| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Philip Stuart Whipp was born in Hornsea in 1896 the son of Albert Edward Whipp, the managing director of a steam shipping company, and Emilie Marion (nee Dyson). Philip had two older siblings, Kathleen who became a nurse, and William, a clerk in a shipping company who later became the British Consul at Ghent, Belgium. While Philip was still a child the family moved firstly to Croydon, Surrey, then to Great Warley, near Brentwood, Essex. Philip was sent to boarding school in Sussex, to Shoreham Grammar School, Shoreham-by-Sea.
Philip attested for military service on 7 Dec 1915, stating his occupation as War Office clerk. He was placed on the Army Reserve until 26 Apr 1916, when he was posted to the Hertfordshire Regiment. He served with this regiment in England until 19 Aug 1916 when he was transferred to the 6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, and embarked for service in France on 31 Aug 1916. On 10 Sep 1916, he was transferred to 1st/5th Duke of Wellington's (West Riding of Yorkshire) Regiment and promptly went into action with this regiment.
On 3 Sep 1916 the Battalion was involved in an attack on the Schwaben Redoubt during the battles of the Somme and suffered severe casualties, replacements were required urgently and Philip was one of the new arrivals who were rushed forward. The Battalion was subjected to heavy shelling at Leipzig Salient on 15 Sep. They took over the trenches in front of Gommecourt on 9 Oct, Philip was killed on 13 Oct 1916. He was 20 years old. He was buried in Foncquevillers Military Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |