Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1918-12-31
FELLOW OFFICERS EULOGIZE
LIEUT.. WALTER PHILLIPS


to that effect. A notice from Arthur
j. Coyle, first lieutenant of the Aero
Squadron stated that Lieut.. Phillips
had been sent out on mission on
October l. and failed to return, al
tho they hoped that at some future
date he would return safely.
The first tidings Of this sad affair
came with the following letter to
Mrs. Walter Phillips at Nixon, Texas:
First Aero Squadron, A. Il. f.
October 9th,
My Dear Mrs. Phillips.
After spending a few short weeks.
but particularly after living and
working together for six months, 1t
is very, very hard to see our COM
rades fly off not to return. Walter
Phillips and have been thrown more
or less together since the first of
May, a finer, cleaner fellow never
lived, and believe me | write you
with the fullest appreciation of and
deepest sympathy for your loss.
His pilot, 1t. Fox, and he were do
ing important work in connection
with the artillers. They were at
tackled by four German planes, hope
lessly outnumbered. they crashed.
They died doing their duty as so
many other brave men are dying, yet
1t is terribly hard for those that love
them.
Walters equipment is packed and
will be sent to you. How | wish /
could do something to make this be-
reavement easier for you. yet there
Is nothing, is there?
Desiring again to express my sym
pathy and that of his companions in
arms. am.
Very sincerely.
Joseph II. Farnham.
The following brief summary of
1t. Phillips work has been written
by Major Jno. G. Towns. Camp Trav-
is. Texas:
Walter Anderson Phillips, lst Lieu
tenant 18th Field Artillery. attached
to the lst Aero Squadron, American
Expeditionary Forces, France, was
killed in action October lst, 1918.
Lieutenant Phillips entered the lst
Officers Training Camp. Preside,
California, May Sth. 1917. He was
among the graduates OF the first
camps given commissions as Prov's
ional Second Lieutenants in the Reg
ular Army, being assigned to the
18th Field Artillery. Camp Travis,
Texas.
His educational and physical quail
flcations fitted him for the Artillery,
his choice of the branches of the SER
vice, and during the period of in
tensive training on the artillery
range at Leon Springs. Texas, in
preparation for duty overseas, his
excellent work and soldierly quail
ties attracted the attention of his
regimental commander, Colonel Lam
"a, who recommended his promotion |
and selected him for advanced artil-
lery training
In the spring of 1918, Lieutenant
Phillips was sent ahead of his regi- |
ment, with the advance detail of the
18th Field Artillery from Camp Nc
Arthur, Waco, Texas. to France, for
special training in Artillery observa-
ton.
He attended the Artillery school at
Saumer. the work including French
and Llason. After completing the
course at Saumer he was detailed to
attend the Artillery Observers school
at Tours.
He wrote interesting letters OF
the school at Tours; yet spoke Of
how glad he would be to finish the
many requirements of the courses in
Radio, Signals. CodesI and Aerial
Photography; that flying was inter-
estlng and gave one an opportunity
to be of greater service in "the
Great Game"
In May, while at the finishing
school at Bordeaux, he was offered
a staff detail but declined, stating
that 1t was his desire to remain ac-
tive in Aerial Observation. In Bor-
ieaux he finished the course in Aeri-
al Gunnery at the head of class OF
seventy and was ordered to Toul,
and assigned to the First Aero Squad
ron. as an Artillery Observer.
In writing of his death, one Of his
brother officers said, "a braver nor
cleaner fellow never lived" That
he met his death October 1st, 1918,
while doing important observation
work in connection with the Artil-
cry. That he and his pilot were at
.acked by four German Battle planes,
and being hopelessly outnumbered,
we're shot down.
Lieut.. Phillips was "a years Of
lge, and had spent much of his life
n Ashland where he attended the