William Phillips papers

Box 1: 6 messages and signals sheets (23 March-11 April 1916, nd); Telegram (7 February 1916); Press cuttings relating to Kut and POWs (Prisoners of War) in Turkey (24 October 1919-8 December 1922, nd); Press cutting of The Times obituary of Lieutenant-Colonel E.W.C. Sandes (26 February 1973); Press reprint relating to the Eighth Annual Dinner of the Kut Garrison Dinner Club (nd); Extract "Besieged: Some Memories of Kut", by E.H. Keeling, from The Listener (6 May 1931); Typescript copy of communiqu to the Turkish Commander-in-Chief (29 April 1916); Manuscript letter from G.R. Rae, Kut Garrison Dinner Club (8 July 1964); Seventh and Eighth Annual Dinner menus of the Kut Garrison Dinner Club (25 April 1936, 1 May 1937); Leaflet 'If the Call Comes' (nd); Extract 'The Garrison of Kut: Memories of Siege and Relief at Reunion' (nd); Typescript list of known survivors of Kut-el-Amara (1 November 1969, amended 17 June 1973); Manuscript letter to Mrs Phillips from E.H. Keeling (19 March 1918); 42 mainly manuscript letters to his mother, some with envelopes, typed transcripts and photocopies and one with playing card souvenir (25 August 1914-9 November 1915); Ceylon Contingent Farewell Dinner menu (19 October 1914); Typescript extracts from diary relating to the Siege of Kut, 5 December 1915-29 April 1916, with notes and rsum (nd); Typescript extracts from diary relating to the journey to England after the Armistice with Turkey, 15 November 1918-2 January 1919 (nd); Typescript notes on published book The Cook and the Commandant by C.W. Hill (nd); Typescript career history (nd); 42 manuscript letters to his mother and sister, Gracie, whilst a POW (Prisoner of War) in Turkey (23 December 1916-20 October 1918); 7 postcards to his mother (14 August 1916-26 July 1917); Manuscript letter from A.Y. Wright, a Wesleyan Chaplain (25 January 1917); Manuscript letter from Brevet-Colonel A. Annesley, written on behalf of POWs (Prisoners of War) at Kastamuni, to the War Office (nd); Manuscript letter from E.H. Keeling to Mrs Phillips (19 August 1918); Typescript letter from E.M. Pollock, Foreign Office, to Mrs Phillips (10 April 1918); Typescript letter to Peter Liddle from Eileen Wynell-Mayow (11 May 1981). Box 2: Photocopy of diary of Siege of Kut, 5 December 1915-2 February 1919 (nd); Typescript diary recollections 'Repatriation', and renamed 'Return from Captivity', with manuscript annotations, written for Blackwood's Magazine but not published (nd); Notebook of manuscript recollections written whilst a POW (Prisoner of War) in Turkey (1915); Photograph album (1915); 32 photographs (December 1914-July 1915, nd) 76 small photographs (1915, 1919). Box 3: Scroll photograph of 40th Divisional Supply Unit (1915); Diary of Siege of Kut-el-Amara (5 December 1915-2 February 1919); Kantara Military Railway movement order (23 June 1919); Pass (23 June 1919); Press cutting of obituary of Sir Leonard Woolley, a fellow POW (Prisoner of War) in Turkey, from The Times (22 February 1960); 4 manuscript letters to his mother (2-29 July 1919, 13-29 August 1922); Typescript extract from India Army order (24 December 1917); Memorandum regarding accounts (12 August 1921); Dispersal certificate (10 August 1919); Embarkation pass (nd); Manuscript letter to his mother, regarding a visit to Ceylon by the Prince of Wales (27 March 1922); RAF (Royal Air Force) concert programme (nd); Typescript letter from the Colonial Secretary's Office, Colombo, relating to the award of the Ceylon War Medallion (30 October 1922); Manuscript correspondence relating to family matters and to natural history (27 Mar 1910-25 Nov 1924); Tracing of map of Kut-el-Amara during the siege, 4 December 1915-29 April 1916 (nd); 2 manuscript letters from David Kerrve to Mrs Phillips (30 April 1916, 4 May 1916); 14 manuscript letters from his mother and family, some with prayer cards and Christmas cards, and some heavily censored (26 October 1915-13 December 1918); 5 British Red Cross postcards (18 June-20 August 1916, nd); Soldier's Pay Book (27 September 1914); Miscellaneous ration books and cards (17 October 1918, nd); Manuscript letter to Mrs Phillips from Sybil Lecky, wife of a former POW (Prisoner of War) from the Siege of Kut-el-Amara (26 December 1918). Box 4: Papers of his mother, Annie Phillips, including press cuttings (26 July 1917, 12 April-2 May 1918, 15 May 1922, 24 May 1924, 25 October 1975); Scrapbook of photographs, cards, stamps, press cuttings etc (1914-1918); Manuscript notebook of lists and papers relating to her son's internment in Turkey as POW (Prisoner of War) (21 April 1915-16 October 1918); Leaflets regarding correspondence and parcels for POW (Prisoner of War) in Turkey (6 May 1916-13 December 1917, nd); Typescript letter to Mrs Phillips relating to the release of POWs (Prisoners of War) in Turkey (12 November 1918); Typescript letter to Mrs Phillips relating to the transfer of POWs (Prisoners of War) in Turkey (3 May 1918); Visitors' Declaration forms for food rationing (nd); Money Order Issue certificate (2 October 1917); Manuscript letter to Mrs Phillips from Private W.G. Wheiler (26 January 1918); Manuscript letter to Mrs Phillips from Sybil Lecky of the Prisoners in Turkey Committee (27 June 1918); 2 telegrams (14 July 1919, 21 July 1919); Booklet "Afion-Kara-Hissar Camp: Notes for relatives of British Prisoners of War in Turkey", with covering letter (25 January 1918); 2 issues of the Afion-Kara-Hissar Gazette (20 June 1918, 22 July 1918).

William Watt Addison Phillips (1892-1981) was born at Nuneaton, Warwickshire. As a Private, later Corporal, Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps, and Lieutenant, 24th Battalion, Punjabi Regiment, he served in Mesopotamia. He was held POW (Prisoner of War) after the Siege of Kut. He also served as Staff Officer, Punjabi Regiment, during the Second World War. Later he became a Major.

Boxes 1-4

Access is unrestricted.

The papers were placed in the Collection by Major W.W.A. Phillips.

In English.

Mesopotamia catalogue (hard copy) http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/spcoll/liddle/index.htm

Microfilmed.