Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Lot 3682    SESSION 13 (2.30PM THURSDAY 4TH APRIL)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Estimate $20,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $19,000

GROUP OF EIGHT WITH CMG, DSO and MID (7): The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (Companion CMG) neck badge; Distinguished Service Order (GVR); 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19 with MID; Jubilee Medal 1935; Coronation Medal 1937; USA Army Distinguished Service Medal. The first, second, sixth and seventh medals unnamed, Captain. O.F.Phillips. 2/F.A.Bde. A.I.F. on third medal, T/Brig-Gen. O F Phillips. A.I.F. on fourth medal, T-Brig-Gen. O.F.Phillips. A.I.F. on fifth medal, last medal unnamed but edge numbered 670. All named and numbered medals impressed. The first medal with neck ribbon, the remaining medals swing mounted, very fine.

Together with original swing mounted set of matching miniatures; case for CMG by Garrard & Co Ltd; Anzac Commemorative Medallion 1915, issued in 1967, in bronze (50x75mm) (C.1915/3), named to O.F.Phillips, with case of issue; unofficial case for storing medal group.

Research suggests WWII service entitlement to War Medal 1939-45 and Australia Service Medal 1939-45, however, advice from Army Medals Section on 18Apr2000 (letter included with lot) states that no record of WWII service could be located (they state that this is not uncommon) and accordingly they were unable to determine any medal entitlement.

Jubilee Medal 1935 confirmed to Brig Gen O.F.Phillips CMG, DSO, ADC.

Coronation Medal 1937 confirmed to Maj Gen O.F.Phillips CMG, DSO (AMF).

Appointed Aide de Camp to Governor General 2.6.1924-31.1.1929.

Appointed Aide de Camp to The King 4.9.1933-30.6.1937.

CMG: LG 3/6/1919, p6793; CAG 15/9/1919, p1370.
Recommendation: A keen and capable C.R.A. During the period from August 8th 1918 to cessation of hostilities, including operations at Villers Bretonneux, Mont St Quentin, Beaurevoir Line and Montbrehain, his work was of the highest order. His frequent reports, based on personal reconnaissance, were of the greatest value.

DSO: LG 1/11/1917, p28; CAG 29/6/1917, p1389.
Recommendation: Lt-Colonel Phillips joined the A.I.F. 10.8.14 and commanded 4th Battery 2nd F.A.Brigade at ANZAC. He joined 5th Divisional Artillery 12.3.16 and has commanded the 14th F.A.Bde from that date. He organised and trained the Brigade with considerable zeal and ability. Since July last he has commanded the right group, during this time he has shown marked ability and resource in the tactical handling and administration of the group. This was especially the case during the Petillon operations on 19th/20th July, when his command consisted of eleven batteries. He has throughout shown zeal, energy and devotion to duty of a high order.

MID: Mentioned 7 times as follows;
(1st occasion) LG 5/11/1915, p11001; CAG 27/1/1916, p156.
(2nd occasion) LG 28/1/1916, p1207; CAG 6/4/1916, p861.
(3rd occasion) LG 4/1/1917, p254; CAG 29/6/1917, p1391.
(4th occasion) LG 28/12/1917, p13564; CAG 18/4/1918, p842.
Recommendation: For conspicuous ability and devotion to duty in the Field when commanding the Advanced Guard Artillery in March 1917, when the enemy fell back on the Hindenburg Line, including the actions around Morchies and Beaumetz. Again, in the capable manner in which he handled his Brigade when the enemy penetrated our lines at Lagnicourt on the morning of 15th April 1917. Also, at Ypres, when commanding a Group in the recent operations from 19th July to 6th September 1917.
(5th occasion) LG 28/5/1918, p6200; CAG 24/10/1918, p2055.
(6th occasion) LG 31/12/1918, p15225; CAG 23/5/1919, p878.
(7th occasion) LG 11/7/1919, p8827; CAG 30/10/1919, p1653.

USA Army DSM: LG 12/7/1919, p8938; CAG 17/10/1919, p1531.

Awarded Brevet Major RAFA in AIF 1/4/1916 (AIF List 71) to date from 1/12/1915.

Awarded Brevet Lt-Colonel in AMF 1/1/1918 for specially Meritorious work rendered on Active Service during the War to date from 24/9/1917 (AIF Orders List 279).

Recommended for the following Italian knighthood but no record of it being awarded.

