William Phillips

February 05, 2025

William Phillips

1941 Firemen and Trimmers were still used in the Royal Navy.

Fireman and Trimmer William Phillips, who served with the Merchant Navy on board the S.S. Baron Carnegie, lost his life when the ship was sunk by torpedoed by a German aircraft.

S.S. Baron Carnegie

S.S. Baron Carnegie was a British cargo steamer built in 1925 by Dunlop Bremner & Co, Port Glasgow, Ardrossan. On the 11^th of June 1941, she was torpedoed by German aircraft 15 miles W of St Davids Head on passage from Swansea for Takoradi in ballast.

S.S. Baron Carnegie later sunk, whilst in tow, 25 crew of the 39 lost their lives.

The names of the men who were killed and where they are buried/commemorated are below.

Surname	Forenames	Age	Rank	Cemetery/Memorial	Additional Information
Beard	Edgar Ross	45	Chief Officer	Llanwnda Cemetery	Son of Roland and Annie Beard; husband of Amy Irene Beard, of Glasgow
Begley	Arthur Charles	35	Fireman and Trimmer	Southport (Duke Street) Cemetery	Son of Bartholomew and Emily Begley; husband of Kathleen Phylis Begley of Barry Dock Glamorgan.
Brophy	Bernard	34	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son of William Brophy and M. Brophy of Swansea.
Bruce	William	23	Third Engineer Officer	Tower Hill Memorial
Clark	James Pert	19	Apprentice	Tower Hill Memorial	Son of Donald Morrison Clark and Annie Pert Clark.
Gay	Laurence John	20	Second Radio Office	Cheam (St. Dunstan) Churchyard	Son of Thomas William Gay and Ethel Rebecca Gay of Cheam.
Gervaise	Thomas Edwin Marshall	24	Ordinary Seaman	Tower Hill Memorial	Son of Patrick Sarsfield Gervaise and Lily May Gervaise.
Johansen	Sigurd	60	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial	Native of Norway.
Malcolm	Robert Dickson	55	Fourth Engineer Officer	Cardiff (Cathays) Cemetery	Son of James and Margaret Dickson Malcolm.
Millican	Harold	43	Second Engineer Officer	Flimby Cemetery, Maryport
Morrison	Neil	40	Steward	Tower Hill Memorial	Husband of Mary Morrison of Oban Argyllshire.
McTurk	John Wallace Lyon	28	Third Officer	Kilmarnock Cemetery
Nicholls	Marcus Hugh	24	Sailor	Tower Hill Memorial	Son of Lilian Nicholls of Cadoxton Barry Glamorgan; husband of Caroline A. Nicholls of Treorchy Glamorgan.
Partridge	Horace	22	Ordinary Seaman	Tower Hill Memorial	Son of Gertrude Maud Partridge; stepson of Gwilym M. Perkins of Barry Glamorgan.
Phillips	David William Richard	21	Able Seaman	Ammanford Cemetery	Son of James George Phillips and Mary Bronwyn Phillips of Ammanford.
Phillips	William	30	Fireman and Trimmer	Swansea (Danygraig) Cemetery	Son of William and Margaret Ellen Phillips of Swansea.
Reed	David William	18	Cabin Boy	Tower Hill Memorial
Rideout	Kenneth	18	Mess Room Boy	Sunningdale (Holy Trinity) Churchyard
Scale	David John	21	Seaman	Swansea (Morriston) Cemetery	Husband of Beatrice Scale of Town Hill Swansea.
Scott	Matthew Sykes	18	Apprentice	Tower Hill Memorial	Son of George Sykes Scott and Grace Sykes Scott of Glasgow.
Wallace	Edward James	22	Boy	Tower Hill Memorial
Yeoumans	Alfred Frank	32	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son of Alfred Thomas Yeoumans and Dora Dark Yeoumans of Town Hill Swansea.

William Phillips, who was born in 1911 was the son of William and Margaret Ellen Phillips.

At the time of the 1921 Census, William, aged 10 lived at his parents’ home, 5 Jeffreys Place, Oystermouth Road.

1921 Census

William, 43, was a Lodging Housekeeper. His lodging house was located at Fisher Street. Margaret was 40, and she was the wife of the Keeper.

Their children were Redvers, 20, who was employed as a Motor Driver. Redvers had served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. Doris, 17; and Violet, 15, both of whom were Domestic Servants. Annie, 13; Willie, 10; James, 8, and Aubrey 6, all attended school.

In March 1939, William had married Dora B. C. Molyneux. The couple was residing at 32 Brunswick Street. By the time of the 1939 Register, William had been serving with the Merchant Navy.