Private Sydney Phillips 23057 16th Battn. R.W.F.
Some of Sydney’s sad story can be found with that of his brothers, on the Flintshire War memorial website: http://www.flintshirewarmemorials.com/memorials/hanmer/hanmer-soldiers-ww1/phillips-george-frederick/
He was born Sydney Middleton, on 9th January 1888 in Claverley, Shropshire. His mother Mary Middleton was unmarried but two years later she married George Phillips and Sydney adopted the Phillips’ surname.
- 1891 described as a ‘Nursing Child’ with the Reynolds family at Bag’s Cottage, Alverley, Shropshire
- 1901 Living at Field House, Wigland with his mother, step father & siblings
- 1911 working as a domestic gardener at The Bothy, Blithfield Gardens, Rugeley, Staffs
He enlisted 25th January 1915 in Wrexham and served until the end of 1916. He was obviously traumatised by the atrocities of the war, not only through his own experiences but also from the death of two of his brothers, who died in action on the same day in July 1916.
Sydney sent articles about his experiences, to the local newspaper The Whitchurch Herald, and two of his articles were published in March & April 1916. The first was entitled ‘A Bombardment’, the second ‘A Night March’.
Sydney had a breakdown and collapsed in the trenches. He had spells in hospital and was discharged from the army on 5th September 1916 medically unfit. Sidney never really recovered. He returned home to Horseman’s Green, to help his father George in the grocery business. He lived his later life with his sister Elsie in the post office and shop that she ran in Horseman’s Green.
Sidney died on 28th of January 1956 aged 67 and was buried with his sister in St. Chads churchyard in Hanmer. His obituary from the Herald, states that he was a former member of Hanmer Parish Church choir and the Drama Group.
Hanmer WW1 