Italy Order of St Maurice and St Lazarus (Cavalier).
Recommendation: (5Feb1917) During the campaign at ANZAC, Gallipoli, rendered conspicuous service and very gallant service by placing his Battery in the high lands and pushing his guns forward and fighting them from forward positions. This officer also rendered conspicuous service in supporting raids and attacks in vicinity of Fleurbaix. Was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's despatches dated 13/11/1916 and awarded the DSO (Authority A.I.F. List 138, dated 25/1/1917)

Official Reports Praising Major Phillips' Work

(Report 1) This officer's battery performed conspicuously good work during the action of the afternoon of 30th May 1915. The battery was ordered to co-operate with the New Zealand Artillery in an infantry enterprise on Quinn's Post. They opened and continued a steady fire over the enemy's trenches with excellent results for four and a half hours, during the whole of which time they were subjected to an intense cross fire from the enemy's field and heavy guns. This battery was engaged in a similar task early in the morning of 19th May with the same excellent results.

Major Phillips was the first field artillery officer to bring the field guns of the Australian Division into action on the 25th April, the day of the landing, and was able to silence an enemy battery near Kaba Tepe which the Navy had been unable to locate and which had been doing great damage to Australian troops during the day. From that time onwards Major Phillips frequently fought his battery under most difficult conditions and under heavy shell fire, and for days observed and directed the fire of his guns from a forward position of extreme danger.

The Brigadier-General Commanding Divisional Artillery considers the success which has attended the actions of the 4th battery and the comparatively small loss, considering the fire to which it has been subjected, is due to Major Phillips' skill and judgment in emplacing the guns and fighting his battery.

(Report 2) I desire to bring to notice of the G.O.C. 1st Aust: Div: the conspicuously good work performed by the 4th Battery under Major O.F.Phillips R.A.FA. during the action of the afternoon of 30.5.15.

The Battery was ordered to co-operate with N.Z.Art: in an enterprise at Quinns Post. - They opened and continued a steady fire over the enemy trenches with excellent results for 4 1/2 hours during the whole of which time they were subjected to an intense cross fire from enemy field and heavy guns. I attribute their small loss viz 1 man killed 1 wounded and one gun put out of action to the excellent siting entrenching and concealment of the Battery.

The work done by this Battery in the early morning of the 19th May under very similar conditions was also excellent, in fact although constantly under heavy fire its work has been uniformly good and of the utmost value during the whole time it has been emplaced in its present position. I consider the officer commanding the Battery, Major Phillips, deserves the very greatest credit for the results achieved.
(handwritten report by J.T.Hobbs, Col Commanding Arty 1st Aust Div, Anzac Cove 1/6/1915)

Owen Forbes Phillips, soldier, born 09Jun1882 at Warwick, Qld; educated at The Armidale School, NSW; appt'd Lt Queensland Artillery Force 09Jun1900; Lt RAA 13Apr1901; to RAFA 01Dec1910; to Capt 01Feb1911, Major 17Sep1914; Emb.20Oct1914 with 2FAB as OC 4th Battery; ops in Gallipoli from 25Apr1915 (see reports above on his work on the 'Landing Day' and at Quinn's Post); to Tel el Kebir camp 20Aug1915; to 14FAB 27Feb1916; to Lt-Col 12Mar1916; Emb.20Mar1916 for Marseilles and then ops in France and Flanders including Pozieres, Bullecourt, The Somme, Ypres and Hindenburg Line; to Brigadier 08Oct1917 with 2 Div Arty; Appt'd Temp CO 2 Div 26Feb-06Mar1919; RTA 03May1919; Appt terminated 19Aug1919 and to Staff Corps, PMF with Arty Trg Section AHQs; Chief Instructor School of Arty, North Head 01Sep1919-30Apr1921 and again 01Oct1923-31Dec1924; to Colonel 01May1926; Asst QMG 1 Cavalry Div to 1926; CO 4 MD, Adelaide, Sth Aust 1926-29; to Brigadier 03Jan1929; Director of Ordnance Services AHQs Melb 1929-33; CO 2 MD, Sydney, NSW 1933-34; QMG Aust Army 11Jul1934; to Maj Gen 01Jul1936; QMG and Master General of the Ordnance (MGO) 15Sep1938; Inspector Coastal & Anti Aircraft Defences Aust 13Oct1939; to Retired List 09Jun1942; Died 15May1966 and buried at New Cheltenham Cemetery, Cheltenham, Vic.

With copy of Service File and other research.