A native of Swansea, Reggie Phillips joined the Army at the outbreak of WW2 and was immediately posted to France, suggesting that he was either a reservist or in the Territorial Army. He returned to Swansea on leave in March 1940 and married Elizabeth (Betty) Arthurs.
He was based in Nantes as a clerk with No.1 Sub Depot RAOC. With the rapidly deteriorating situation in France, at 6pm on the 16th June 1940, he was evacuated to the port of Saint-Nazaire. His best friend, Pte Rees, was kept behind to destroy the unit's records and hardware, an order which in all probability saved his life. Reggie Phillips was one of some 5,000 plus servicemen and civilians aboard the ex-Cunard liner SS Lancastria when she was sunk by German air action off Saint-Nazaire on the afternoon of the 17th June and was listed as missing in action.
Throughout June and into mid-July his wife and family waited anxiously for news, making enquiries of Corps Headquarters, the Salvation Army and officers and friends in his unit. From these sources, the family began to slowly piece together details that he had been on the SS Lancastria and that she had been sunk.
The British Government had imposed a news blackout concerning the loss for fear of lowering morale in Britain and hence it was only after the story had broken in the USA, that on the 26th July 1940, the British government finally admitted to the loss of the vessel and the heavy loss of life.
The following day, the French authorities recovered a body off Tour Plantier on the island of Noirmoutier (some 20 miles south of Saint-Nazaire), which they positively identified as Pte Reginald John Phillips from his Army pay-book and ID tags. However, it was not until the 24th February 1941 that his family were officially notified by the War Office of his death. He is buried along with 17 other servicemen from this incident in the CWGC plot in the town cemetery of Noirmoutier.
The British Government had imposed a news blackout concerning the loss for fear of lowering morale in Britain and hence it was only after the story had broken in the USA, that on the 26th July 1940, the British government finally admitted to the loss of the vessel and the heavy loss of life.
The following day, the French authorities recovered a body off Tour Plantier on the island of Noirmoutier (some 20 miles south of Saint-Nazaire), which they positively identified as Pte Reginald John Phillips from his Army pay-book and ID tags. However, it was not until the 24th February 1941 that his family were officially notified by the War Office of his death. He is buried along with 17 other servicemen from this incident in the CWGC plot in the town cemetery of Noirmoutier.
To view some of the paperwork we have about Pte John Philips, click here.
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