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QSA (1) CC (Lieut. J. C. Philips. Middx. Rgt.);
IGS 1908 (1) North West Frontier 1908 (Ltt. J. C. Philips 28th. Panjabis.) minor official correction to unit;
1914-15 Star (Capt. J. C. Philips, 28/Punjabis.);
BWM and VM (Major. J. C. Philips.);
IGS 1908 (1) Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (Maj. J. C. Philips, 2-56 Pjbis.);
GSM (1) Iraq (Major. J. C. Philips.);
Defence Medal;
Italy, Kingdom, Order of the Crown, Knight’s breast badge, gold and enamel,

Order of the Crown of Italy, Knight, London Gazette 31 August 1917.

James Charles Philips was born in 1881 at Bareilly, India, the son of Major J. J. Philips, Indian Army. Commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 4th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment) on 18 January 1900, he served in the Cape Colony with the 6th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment during the Boer War.

Seconded to the Indian Army on 6 March 1903, Philips was posted to the 28th Punjabis at Nowshera with effect from 8 September 1903. He resigned his commission on 14 March 1906, but was promoted Double Company Officer and Adjutant on 12 April 1907. He served in the Zakka Khel campaign with the 28th Punjabis in 1908, was advanced Captain on 19 February 1909, and was attached to 1st N.W. Railway Volunteer Rifles in 1912.

Philips served in East Africa continuously during the Great War from November 1914 to July 1917, and was advanced Major on 1 September 1915 and served as Staff Captain, 1st East African Infantry Brigade, March-July 1916. He was present at the battle of Salaita in March 1916 and the attack on Latema Nek, 11-12 March; the advance to the Ruvu, 18 March; the action at Kahe, 21 March; and General Smut's first offensive in 1916. He served as Commandant, Lines of Communication, from July to December 1916, as Deputy Assistant Adjutant General.

Philips was awarded the Italian Order of the Crown, 5th Class (London Gazette 31 August 1917) – an unusual award to the Indian Army for East Africa. His wife, Enid Philips, was also honoured for this theatre, being appointed M.B.E. (Civil) dated 1 January 1919, ‘For valuable services rendered to the East African Expeditionary Force’ (London Gazette 22 March 1919).

Philips subsequently served with the war-raised 2/56th Punjabis from June 1917. In May 1919, they were stationed at Quetta as part of the Baluchistan Force on the Southern Front and remained there as part of the force under General Wapshare ready to take action in Southern Afghanistan via the Khojak Pass if necessary, or to defend Baluchistan against Afghan incursions. In mid-July 1919, as preparations were being made for a peace conference, a small force including the 2-56th was moved to New Chaman ready to attack an Afghan concentration at Murgha Chaman if the negotiations failed. The force was sniped at continually in July and early August and the lines of communication were threatened by tribal bands. However, the conclusion of a peace treaty on 8 August 1919 ended enemy activity on this front.

Philips went on the serve in the Iraq Rebellion, 1920-21, with 2/56th Punjabis and for some time with 2/119th Regiment. He was appointed Acting Lieutenant-Colonel in September 1919 whilst commanding a Battalion of 2/153rd Infantry, and Lieutenant-Colonel with the 15th Punjabis on 1 February 1923. He transferred to the Unemployed List in August 1927, but was restored to Full Pay in March 1928 as recruiting Officer in Rawalpindi.

Philips retired to England in September 1930, and lived in Sandhurst until 1939. He died in Clifton, Bristol, in 1956.

From the next Lawrences Auctioneers' sale:

QS (1) Cape Colony (Lt R St.J Carmichael, W. Rid Rgt.)

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QSA (1) Cape Colony (1598 L. Serjt: E. Nicholson. Cape M.R.);
KSA (2) (1598 Serjt. E. Nicholson. Cape M.R.);
Cape of Good Hope LS&GC Ed VII (1598. Sergt. E. Nicholson. Cape M.R.)

Edward Nicholson enlisted in the Cape Mounted Rifles at King William’s Town on 5 November 1884, and was promoted Corporal on 21 November 1890; Lance Sergeant on 9 December 1896; and Sergeant on 1 February 1902. He was discharged on 30 June 1903, and subsequently joined the Colonial Ordnance Department.

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QSA (1) Cape Colony (2364 S/Serjt. J. Rae, ..O.C.) suspension slack;
Army LS&GC EdVII (2364 St Sgt J. Rae. A.O.C.)

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QSA (1) CC (1170 Pte. J. T. Edwin, C.I.V.)

John Thomas Edwin was born in Tring, Hertforsdshire in 1873. A plumber by occupation, he joined the 2nd Middlesex Artillery Volunteers in 1891 and served with G Company in the City Imperial Volunteers Infantry Battalion during the Boer War. He was invalided to England in June 1900, whereafter a claimant for relief from the CIV Families Fund named both him and G Pegg (also of the 2nd Middlesex Artillery Volunteers) as her sons.

Together with the recipient’s Freedom of the City of London parchment certificate and a copy of ‘Rules for the Conduct of Life’, a booklet which accompanied the Freedom of the City; an original photograph of the recipient in uniform; and a silver topped C.I.V. swagger stick inscribed ‘1170 Pte. J. L. Edwin. G. Coy.’.

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Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, (1) Alexandria 11th July (Rev: A. P. Hill, HMS “Inflexible.”);
QSA (1) Cape Colony (Rev: A. P. Hill. BA, R.N.) engraved naming;
Khedive’s Star 1882, reverse engraved ‘Rev. A. P. Hill.’

The Reverend Arthur Price Hill was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and was ordained Deacon in 1878, and Priest in 1879. He was appointed a Royal Naval Chaplain on 14 December 1880, and served initially in HMS Defence, before transferring to HMS Inflexible in 1881. He served in her at the Bombardment of Alexandria on 11 July 1882, and during the subsequent Egyptian War. Between 1884 and 1893 he saw further service in H.M. Ships Neptune, Repulse, Rupert, Monarch, Flora, Penelope, Northumberland, and Alexandra.

Appointed to R.N. Hospital Haslar in 1893, Hill served as Chaplain there for three years before being posted to the Royal Dockyard, Cape of Good Hope, in 1896 and saw active service during the Boer War. After further appointments at the Royal Marine Artillery Barracks at Eastney (1901-05), and H.M. Dockyard, Portsmouth (1905-10), he was appointed Chaplain to H.M. Embassy at Vienna on 1 September 1910, and was still serving there at the start of the Great War. Returning to Vienna following the cessation of hostilities, he died there on 28 November 1924, aged 70.