Son of William Finch Phillips and Isabella Phillips (née Scott)

Born 1887 in Wallsend, New South Wales, Australia^[1]

Married Evelyn Mabel Stevens in 1908 at Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, Australia^[2].

Frederick (29) enlisted as a private with the Australian Infantry Force on 8 January 1916^[3] but was soon promoted to sergeant. At the time of his enlistment Frederick was working as a miner and he was living at Charles Street, West Maitland, New South Wales^[4]

On the medical examination form Frederick is described as being 5 foot 7 and three quarter inches, 146 lbs, fresh complexion, blue eyes, fair hair and with a tattoo of a ship on his chest. The examiner found him fit for active service, though added a note to say that his teeth needed attention.

Frederick served with the 34th Battalion, B Company – embarking^[5] on HMAT A20 Hororata at Sydney, New South Wales on 2nd May 1916 and disembarking at Plymouth, England on 23rd June 1916.

In August 1916 Frederick passed a rifle course held at the School of Musketry, Tidworth, Wiltshire, England.

On 11th November 1916 Frederick was admitted to Fargo Military Hospital, Larkhill Garrison, Salisbury Plain with cystitis. He was discharged on the 18th November and three days later proceeded to France with the 34th Battalion (via Southampton).

Frederick’s first spell in France was short lived as he was admitted to the 9th Field Ambulance on 4th December 1916 with pneumonia, transferred to the 1st Casualty Clearing Station on 5th December 1916, sent back to England (via Boulogne) on the hospital ship St. Denis on 14th December 1916 and finally admitted to the London General Hospital, Wandsworth, London on 15th December 1916. Frederick was discharged from hospital on 15th January 1917.

After his discharge Frederick was transferred to the newly formed 61st Battalion on 23rd March 1917 and spent time in Wareham, Hampshire;  No. 3 Brigade School, Hurdcott, Wiltshire; and No. 1 Camp Fovant, Wiltshire.

On 23rd August 1917 Frederick proceeded from Southampton to Le Havre, France and from there re-joined the 34th Battalion.

Frederick was killed in action on 12th October 1917.

‘After several stints in the trenches, and a period of rest and training, the battalion entered battle again on 12 October around Passchendaele. The battlefield, though, had been deluged with rain, and thick mud tugged at the advancing troops and fouled their weapons. The battle ended in a disastrous defeat, and over 50 per cent casualties for the 34th.’^[6]

The red cross wounded and missing file on Frederick Ernest Phillips^[7] records the testimony of a number of soldiers:

‘Phillips, Sgt. In B.Coy., was killed outright at Passchendaele, at the hop-over, by a shell. This was reported back. There was not much likelihood of his burial, the place was all mud, and though we took the place we had to retire.’

‘He was my platoon Sgt (B.V.). I knew him well and his number (not tested). My friend Pte. Geo.Coulton of B.V.389 told me he saw him lying dead in a shell hole just beyond Passchendaele about October 12th. I never heard of his burial or of his body being brought in. Am sure our boys did not bring him in, they had all they could do to bring in the wounded.’

Frederick’s name is commemorated on the Menin Gate at Ypres (Panel 23) and on panel 124 of the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Campbell ACT 2612, Australia.

Evelyn Mabel Phillips married Alfred L. Meredith in 1920^[8].

Children:-

• Dorothy May Phillips
• Thomas Cecil Phillips
• Alfred Ernest Phillips
• Elizabeth Mavis Phillips