By Ray Geise

The Story Board

On the 12th December 1915, Maryborough born Army Chaplain, the Reverend Philip Thomas Byard Clayton, affectionately known as “Tubby”, opened the doors of Talbot House in Poperinge in Belgium. It was a place of rest and recreation, a home away from home for allied troops serving on the Western Front. The special ethos of Talbot House was built around Friendship, Service, Fairmindedness and The Kingdom of God [The Four Points of the Compass] and these became the foundation stones of the Toc H Movement founded by Tubby Clayton after the war ended. It is still active in many parts of the world today, welcoming everyone and breaking down the barriers that so often keep people apart and challenging them to do something about the problems that confront people in the twenty first century. Toc H today is all about caring for people. Toc H was the army signaller’s code word for Talbot House.

Tubby Clayton returned to England with his parents when he was two years old. He went to school in London before going on to Oxford University. For his care and compassion for those serving on the Western Front he was awarded the Military Cross.