The Pilot Online Edition » Blog Archive » Henry William (Bill) Phillips 1921

Henry William (Bill) Phillips 1921 – 2011

July 1st, 2012 by JCB
Posted in Obituaries | No Comments »

Bill Phillips died on the 19th December 2011 aged 90.

Although born in Belfast, Bill grew up in Haverfordwest and following education at Haverfordwest grammar school, at the age of 15 he went to sea with Cory Bros of Cardiff, his first ship being the Coryton.

After obtaining his 2nd Mates Certificate he spent the war years with the RFA where he was sunk twice on Arctic convoys. He was 3rd officer of the RFA Aldersdale on the ill fated PQ17 convoy when it was sunk by bombers after the convoy had been forced to scatter and abandoned by its Royal Navy escort (see below). With the lifeboats gone they were forced to take to the jolly boat and ended up stranded for three months in Archangel and Murmansk.

After the war and having obtained his Master`s certificate he joined the Plymouth pilotage service. In 1960 Bill, along with Sid Shapcott was asked by Trinity House, to open Milford Haven as a port and in the 1970’s he was elected a younger brother of Trinity House. He was forced to retire following the 1988 Pilotage Act since, aged 67, the Milford haven port authority wouldn’t employ him.

Bill was active in local politics, being a county councillor for many years, Chairman of the local health authority from 1982-92 and Chairman of the Pembrokeshire College. He was also a freeman of Haverfordwest.

Having undergone life saving surgery which caused him severe speech problems he joked that he would sue the surgeon for depriving him of a promising singing career.

Bill was held in high esteem by all who came into contact with him. He leaves to mourn, his wife of 64 years, Cicely, a daughter Dorothy, son in law Noel, three grandchildren, Jenny, Rachel and Peter and two great grandchildren Liam and Daniel.

Peter Ryder Milford Haven (Rtd)

PQ 17 CONVOY TO HELL

Convoy PQ17 will always be remembered as one of the most poignant disasters of WW2 when, faced with the threat of attack by a heavy German surface battle fleet, the Naval escort detached from the convoy to engage them and ordered the merchant ships to scatter and make their way independently to Archangel. Being within range of German bombers and with many U-boats patrolling the area the merchant vessels were subsequently subjected to a relentless attack which saw 24 of the 35 vessels from the convoy lost.

Following the war many books were written about the disastrous convoy but the most evocative was considered to be the harrowing account by the survivors contained within the book PQ 17 CONVOY TO HELL published in 1968.

As a tribute to the 153 seamen who perished Bill Phillips wrote the following poem that features on the flyleaf of the book to which he also contributed content.

Their bodies are laid, o’erclosed by fitful wave and swirling tide.

No headstone but the gleam of Northern Light;

No tears shed here, only rain and spray;

No voice of pity, but that of the wheeling gull.

Their shroud the long sea grass will be,

Their plot the shifting sea bed sand.

This book was reprinted in 2010 as a paperback and Kindle download. Original copies can also still be found.

JCB