2733926 Company Quartermaster Serjeant Horace Cyril PHILLIPS, MBE, 1 Welsh Guards: POW

Discussion in 'The Brigade of Guards' started by dbf, Dec 14, 2019.

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    Date of Enlistment: 12 December 1934
    Army Number: 2733926
    Rank: Company Quartermaster Serjeant
    Name: Horace Cyril PHILLIPS, MBE
    Unit: 1 Welsh Guards

    Date of Birth: 27 March 1913 or 1915
    Place of Birth: Chepstow

    Date of Capture: 27 May 1940
    Place of Capture: Cassel, France

    POW Number: 7575
    POW Camps: Stalag XXA, Stalag 383



    London Gazette : 13 June 1970
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/45117/supplement/6370/data.pdf
    THE QUEEN has been graciously pleased, on the occasion of the Celebration of Her Majesty's Birthday, to give orders for the following pro- motions in, and appointments to, the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: —
    M.B.E.
    To be Ordinary Members of the Military Division of the said Most Excellent Order :
    2733926 Warrant Officer Class I Cyril Horace PHILLIPS, Welsh Guards.
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2023
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    Name: Horace Phillips . Date of Birth: 27/03/1913 . Place of Birth: Chepstow . ... | The National Archives
    Reference: WO 416/289/154
    Name: Horace Phillips.
    Date of Birth: 27/03/1913.
    Place of Birth: Chepstow.
    Service: British Army.
    Rank: Guardsman.
    Regiment/Unit/Squadron: Welsh Guards.
    Service Number: 2733926.
    Date of Capture: 27/05/1940.
    Theatre of Capture: Cassel.
    Camp Name/Number: Stalag XXA Thorn.
    PoW number: 7575.
    Date of Death: [unspecified].
    Number of Photographs: 0.
    Number of Fingerprints: 0.
    Number of X-rays: 0.
    Number of Cards: 1.
    Date: [1939-1945]
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2023
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    View Record via Ancestry

    PART I.
    GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE FOR BRITISH/AMERICAN EX-PRISONERS OF WAR.

    1. No.
    2733926
    RANK - C.Q.M.S.
    SURNAME - PHILLIPS
    CHRISTIAN NAMES - HORACE CYRIL
    DECORATIONS -

    2. UNIT (ARMY) -
    1st WELSH GUARDS

    3. DIVISION (ARMY) -

    4. DATE OF BIRTH -
    27/3/1915

    5. DATE OF ENLISTMENT -
    12/12/34

    6. CIVILIAN TRADE OR PROFESSION -
    BUTCHER

    7. PRIVATE ADDRESS -
    27 ROCKWOOD RD, GARDEN CITY CHEPSTOW, MON. ENGLAND

    8. PLACE AND DATE OF ORIGINAL CAPTURE -
    CASSEL FRANCE, MAY 27 1940

    9. WERE YOU WOUNDED WHEN CAPTURED? -
    NO

    10. MAIN CAMPS OR HOSPITALS IN WHICH IMPRISONED
    Camp No. / Location / From / Till

    STALAG XXA THORN POLAND 9/6/40 - SEPT 1942
    STALAG 383 GERMANY SEPT 42 - APRIL 23 1945

    Screenshot 2023-12-04 at 22.38.54.png

    11. WERE YOU IN A WORKING CAMP?
    Location / From/ Till / Nature of Work

    THORN - CAMP STAFF
    Screenshot 2023-12-04 at 22.38.59.png

    12. DID YOU SUFFER FROM ANY SERIOUS ILLNESSES WHILE A P/W?
    Nature of Illness / Cause / Duration

    -
    12 b. DID YOU RECEIVE ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT?
    -


    GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET

    1. No.
    2733926
    RANK - C.Q.M.S.
    SURNAME - PHILLIPS
    CHRISTIAN NAMES - HORACE CYRIL


    2. LECTURES before Capture:
    ( a ) Were you lectured in your unit on how to behave the event of capture? (State where, when and by whom).

