Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK

Died on this date – 14th December 1915..... Albert Edward Phillips was born at Swindon, Wiltshire, England in 1884.

Albert Edward Phillips enlisted in the British Army on 30th July, 1902 at Devizes, Wiltshire. He was an 18 year old, Boilermaker & was currently serving in the 3rd Wiltshire Regiment. His service number was 5996.
Albert Edward Phillips served at Home from 30th July, 1902 then served in the South African campaign from 7th February, 1903 to 21st May, 1903. He was on Home service from 22nd May, 1903 to 2nd February, 1906. Albert Edward Phillips served in India from 3rd February, 1906 until 3rd November, 1909 then on Home service again from 4th November, 1909.
Albert Edward Phillips married Olivia Alma Hicks at Goodwood, South Australia in 1912. A son, Albert Edward Phillips was born in 1913 in Adelaide.
Albert Edward Phillips was discharged on 29th July, 1914 after serving for 12 years.

According to information provided for the Roll of Honour by his wife Mrs O. A. Phillips, her husband came to Australia when he was 26 years old.
Albert Edward Phillips enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 24th August, 1914 as a 30 year old, married Boilermaker from Goodwood, South Australia. He was posted to Acting Corporal on 28th August, 1914 & confirmed Corporal on 1st September, 1914.

Corporal Phillips embarked from Adelaide on HMAT Ascanius (A11) on 20th October, 1914 with the 10th Infantry Battalion “B” Company of the Australian Imperial Force.

Corporal Phillips was appointed Sergeant on 15th December, 1914. He embarked from Alexandria on 2nd March, 1915 on Ionian to join M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) at Gallipoli.

Sergeant Albert Edward Phillips was wounded in action on 2nd May, 1915. He was transferred from Hospital Ship Galeka to Franconian with Shrapnel wounds to his back on 22nd May, 1915. He was admitted to Hospital at Mudros & rejoined his Unit on 20th June, 1915.

Sergeant Phillips was sent sick to Hospital on 19th August, 1915 while posted at Gallipoli Peninsula. He was taken to No. 3 Field Ambulance with Influenza & Abscess to head then transferred to Hospital at Lemnos. Sergeant Phillips embarked for England on 21st October, 1915 on Hospital Ship Aquitania.
Sergeant Phillips was admitted to War Hospital, Reading, Berkshire, England on 27th October, 1915 with gunshot wounds to back. (There is no other record of him being wounded again in his Service Record file)

Sergeant Albert Edward Phillips died at 5 pm on 14th December, 1915 at Royal Berks Section, Reading War Hospital, Reading, Berkshire, England from wounds received in action at Gallipoli Peninsula – Sepsis following gunshot wound of left lumbar region received in action at Suvla Bay. He was buried on 18th December, 1915 in Reading Cemetery, Reading, Berkshire.

A letter was sent to Mrs O. A. Phillips of Wayville, South Australia, widow of late Sergeant Albert Edward Phillips, from Base Records, dated 19th April, 1920 which reads: “…I am now in receipt of further advice which shows that his remains have been exhumed from former site and re-interred in Grave No. 16608, division 72, Reading Cemetery, Reading. The work is carried out with every measure of care and reverence In the presence of a Chaplain.”

Those buried in Plot 72 of Reading Cemetery, Reading, Berkshire, England & buried in other parts of the cemetery that do not have headstones marking their graves are named on the Memorial Screen Wall located near the Cross of Sacrifice. Their deaths are still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

There are 15 other WW1 Australians remembered on the Screen Wall that do not have headstones. One WW1 Australian Flying Corps member has a private headstone.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/reading.html

Information provided by Grandson John Phillips CEO KESAB/Australian and UK service records

Known Memorials: Islington Railway Workshops, Adelaide, Railway Station, Reading war graves section (behind military hospital where he died)

Albert Phillips was the son of Edward and Elizabeth Phillips.  He was born on the 10th March 1884, in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. 

Albert had rendered prior service in the British Army 1902-1914.   He had originally trained as a Boilermaker at the Great Western Railway's Swindon workshops before joining the British Army's Wiltshire Regiment as soon as he was of age in 1902.

His service comprised both Regular and Reserve components.  Serving initially with the 1st Battalion Wiltshire Regiment (7years 311 days) he completed a subsequent period in the Reserve of 3 years 55 days. His Regular service included 3 years 276 days on overseas service in India. He was serving in Ireland at the time of his transfer to the Reserve in 1910. He returned to Swindon to complete his apprenticeship before setting sail to Adelaide. 

By this stage he had married Olive and together with their young family, the Phillips' emigrated to South Australia.  Albert secured employment with the South Australian Railways (SAR) as a Boilermaker at the SAR Islington Workshops.  SAR at the time was one of the State's major employers and the Islington Workshops were a significant heavy industry capability. His family have a letter from a Captain Makin (of the Royal Wiltshires) whom he served under in India providing a reference for lodging at 25 Grenfell St (the building still stands today opposite old brewery malt works at the Eastern fringe of the CBD)

When war broke out, Albert was one of the first to enlist, doing so at Morphetville Racecourse on the 24th August.  His wife,  Mrs. Olive Alma Phillips, was cited as his next of kin, by that stage resident at 32 Gilbert Street, Goodwood, South Australia.  They had one child.  Olive's address subsequently changed to 'The Nook', 7B Joslin St., Wayville, South Australia (an adjacent suburb).

He was enlisted to the 10th Battalion.  His prior service would have been obvious, and well regarded.  He was appointed as an Acting Corporal at enlistment and quickly promoted to Sergeant in B Company of the Battalion.

He embarked with the Battalion on the 20th October 1914 aboard the HMAT Ascanius A11.  The Battalion disembarked in Egypt on 1 Dec 1914, whereupon it went into training and garrison duties along the Suez Canal.  For a full account see the unit history (www.warmemorial.erato.vm.e2.com.au)

Soon it became apparent that a major operation was being planned.  In March the ANZAC Division began preparation to pre-position for what became the landing at ANZAC.  The 10th Battalion along with the rest of the 3rd Brigade was to be the covering force; in other words first ashore.

See the account of the landing at ANZAC (warmemorial.erato.vm.e2.com.au)

Albert Phillips went ashore with the rest of the Battalion on the 25th April 1915.  He survived the opening phase, unlike nearly 50% of his colleagues who were killed or wounded.

However his reprieve was short-lived and he was wounded on the 2nd of May 1915. After a period of recuperation on the Island of Lemnos he returned to the unit on the 27th June 1915.

Fate had not finished with Arthur Phillips though.  He was re-admitted to hospital sick on 21 August 1915, with influenza and an abscess on his head, via No 25 Casualty Clearing Station on Lemnos.  

At this point it becomes unclear whether he was re-wounded or whether his original wound had developed complications.  His records indicate a 'Gunshot Wound, Back' not previously specified.  The wound was in the left lumbar region.  

A records entry cites that the wound was received at Suvla Bay (although this could have been a generic term for the Area of Operations), which coincides with the action at Lone Pine in early August.  The Battalion War Diary was not submitted for the period between August 1915 and March 1916, but Lock ("The Fighting Tenth") provides some insight.   

His condition deteriorated and he was evacuated via Alexandria to Reading hospital in England, where he was admitted on 27 October 1915.  It appears his gunshot wound had become infected and he was suffering from Septicaemia (blood poisoning). 

He did not recover and he succumbed to infection (there were very limited means of treating infection at that time - penicillin had yet to be discovered) on 14th December 1915.  Correspondence held by the family laments that Reading Hospital did not receive him sooner.

He was buried, in one of the cruel ironies of war, in Reading Cemetery only about 40 miles from his birthplace with his family now on the other side of the world.  the Reverend T.W. Beck from the nearby Wesley Church, officiated.

Olive was subsequently granted a pension of 70 pounds per annum, from 16 February 1916.

Records indicate a continuous flow of correspondence after the War as Albert's remains were re-interred in their eventual resting place under the auspices of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Albert Phillips was extensively commemorated around Adelaide as indicated in the Memorials section.  He was remembered as popular with his workmates and with his comrades in khaki.  

Awarded

1914/15 Star 4338

British War Medal 4724

Victory Medal 4723

Commemorative Plaque and scroll: 305769

Steve Larkins Dec 2013