PHILLIPS, Benjamin
| Service Number: | 2330 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Tunnelling Company (inc. 6th Tunnelling Company) |
| Born: | Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, Wales., 1881 |
| Home Town: | Blair Athol, Isaac, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 26 February 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension Grave I.A. 16. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Blair Athol Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 31 Mar 1916: | Involvement Sapper, 2330, Mining Corps, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of Victoria embarkation_ship_number: A16 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 1916: | Embarked Sapper, 2330, Mining Corps, HMAT Star of Victoria, Sydney | |
| 30 Sep 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Sapper, 3rd Tunnelling Company (inc. 6th Tunnelling Company) | |
| 26 Feb 1918: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 2330, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2330 awm_unit: 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-02-26 |
Help us honour Benjamin Phillips's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Benjamin was born at Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1881, the son of William Phillips. He emigrated to Australia, where he enlisted at Rockhampton, Queensland on 4 April 1916. Ben embarked 'unofficially', being discovered as a stowaway on the H.M.T. Star of Victoria, and was re-attested aboard. Upon arrival at Marseilles on 17 May 1916, Ben was attached for duty with the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company, but he had several spells of sickness throughout his first year in France, and spent a lot of time in various hospitals. Benjamin was promoted Lance Corporal early in 1918, but was Killed in Action just a few weeks later, on 26 February 1918, aged 36.
His personal effects and medals were sent to his brother John, who by then was resident in Blaengarw, Glamorgan.
Surprisingly, Benjamin is not commemorated on the Fishguard War Memorial but Private Thomas Owen Harries, Service Number 1955, Australian Infantry who was also born in Fishguard, is honoured there.