Colin McMillan has provided the following:
Philip James Bullock was born into a fairly large middle class family of educated people. He was born in or about 1886 in Morpeth. We can trace him back as far as the 1891 census when he was 6. His father was 47 year old William Bullock, a teacher at an elementary school, who was born in Manchester. His mother was 43 year old Isabella, a retired teacher born in Aberdeen. Philip had seven siblings. The oldest of these was 16 year old Eleanor, a pupil teacher. The rest of the children were still at school. They were: Herbert Wilson Bullock (14), Elizabeth Howard Bullock (12), Charles William Bullock (10), Arthur Peverell Bullock (8), Leonard (3) and Constance Mary (1). They were all born in Morpeth. At the time they were living at 107 Newgate Street, Morpeth.
In 1901 the family were still living at the same address but tragically had lost two of its members: Arthur Peverell Bullock had died in 1894 when aged 11 and Eleanor had died two years later in 1896 when aged 21.
In April 1901 Philip began an apprenticeship with Parsons at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and this was completed on 5th April 1906 when he became a time served fitter. On 13th December 1906 he made and signed a declaration and took an oath witnessed by the attesting officer at Morpeth that he was “willing to be enlisted” into the Royal Engineers. He was 21 years and 8 months old, 5 feet 9 inches tall, fair of complexion with light brown hair and blue eyes when he was declared fit for service in the army on 19th December 1906.
Philip must have worked hard and had been well thought of as awards and promotion came fairly rapidly. He was appointed unpaid lance corporal on 17th September 1907 and awarded his first good conduct badge on 13th December 1908. Shortly after, on 10th January 1909 he was appointed paid lance corporal. He was promoted to “2nd corporal” on 3rd March 1912 and became a “fitter superior” on 7th June that year which meant an increase in pay of 1/8 (one shilling and 8 pence) and on 28th February 1913 2/- (2 shillings).
He had married, on 3rd December 1912, Hilda Evelyn Winifred Watkins at Gravesend Register Office.
On 1st June 1913 he was transferred to the training battalion and on 2nd September that year his service was extended to 12 years with the colours. On 2nd January 1914 a son was born to him and his wife and named Leonard William Bullock. On 5th August 1914, by which time the war had started, he was appointed corporal, followed a week later by a transfer to the 56th Company. His final promotion came on 18th November 1914, to acting sergeant. He was transferred to ‘D’ Company on 6th January 1915 and reverted back to corporal on 6th July that year. Most of his service was at “home”, that is to say in Britain. However, between 19th August 1914 and 6th January 1915 he served with the BEF in France.
Medically all was not well. A report recorded that he’d felt quite well till December 1914 but was invalided back from France in 1915. He was admitted to hospital but returned to full time duty later. In July 1915 he was readmitted and was operated on because of a fistula. Once again he was discharged to duty but his condition continued to deteriorate and on 13th November 1915 he was once again admitted to hospital at Chatham where he died on 12th December of tuberculosis of the lung. He and his wife and child were living at Gravesend at the time.
He had been mentioned in Despatches and was awarded the 1914 Star, The British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Philip James Bullock is remembered in Morpeth on M17.01 and M17.09
