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Harry Phillips – Army Service (1884-1916)

Page history last edited by Jon 15 years, 7 months ago

Harry Phillips (1866-1944) was the son of James Phillips & Sarah Phillips (née Miller)

 

Harry Phillips enlisted with the 4th Volunteer Battalion of the “Queen’s” Royal West Surrey Regiment on 15th November 1884[1]  (Regimental No. 2552, G Company) and served with the battalion until 31st March 1908. At the time of his enrolment Harry was working as a Brass Finisher at 102 Lancaster Street, Borough and living at 54A Elliott’s Row, St George’s Road[2].

 

On 1st March 1895 Harry passed a course in Supply and Transport Duties. Harry was promoted to Lance Corporal on 29th April 1893 and to Corporal on 5th March 1897[3]. 

 

In 1908 the volunteer battalions in London were re-organised into battalions of the London Regiment. The 4th Volunteer Battalion of the “Queen’s” Royal West Surrey Regiment formed the 24th Battalion, County of London, Territorial Force.

 

On 1st April 1908 Sergeant Harry Phillips re-enlisted – completing his attestation with the 24th Battalion, County of London, Territorial Force at Kennington on 8th April 1908[4] and was promoted to Transport Sergeant on his re-enlistment. A later record, shows that he was attached to ‘C’ unit in 1914.

 

The attestation form[5] completed on 8th April 1908 records that Harry was an engineer in the employ of the Bowden Syndicate, City of London and that his home address at this time was 214 Albert Road, Peckham.

 

Harry’s service record shows his attendance at annual training camps at Salisbury Plains (2nd-16th August 1908), Salisbury (1st-15th August 1909), Sittingbourne (24th July-7th August 1910), Shorncliffe (6th-20th August 1911), Bourley (28th July-11th August 1912) and Worthing (3rd-10th August 1913)[6].

 

Harry was promoted to Shoemarker Sergeant on 1st October 1910.

 

Harry served in the First World War, leaving Southampton on 15th March 1915 and disembarking in France a day later[7]. Harry remained in France until 18th March 1916 when he was sent back to headquarters in London via Le Havre.

 

Harry’s service was officially terminated on 31st March 1916 at the age of 49. At the time of his discharge Harry’s address was given as 214 Albert Road, Peckham.

 

A letter from the Ministry of Pensions to the Regiment (received by the regiment on 8th September 1918)  records that Harry was suffering from Lumbago. However, in spite of this, Harry’s request for a pension was rejected.

 

The discharge papers[8] show that Harry’s final rank was Shoemakers Sergeant and that he was 49 years and 6 months old at the time of his discharge. Harry was 5ft 6 in. tall with medium complexion, brown eyes and fair hair – he also had a 1½ inch scar on his left temple and three vaccinations in his left arm. Harry’s trade was given as engineer.

 

Harry’s military character was recorded as ‘exemplary’ and a further note states ‘This man bears a very good character and as far as I know he is temperate, honest + steady’.

 

A medical report[9] attached to the discharge papers and dated May 12th 1919 states that Harry was suffering from osteo arthritis which started in August 1916, immediately after his discharge (the problem was described as being aggravated by his service in the war, rather than being attributable to this). Harry told the board that he had been in hospital although no documents were submitted in evidence.

 

The medical officer reported that Harry complained of ‘periodic attacks of pain in back, hip and knees’and that he was ‘somewhat stiff in his movement and looks a little more than his years.’ In his examination the medical officer noted some thickening of the joints but the overall opinion of the board was that his condition to be of long standing – though there was an acknowledgement that Harry had suffered an impairment to his health since his entry into the service.

 

After the war Harry received the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and the Territorial Efficiency Medal[10].

 

Footnotes

  1. Source: Harry's Discharge and Pension Records (National Archives, WO364) ▲
  2. The witness on Harry's attestation papers was William Pickering, a Brass Finisher, also of 54A Elliott's Row, St George's Road. It seems likely that William Pickering is related to Thomas Pickering, the husband of Harry's sister Alma. William states that he has known Harry Phillips for 11 years. ▲
  3. Notes relating to this appointment have been masked by documents stuck over the top and are very feint. The years are difficult to make out and could either be 93 and 97 or 03 and 07. On balance we think that it is the former. The month of Harry's promotion to Corporal looks like a three but could be a five, in which case the promotion would have taken place in May not March as stated. ▲
  4. Harry was 41 years and 5 months old at this time and the attestation form records that Harry enlisted for a period of one year. Harry re-engaged for four years on 25th February 1909, then for a further year on 4th April 1913 followed by another year on 6th April 1914. Harry also signed an agreement to serve outside the UK in case of national emergency on 19th February 1914. At the time of re-enlisting in 1908 Harry stated that he belonged to the 4th V.B. Queen's - West Surrey Regiment. ▲
  5. Source: Territorial Force Attestation Form, No. 124 - Harry Phillips ▲
  6. A note in his service record indicates that Harry had leave of absence during the 1910 and 1912 annual training, however the dates are still recorded in his record and it is unclear whether Harry had leave of absence from the entire period or part of it. ▲
  7. Harry's Medal Card shows the theatre of war first served in as (1) France and the date of entry therein is shown as 16.3.15. The Casualty Form - Active Service (Army Form B. 103) shows that Harry was at Le Havre on 18th-20th March 1915. ▲
  8. Source: Territorial Force - Proceedings on Discharge during the period of Engagement (Army Form B. 268A). ▲
  9. Source: Medical Report on a Soldier Boarded Prior to Discharge or Transfer to Class W., W. (T), P., or P.(T), of the Reserve (Army Form B. 179A). ▲
  10. Harry's Medal Card shows three entries - as a Serjeant [SPW?] and as a Serjeant within the 24th London Regiment with a regimental number of 124 and later as a Serjeant in the Queen's Regiment with a regimental number of 2552. Harry's Victory Medal was inscribed with the rank of Serjeant (Roll T.P. 24/10/B3 Page 359). The roll numbers for the other medals were: British (Roll T.P. 24/10/B3 Page 359), 15 Star (TP/53B), TEM#AO (66 [of?] Page 1925). The remarks column mentions a further roll 22486/AG10 and gives an unexplained reference of [illegible]/Misc/1187. Finally the card records T of E (Time Expired) on 31.3.16. The National Archives website explains that 'This is when the soldier had reached the end of his agreed period of military service. It applies only to pre-war soldiers of the regular army or Territorial Force. These men were allowed to go home but from 1916 many TE men returned to active service as conscripted soldiers.' (Source: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/medals.asp). ▲

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