene photograph
- Dorothy Mort, criminal record number 518LB, 18 April 1921 - Department of Corrective ServicesDepartment of Corrective ServicesCorrective Services NSW is an agency of the Government of New South Wales that provides custodial and community-based services as an important element of the criminal justice system...
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