No.242205, Private, Bertie PHILLIPS
Aged 29
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Bertie Phillips was born in Drinkstone on 18th May 1888 (2nd qtr 1888 Stow 4a:751), son of Edward and Anna PHILLIPS (née BARRELL). Baptised in
Drinkstone All Saints on 29th July 1888.
1891 census...Aged 2, he was at Gedding Road, Drinkstone with his father Edward PHILLIPS [37] farmer, born Great Barton; his mother Anna; brothers Edward [9] and Fred [7]. All except his father were born in Drinkstone. 1901 census...Aged 12, he was at The Green, Drinkstone with his parents (father now a casual waiter); brothers Edward and Fred (both domestic footmen) and sister Anna E. [6]. 1911 census...Not found in this census. His parents and sister Anna Elizabeth were still at The Green, Drinkstone. His mother had lost one of her five children. He married Hilda May CHAPMAN [18-7-1890] in the Register Office at Wandsworth on 7th June 1912. Their daughter Kathleen Hilda was born in Battersea on 25th August 1913 and baptised at St Mark's, Battersea on 2nd November 1913 when they were living at 34 Parma Crescent. On the pension card his widow was at 44 Aliwal Road, Clapham Junction. |
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He enlisted on 31st May 1916 in Battersea, giving his age as 28, a butler, of 44 Aliwal Road, Battersea. He was 5 feet 9 inches tall, chest 31 to 33.5 inches, weighed 124 lbs.
Mobilised into the 2nd/5th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment. Posted to the B.E.F. via Folkestone-Boulogne.
On 5th August 1917 he was admitted to 3rd Army Rest Camp, rejoining his unit on 20th August. Army Form 5080 (living blood relatives) puts his wife and daughter at 44 Aliwal Road, Battersea, his parents and sister Anna in Drinkstone and his brother Edward at White Lodge, Cheveley. Some pages are missing from his records, sadly including the one detailing his first postings, and the next page is badly faded. The mention of a rest camp seems to indicate he had been wounded. The Battalion war diary records the action on 26th when the attack took place on Hill 37. Staying very close to our creeping barrage, this objective was taken within an hour, and enemy counter-attacks were beaten off. Both sides carried on their bombardment during the day. Bn HQ was set up at Hill 37. On the 27th both sides artillery were very active during the day. The 2nd/5th Leicesters then relieved parts of the 2nd/5th Lincolns and 2nd/5th Sherwood Foresters in the front line. CWGC records the battalion having 15 killed on 27th, only one has a known grave..
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
