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Auction: 23111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 616

(x) Three: Corporal A. Phillips, Royal Marine Artillery, who served as Gunner aboard Princess Royal during the Battles at Heligoland Bight and Dogger Bank before being posted to the Royal Marine Artillery Howitzer Brigade, one of Churchill's less impressive schemes

1914-15 Star (R.M.A. 12632, Gr. A. Phillips.); British War and Victory Medals (R.M.A. 12632 Lce. Br. A. Phillips.), minor contact marks and edge bruising, very fine (3)

Alfred Philips was born at Hartlebury, Worcestershire on 25 November 1891, son of James and Elizabeth Phillips of The Burf, Astley, Stourport, Worcestershire. Enlisting at Birmingham on 11 April 1911 with the Royal Marine Artillery he was posted first to 'Q' Company as a Private. Transferred to the Battlecruiser Princess Royal as a Gunner on 14 November 1912 Philips was still with her on the outbreak of the Great War.

The Princess Royal was stationed with Beatty's Battlecruiser force on 28 August when they engaged a strong force of German destroyers at Heligoland Bight. They were instrumental in destroying the German Light Cruisers Koln and Ariadne. He was still with this unit on 24 January 1915 when the Squadron was again engaged, this time at Dogger Bank. Here she was engaged with the Derfflinger, though only hit her once, before moving with the rest of Squadron to engage Blücher. She made two hits during this final clash and is credited with firing the shot which crippled Blücher. The armoured cruiser eventually rolled over and sank under the combined weight of British fire. Princess Royal suffered no damage during the fighting.

Leaving Princess Royal on 17 February 1916 Phillips was posted to the Royal Marine Artillery Howitzer Brigade; the brainchild of Winston Churchill this unit was outfitted with 15-inch breech loading Siege Howitzers. Each of these massive weapons required a crew of 60 men and fired a 1,400 pound shell however an unimpressive range and their prohibitive size made them cumbersome and ultimately a waste of resources. With the end of the war Phillips was posted to Ramillies and served with her from 29 August 1919 - 9 May 1921. Later joining No. 8 Royal Marine Battery he was discharged on 20 June 1922; sold together with copied research including census data and service records.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£60

Starting price
£60