In Berwick upon Tweed Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of:
S. Phillips
Stoker. RNPS. LT/KX. 124640
H.M.S. Fortuna
5th April 1941
In life, one of the finest
In death, one of the brave.
The son of Thomas and Lucy Phillips and the husband of Winifred Phillips, of St. Ishmaels, Pembrokeshire.
The headstone also contains the name of Edward Robson
The Berwick Advertiser 17/04/1941 reports:-
SAILORS BURIED AT BERWICK
Five out of eleven bodies of sailors which were washed ashore on the North East coast having been drowned on active service were buried at Berwick Cemetery, on Thursday afternoon. The drowned men were: —Sidney Philips, Joshua Victor Wright, Stanley George Winsor, and Henry Jones. The other body was not identified.
Two other bodies, one a Greek, were washed ashore and were buried at Berwick Cemetery on Thursday morning.
The remaining four men washed ashore were taken to their home town for burial.
The coffins draped in the White Ensign were conveyed to Berwick Cemetery on two army lorries. A pipe band, with drums draped in black, rendered The Flowers of the Forest on the way to the cemetery and Lochaber No More at the graveside. The band was under Sergt. Shirley.
After the committal service nine buglers played The Last Post and Reveille.
A detachment of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers was present under Capt. J. A. Ridley Brown and Lieut. C. H. Halford. Naval units were commanded by Sub-Lieut. Roberts and Chief Skipper Rea. Others present were; The Mayor (Aid. J. Adams), The Sheriff (Coun. J. T. Ayre), Couns. Fleming, Douglass and Macnab; Mr F C. Normanton (Town Clerk), Commdr. G. Hilhouse, R.N., Messrs A. R. Little and D. McPherson (representing Spittal Special Constables); Super. J. W. Coxon and Inspector W. A. Smith (Berwick Constabulary); Coastguards Hicks, Angell and Wymer and representatives of Berwick A.F.S., under Section Officer H. Weatherbum.
The service at the graveside was conducted by a Naval Chaplain and the Rev. W. B. Hicks, Vicar of Berwick.
Sidney Phillips is remembered in our List of Ships’ Crews.
