Coin uncovers a hero’s story
Captain Ernest Philpott
IT all began with a shilling, a solitary little coin lying, hidden away at the back of a drawer.
And by ‘it,’ I refer to the 14-year labour of love which led journalist John Phillpott to publish the story of a World War One hero ... namely, his great uncle Ernest.
John first became curious about Ernest’s story when he was tidying a drawer at his home in Worcester and came across a Boer War Kruger shilling.
He suddenly recalled a family story about how the coin had been carried as a talisman by his late, great uncle, a soldier who fought with the Northamptonshire Regiment during the opening battles of World War One in France and Flanders.
The find sparked an ambitious literary project to uncover as much information as he could, not only about his great uncle’s life, but also about the regiment in which he served.
John explained: “The shilling had been passed down the family from my father to me and we knew it had belonged to my great uncle, Captain Ernest Phillpott. I only knew that he was a family hero, it was the story of the family that he had rescued a man in World War One during the first battle of Ypres.”
John has recently published his e-book, The Shilling, which describes the fascinating facts and stories he uncovered during more than a decade of research.
To find out more, John travelled throughout much of Europe, tracing the journey of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) after its arrival at French ports in August 1914 and following the army’s route as it advanced to stem the German invasion of Belgium.
He also found important archive information at both Abington Park Museum in Northampton and the Kew public records office in London.
Mr Phillpott, aged 61, said: “I discovered that Colour Sergeant Ernest Phillpott was the first man to be commissioned in the field during World War One, eventually rising to the rank of captain.
“This was quite an achievement for a working class man who had left school at the age of 13.
“I tried to be as faithful as possible to the original route taken by the BEF.
“From Le Havre, where the Northamptonshires landed, I went to Mons in Belgium, the site of the first battle involving the British Army. I then traced the line of its withdrawal – the legendary Retreat from Mons – crossing the rivers Aisne and Marne where the German flank had been finally turned.
“That action brought about the so-called ‘race to the sea’ and this was why my journey ended at Ypres.”
But what of the story of heroism which had been passed down the Phillpott family?
John learned not only that his relative had been shot while carrying a seriously injured fellow officer to safety, but also the location of the actual field outside Ypres where the terrible incident had happened.
Mr Phillpott explained: “The British soldiers were outnumbered seven to one at the first Battle of Ypres.
“For more than two weeks, they held the Germans at bay.
“Then at noon on October 31, 1914, the thinned ranks of exhausted men buckled and broke.
“The line would be restored two hours later by the heroic action of the Worcestershires at Gheluvelt.
“Despite the mortal danger, my great uncle stayed behind to help his friend and was shot through the shoulder dragging him to safety.
“After the war, the wounded man – his commanding officer, Major Harold Cartwright – presented my great uncle with a silver teapot as an expression of his gratitude.
“This is a story of great fortitude, steadfast loyalty and remarkable courage in the face of overwhelming odds.
“The sacrifice of the small army that left Britain in the hot summer of that fateful year has largely been forgotten now.
“But my account will hopefully help to put that right.”
Since his discoveries, John has even made contact with a descendant of the man Ernest saved, namely Harold’s grandson, Robert Cartwright.
In November he hopes that he and Robert will be able to visit Belgium together to visit the site where the dramatic rescue happened.
Ernest went on to serve at The Somme but was “invalided out” when he contracted the kidney disease, nephritis.
He eventually died in 1929 at the age of 49 and today has no direct living descendants.
John said; “There were various reasons I took on his project.
“I felt that the story of these Northamptonshire soldiers had never properly been told.
“Also my great uncle had two children but both died childless so there is no one left from his side of the family.
“I felt I had to tell his story.”
The Shilling has been published as an e-book by Graficas Books.
It can be downloaded by visiting Amazon.co.uk using a Kindle or similar device.
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