60737: Photograph and medals of Pte Evan Phillips
Creators: name: Project Team, Great War Archive
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 430304
subject: British history
classificationCode: 430308
subject: European history (excl. British, classical Greek and Roman)
classificationCode: 430316
subject: International history

description: A photograph of Pte Evan Phillips, wife Elizabeth and their two children Eva and David of the Viggin Farm, Maesmawr, Montgomeryshire (now Powys), Wales.A photograph of two brothers in uniform on horseback, Evan and Richard Phillips, sons of Mr and Mrs David Phillips of Moelygarth.A photocopy of a silk memento from the memorial service - held in Groes Chapel on behalf of Pte 60161 Evan Phillips.<br>Scan of 2 photographs of statutory medals sent to the bereaved family of Pte Evan Phillips.<br>Pte Evan Phillips (60161, 9th Batt. Welsh Regiment. No known grave. Name on Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke).Mrs Jones: Private Phillips was killed in the trenches in France in May 1918. Because of the desperate need for more men to replace the fallen Pte Phillips joined up in June 1917 and went out to France in the following November. His mate Lloyd Jones of Cefn-Ddu, Maesmawr told only his own mother of how Evan had died but both refused to relate it to his widow or parents. None of Evan's personal possessions were returned which included a much treasured silver watch. Just before he was killed he had a leave and spent it complying with the Agriculture rules to plough and sow certain crops for the war effort on his holding at the Viggin. Evan's daughter Eva related of hearing of her mother being so distraught at Evan's loss, that she stayed in her bedroom for weeks. Elizabeth had to leave the Viggin. Four brothers and sisters living at Stone House, Trelydan, bought Little Stone House, Maesmawr, where Mrs Phillips went to live which she successfully ran and provided a happy home for the two fatherless children (Eva aged two, David aged 5). They eventually bought Little Stone House which David continued to farm till he died in his 60s, and Eva became a brilliant seamstress.These images are a sample from a folder of research undertaken by Mrs Jones into the men named on the war memorial (1914-1919) of Guilsfield parish (near Welshpool, Montgomeryshire - now Powys, in Wales). The names include: Frank Arthur, Ernest Charlton, Edward Evans, Robert Evans, Fred Evans, Charles Galliers, Robert Gainsford, Edward Griffiths,John Higgins, Edwin Jones, James Jones, Charles Jones, William Jones, Alan Langlands, Edward Lloyd, John Lloyd, Richard Morgan, Edward Morris, John Owen, Evan Phillips, Herbert Trevor, David E. Bailey, Herbert Bailey, Arthur Gough, Charles Jones, George R. Jones, Arthur T. Lewis, Mathew W.H. Morris, Richard D.H. Mytton, Gruffydd V. Trevor. Representing a number of regiments of the army, also the Royal Navy and the Royal Flying Corps. Also evident is the volunteers who joined up early in the war, as well as the tribunals which decided that even though farming was a reserved occupation that man-power being so scarce some men would be compelled to join the army, leaving their families, their aging fathers, mothers, sisters and younger siblings to continue to provide food for the war effort - an insight into the home-front in rural Wales.