REDENHALL - Lt Joseph Phillips Memorial

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Does anyone know much about this memorial at Redenhall, Norfolk.

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/DSC_0001-1.jpg

The inscription on it reads
"Joseph Phillips L RFC Canada Imp Branch”
dated 1917

Thanks

Richard

[pimpernel]

Lt Joseph Phillips, 21, flew his damaged biplane away from the populated area of Harleston in July 1917. In doing so he crashed in surrounding farmland.

Born in Canada, 2nd Lt Joseph Leo Phillips, RFC (25 Tr Sqn) died on 20 July 1917 and is buried at Norwich Cemetery. (not sure if this is in the UK or Canada)

If more info is required then a trip to Harleston museum might help you more.

Brian.

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HI Brian

Thanks for the information on the memorial - very quick resonse!

I hope you enjoy the forum

Richard

[REF]

I am trying to find out some more information about this memorial and apart from Brians information above can anyone help with the following;

What caused the plane to crash (I know it was damaged, but how)?
Where and when in Canada was Joeseph Phillips born?
What aircraft was he flying at the time and where was he flying from?

I will plan a trip up the road the the Harleston Museum in the hopes they will have more info too.

Cheers

[kebecker]

CWGC has his nationality as British, Son of the late Joseph Phillips and Ellen Christie Phillips however I will have a rummage about to see if I can find anything in my source. Norwich Cemetery is definately in Norfolk. Lt Phillips is buried in grave 24. 147.

The Canadian Virtual War Memorial (run by Veterans Affairs) lists Lt Phillips, not much additional information other than a page from the Roll of Honour
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/virtualmem/Detail&casualty=2803272

from the Great War Forum 2004 "adds that he was flying a Maurice Farman Shorthorn serial no. B2020 "

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Thanks alot kebecker - I have recently informed the local RAFA about the condition of the memorial and they don't want anything to do with the memorial, they don't have the time to look after memorials in the local area.

[REF]

2nd Lt Joseph Leo Phillips grave in Norwich Cemetery. Thanks to Jason for tracking the location down and also showing me it. Photos taken 13 July 2010.

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Norwich/20100713Norwich9-1.jpg
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Norwich/20100713Norwich3-1.jpg

[airfields man]

Ninety three years ago today. RIP.

[Michael Knights]

Great to find out a little bit more about this interesting monument, which we stumbled across on our way to Harleston last Autumn. We went past again last week and found that it has been replaced with a new concrete mini Pyramid, a bit like a trig point. The rustic wooden cross has gone? I couldn't see any obvious named plaque on it either> any more news please.
I'll try to get a photo shortly.

Mike

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Hi Mike

The memorial is being restored/replaced as the old wooden cross fell into a state of disrepair over the past few years. I am not yet sure when the new one will be finished but the concrete you see is the new base.

Welcome to the forum too!

Richard

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I got word yesterday that the new memorial had been put up, it has not yet set as you can see, there is still another plaque to go on the base of the memorial too. I took a quick ride up and took these photos;

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/20110423Redenhall1-1.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/20110423Redenhall8-1.jpg

[airfields man]

Well done REF, Nice photographs. Good to see that this neglected almost forgotten memorial has been resurrected so to speak. I will be over shortly...well next month anyway.

[jason]

Really good to see this has been replaced 'faithfully'. Look forward to seeing it in person once it's fully finished. Well done Rich for saving this from total decay.

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There is an article on page 28 of the EDP today about the re-dedication of the memorial to Joseph Leo Phillips yesterday, 94 years to the day after he lost his life.

Here are some photos I took yesterday at the ceremony

1. Sqn Ldr Paula Willmot (RAF Marham) looks on as Major Alex Bolt (Canadian Armed Forces in the UK) plants the Canadian Maple tree.
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/20110720Redenhall35-2.jpg

2. Major Alex Bolt places the Canadian Wreath at the memorial
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/20110720Redenhall49-2.jpg

3. The ceremonial party salutes the memorial as the bugle player plays The Last Post
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/20110720Redenhall56-2.jpg

4. The Lord Lieutanant of Norfolk representative, Mr John Alison with Major Alex Bolt and Sqn Ldr Paula Willmot at the memorial
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/20110720Redenhall95-2.jpg

5. Sqn Ldr Paula Willmot and Major Alex Bolt inspect the memorial
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/20110720Redenhall102-2.jpg

6. Major Alex Bolt looking at the memorial
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/20110720Redenhall122-2.jpg

7. Sqn Ldr Paula Willmot finishes planting the Canadian Maple tree
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/20110720Redenhall116-2.jpg

8. Looking up at the memorial to Lt Joseph Phillips
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/20110720Redenhall124-2.jpg

9. The memorial and canadian maple tree
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/20110720Redenhall135-2.jpg

10. Lt Joseph Leo Phillips Memorial
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/20110720Redenhall112-2.jpg

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These are scans of the Canadian WWI Book of Remembrance, 2nd Lt Phillips name can be seen at the bottom of the left column

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/BookofRemembrancepage1.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NORFOLK/Redenhall/BookofRemembrancepage2.jpg

[REF]

Some more of my notes, really summarising whats already been said and a little more.

On 20 July 1917, 2nd Lt Joseph Leo Phillips to off from RAF Thetford in a Maurice-Farman Shorthorn, s/n B2020. 2nd Lt Phillips was a 21 year old Canadian attached to No.25 Sqn and was on a training flight having recently completed his first solo flight.

It is thought that 2nd Lt Phillips had got lost as he ended up over 25 miles from Thetford and he crashed in a corn field on the Gawdy Hall Estate. He was taken by ambulance to the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital and died later that day of his injuries.

It is not known when the original memorial was dedicated but a restoration of the memorial was done in 1989 by Harleston RAFA. Since then the memorial fell into a derelict and overgrown estate and after contacting the local papers and contact made with Harleston Town Council, it was decided in 2010 that the memorial should be replaced.

After much hard work by Harleston Town Council and the help of a number of local companies and the local community, the Memorial was re-dedicated on 20 July 2011, 94 years after 2nd Lt Phillips lost his life. The old memorial now resides in the Harleston Museum with a display about the crash.