Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

Pte 49244 William Sydney Phillipson

Age: 19
From: Lancaster
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
Died Sunday 26th November 1916
Commemorated at: De Cusine Ravine B C Basseux
Panel Ref: E.1

(William) Sydney Phillipson was born on the 19th January 1897 in Lancaster, the son of Henry (Harry) Phillipson and his wife Bessie (née Reynolds). The birth registration shows the first name Sydney, with no middle name. All civil records (censuses, school records) show the name Sydney. His military records show the name William Sydney. It is possible that William was added after his baptism. His father born in Kendal, Westmorland, and his mother born in County Leitrim, Ireland, married in about 1890 and had seven children. Harry Silvester was born in 1891 in Brisbane, Australia, and Annie in 1893 in Sydney. The family then returned to the U.K. and settled in Lancaster, where Sydney was born in 1897, Ella in 1899, Maggie in 1902, Mary Agnes in 1904, and Thomas Robinson in 1909.

His father was born in Kendal, Westmorland, and his mother in Mohill, County Leitrim, Ireland. Passenger records show Henry arriving in Queensland on the 16th January 1886 on the “Dorunda”, and Bridget on the 08th March 1887 on the “Almora”. They were married in Queensland on the 18th September 1890 and went on to have seven children.

In 1901 the family is living at 12 Rosebery Avenue, Lancaster, with four children. His father is aged 37, and is a plasterer by trade, his mother, Bridget, is aged 34. Their son, Henry, is aged 9, Annie, is aged 7, Sydney, is aged 4 and Ella, is aged 1.

Sydney attended Greaves School from January 1907 until January 1911, when he turned 14.

On the 1911Ccensus his parents are still at 12 Rosebery Avenue, with Ella, aged 11, at school, Maggie, aged 8, Agnes, aged 6, and Thomas, aged 2. His father, Henry, is aged 47,and is a house plasterer, his mother, Bessie is aged 45. They advised that they had been married for married 20 years, and have had 7 children. Sydney, is aged 14, and is found as a farm labourer (servant) on the farm of George and Elizabeth Whitaker, West View, Scotforth, Lancaster.

Sydney enlisted in Lancaster in the 1st Battalion, of the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment as Private 24156. As his service record has not survived, the details are not known but the amount of the War Gratuity suggests he served under a year. He would have turned 19 in January 1916. The Borough of Lancaster Civic Reception H.M. Forces Report Form shows he served six months at home and three months in France. At some point Sydney was transferred to the 18th Battalion of The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment, with the regimental number 49244.

Sydney survived the Battle of the Somme, including the Battle of the Transloy Ridges in October. At the end of October the battalion moved north of the Somme to take over a section of the line opposite Bienvillers.

On 26 November 1916, the War Diary records,

“Casualties caused by dugout falling in - Wounded, shock and contusions Private W.J. Denny; Killed - Pte. S. Phillipson 49244, Pte. P. Lewis 13200, Pte. J. Turton. 24526.”

Sydney was only 19 years old when he died.

The Lancaster Guardian featured the details of William's death on 09th December 1916:

Phillipson William Sidney Private 20924 Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment killed in action when his dugout fell in, 1916, age 19, address 2 Rosebery Avenue, Lancaster educated at Greaves school, employed as a farm servant. Younger son of Mr and Mrs Harry Phillipson, his elder brother Private Harry is serving with the Royal Fusiliers and his sister Miss Phillipson is in the service of Doctor Cassidy, Lancaster Moor.

William now rests at De Cusine Ravine British Cemetery, Basseux, France.

800 metres South East of the village is a ravine called the Fosse de Berles, but known to the French troops (who had a field kitchen there) as the Ravin des Cusines; and on the further side of the ravine is the British Cemetery bearing a modified form of the French Army name. A French Military Cemetery close to it, also named from the ravine, has now been removed. The cemetery was begun by the 13th King's Royal Rifles in February, 1916, and used by units holding this front until March, 1917; one further burial took place in September, 1917. There are now over 60, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Two brothers are buried in Row C, graves 6 and 7. The cemetery covers an area of 615 square metres and is enclosed by a red brick wall.

He earned his two medals.

His father Henry received Sydney’s effects, Army Pay of £2 2s 5d and a War Gratuity of £3. The pension card shows his mother Mrs. Bridget Bessie Phillipson, at 2 Rosebery Avenue, Lancaster, received a pension of 12/6 a week.

His brother Harry served in the Royal Fusiliers, and later in the Machine Gun Corps. He was discharged in 1919 and received a 20% disability pension for a gunshot wound to the chest.

On the 1921 Census the family have moved to 1 Rosebery Avenue. His father, Henry, is aged 57, a journeyman plasterer, his mother, Bessie, is aged 54, Margaret, is aged 19 and Thomas, is aged 12.

His mother died in Lancaster in November 1928, aged 60 and was buried at Scotforth Cemetery, Lancaster. Based on her age, death/burial date of 23th November 1928 and her first child was named Henry, it is possible to speculate she was born on the 02nd June 1868 in Mohill, Co.Leitrim, the daughter of Henry and Ellen Reynolds (nee Hiraw).

In 1939 his widowed father is living with married daughter Annie in Blackpool.

In 1939 his widowed, father, date of birth on the 01st October 1863, is living with married daughter Annie E. Hardacre at 32 Durham Ave, Blackpool.

His father, died in 1941, aged 79.

Sadly, Sydney had not been found on any memorial.

We currently have no further information on William Sydney Phillipson, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

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