Branch of Service

Navy

Conflict

World War I (1914-1918)

Date of Enlistment

31/01/1916

Date of Discharge

09/07/1926

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

10/07/1901

Place of Birth

Uriarra ACT

Address (at enlistment)

Wollongong NSW (previously 'Sherwood' via Uriarra ACT)

Occupation

Sailor

Next of Kin

Hannah Phillips (aunt), Bourke Street, Wollongong NSW

Service Number

5506

Final Rank

Seaman

Final Unit

HMAS Encounter

Goulburn War Memorial

Bert Phillips was born on 10 July 1901 at 'Sherwood' near Uriarra, the younger brother of Harry Phillips. Their father died in 1902 in a shooting accident at Dingo Dell near Uriarra and their mother (a member of the pioneering Oldfield family) died in 1904. The boys and their sister Vera were raised by their grandparents at 'Sherwood'. Bert was living at South Hill Goulburn when he joined the Royal Australian Navy in January 1916 as a Boy 2nd Class on the training ship Tingira. He was subsequently posted to HMAS Encounter, HMAS Australia, HMAS Cerberus, HMAS Platypus and HMAS Geranium and spent the last years of his service up until 9 July 1926 at the Naval College. He later worked in Wollongong as an electrical contractor and married Sylvia Sloane in 1936. He died on 8 April 1980.

His brother-in-law, Harry Nicholson, also served in World War 1 and his nephew, James Nicholson, was killed in action during World War 2.

Description - height 4 feet 10 inches, fair complexion, blue eyes, fair hair.

NAA RecordSearch - Series A6770 (Service Cards for Petty Officers and Men, 1911-1970)
Bruce Moore, 'Cotter Country', 1999
Peter Procter, 'Biographical Register of Canberra and Queanbeyan', Canberra, Heraldry and Genealogy Society of Canberra, 2001 (p.255)
Stories from the ACT Memorial, 'Pioneer Family in two World Wars', ACT Heritage Library www.library.act.gov.au/find/history/stories_from_the_act_memorial
Images and information provided by Bill Chase
Information provided by Ian Phillips