Captain G.B. Phipps RASC

Discussion in 'RASC' started by researchingreg, Nov 5, 2018.

  1. researchingreg

    researchingreg Well-Known Member

    On 21 October 2018 A new forum member Lordcompton sent me this message: "... Lordcompton Hi, I was Googling for 6th MAC RASC and came across this forum. I'm currently researching G B Phipps, who, as you said, helped in the formation of 11th MAC at Didcot in 1939. I was wondering if you came across any mention of Phipps in the diary for the Dunkirk period ? I have a feeling that Phipps didn't travel with the unit to France but I could be wrong. Any information appreciated.

    Best wishes

    David......."

    It sees this member has only made this contact with me since joining the Forum and has no other posts. However I have researched the man he was enquiring about and sent him a reply so I could get his e-mail and send on the info. However I have had no reply. So besides the War diaries I have here is the limited information I know about G.B.Phipps in case he ever looks at the Forum again:


    George Berridge Phipps born 28 July 1898:
    He joined the 2nd Bn Bedfordshire regiment and entered France 23 April 1918 when he was 19.
    He does not show up much in the Bedfordshire War Diaries here are some mentions:
    On 1 October 1918 2/Lt G.B. Phipps ceased to be attached to the 11th Bn Royal Fusiliers (a look at the war diaries of the Fusiliers might be useful) and returned to the 2nd Bn Bedfordshire Regiment who were relieved on the front line that day and proceeded to Pierregot.
    At the end of WW1 2nd Lt George Berridge Phipps was serving with the 2nd Bn Bedfordshire Regiment and his battalion was based at Sevigny France and he returned to England on 30 Mar 1919.
    He was later attached to the 10th Armoured Car Company Royal Tank Corps and served in India as a Lieutenant. He joined the Bedford and Herts regiment in 1922.
    I don’t have much more info on him until WW2. Perhaps you should get his Army record.

    In the preface to the 6th MAC RASC War diaries Aug- Sept 1939, he is shown as Captain G.B. Phipps (Royal Tank Corps) and the quote from the preface is as follows: “…..this Unit was originally raised in 1939 by Major E S Wheatley DFC with Captain G.B. Phipps RARO (Royal Tank Corps) under the supervision of the Berkshire T.A. Association Action – assistance was given at Didcot by a recruiting committee under the Presidency of Major Sir Ralph Glyn D.S.O. The first attestations (42) were completed on the night of 20 May 1939 on which night Lieutenant D.C. Williams TARO (RA) was incorporated into the unit. Further recruits were quickly forthcoming and were almost entirely local Didcot men with a percentage from Reading, Abingdon, Oxford, Maidenhead, Wallingford and Newbury. In May Lieutenant the Earl of Cardigan was appointed to a T.A. commission in the RASC and joined the unit from TARO (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry)….”

    (Note: my father-in-law Edward Lynch had already joined 11th MAC on 17 May 1939 and was absorbed into the new 6th MAC).

    By 25 August 1939 after the men had been trained, the ‘Key Party’ was embodied consisting of Major Wheatley, Captain Phipps, Lieutenant D.C. Williams, Sergeants Lynch and Hale and Sergeant Sadler.

    Sergeants E R Lynch and DJ Hale were immediately promoted to a commission. 31 August 1939 Lieutenant H.R. Fabery RAMC was appointed M.O. From this point the war diary begins: -

    Captain Phipps is mentioned on 3 Jan 1940 presiding over a conference for other ranks. When the unit sails to France on 10 Jan 1940 – Capt Phipps is not mentioned. However he is shown on the list of Officers in 6TH MAC in January 1940, and he is shown on the list of officers in February 1940 in France so he was serving in France with 6TH MAC.

    However it seems by May 1940 Lt Williams had been promoted to Captain – perhaps replacing Captain Phipps as he does not seem to be mentioned again during the action and retreat to Dunkirk in May 1940.

    I do not have further information on him

    Captain G.B. Phipps (10683) retired from the RASC on 18 December 1948 with the honorary rank of Major.

    I hope this helps in your research.




     
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2018
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