Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Menin Road Ridge 1917’ M.C. group of four awarded to Captain R. C. Phillips, 1/6th (Rifles) Battalion, Liverpool Regiment

Military Cross, G.V.R.; 1914-15 Star (2176 Pte. R. C. Phillips. L’Pool R.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. R. C. Phillips.) good very fine (4) £800-£1,000

M.C. London Gazette 6 April 1918:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He did valuable work in forming up the battalion for an attack, and, though wounded, went forward in the attack. He assisted in reorganising the advance when it became somewhat disorganised, and was again wounded.’

Robert Cairns Phillips was born in Scotland in 1894. Before the war he was working in the cotton trade in Liverpool. He joined the 5th Battalion, Liverpool Regiment, in 1914 and served in France from 21 February 1915, receiving early promotion to Corporal. He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the 1/6th Battalion, Liverpool Regiment (Liverpool Rifles) on 16 January 1916, going into “A” Company. Known to his fellow officers as ‘RAB’, he served with the Liverpool Rifles on the Somme in August 1916. Promoted to Captain in 1917 and on 31 July 1917 the battalion attacked at Ypres. During the second phase of the battle, on 20th September, he won the M.C. in the battle of the Menin Road Ridge, during which fight he was twice wounded. In 1918 he was Adjutant of his battalion.

He returned to Liverpool after the War to continue his work in the cotton trade, eventually starting his own firm of cotton brokers under the name of Robert Cairns. He died in Liverpool on 2 October 1961, aged 67, and is buried at Landican Cemetery.

Sold with research including an original group photograph, two copied photographs, and several copied sketches of Phillips drawn by the chaplain Rev. P. Fisher in the period 1916-19.