    YES. FRANCE, 1940. CAPT. MOORE-GWYNN
    ( b ) Were you lectured on escape and evasion? (State where, when and by whom.
    YES. FRANCE, 1940. CAPT. MOORE-GWYNN

    3. INTERROGATION after capture:
    Were you specially interrogated by the enemy? (State where, when and methods employed by enemy).

    -

    4. ESCAPES attempted:
    Did yo make any attempted or partly successful escapes? (Give details of each attempt accurately, stating where, when, method employed, names of your companions, wherein when recaptured and by whom. Were you physically fit? What happened to your companions?)

    -

    5. SABOTAGE
    Did you do any sabotage or destruction of enemy factory plant, war material, communications, etc, when employed on working-parties or during escape? (Give details, places and dates.)

    -

    6. COLLABORATION with enemy:
    Do you know of any British or American personnel who collaborated with the enemy or in any way helped the enemy agains other Allied Prisoners of War? (Give details, names of persons concerned, camps, dates and nature of collaboration or help given to enemy).

    -

    7. WAR CRIMES
    If you have any information or evidence of bad treatment by the enemy to yourself or to others, or knowledge of any enemy violation of Geneva Convention you should ask for a copy of "Form Q" on which to make your statement.
    (NOTE: Form Q is a separate form inviting information on "War Crimes" and describes the kind of offences coning under this title.)



    GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET
    (continued)

    8. Have you any other matter of any kind you wish to bring to notice?

    -


    SECURITY UNDERTAKING
    I fully realise that all information relating the matters covered by the questions in Part II. are of a highly secret and official nature.

    I have had explained to me and fully understand that under Defence Regulations or U.S.A.R. 380-5 I am forbidden to publish or communicate any information concerning these matters.

    Date
    8/5/45
    Signature HC Phillips, CQMS
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2023
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    Philips, Horace Cyril (Oral history)
    Object description
    • British NCO served with 1st Bn Welsh Guards, General Headquarters, British Expeditionary Force in GB and France, 9/1939-5/1940
    Content description
    • REEL 1 Recollections of enlistment, training and service with 1st Bn Welsh Guards in GB and Gibraltar, 1934-1939: reasons for enlistment, 21/12/1934; duties; training and manoeuvres; stand by role during plebiscite in Czechoslovakia, 1938; conditions of service and training at Gibraltar, 1939; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; unit organisation and weapons; absorption of recruits; raising of 2nd Bn Welsh Guards. Recollections of period as NCO with 1st Bn Welsh Guards, General Headquarters, British Expeditionary Force in Arras, France, 10/1939-5/1940: voyage from GB to France, 9/1939-10/1939; prior visits to France; train journey; duties guarding General Headquarters, British Expeditionary Force at Arras; living conditions; duties on promotion to company quartermaster sergeant; relations with French civilians.
    • REEL 2 Continues: organisation of guard duties; rations; pay parades; scares and rumours; training; guarding Lord Gort's billet; gas training; prior recollection of effects of Abdication Crisis, 1936. Recollections of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Welsh Guards, General Headquarters, British Expeditionary Force in France, 5/1940: news of German attack, 10/5/1940; taking up defensive positions round Arras; German Air Force activity; use of battalion drummers as anti-aircraft personnel; German attack on Arras; success in holding bridge; presence of German snipers in railway marshalling yards; defence of Arras; prior training in street fighting; supply problems.
    • REEL 3 Continues: defence of bridge and problem with refugees; location of company headquarters in crypt; effects of German Air Force bombing; supply problems and requisitioning Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) stores; water and ammunition supply; positioning of anti-tanks guns on bridge; orders to 'fight to death'; defensive preparations; hand grenades; orders to evacuate positions; move through Arras and rejoining rest of unit; advance in battle order; formation of 'B' echelon; refugee problem; effects of low-level German Air Force attacks; effects of German Air Force bombing attack on crowded village; medical assistance to French civilians; move to Cassel.
    • REEL 4 Continues: preparations for attack; skirmishes with German motorcycle troops; advance and contact; water shortage; story of being ambushed and captured whilst acting as traffic controller; initial treatment as prisoner of war; impressions of German Army troops; beginning march as prisoner of war towards Germany.
     
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    Last edited: Dec 4, 2023

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