Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Phillips, a labourer, born 1855 in Easton, Northamptonshire and his wife Elizabeth Phillips (nee Claridge, married in the 3rd quarter of 1880 in the Market Harborough, Leicestershire district), born in the 4th quarter of 1856 in Pitsford, Northamptonshire. Tom was born in the 2nd quarter of 1890 in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, he had one sibling, Alfred Henry, born on the 6th March 1885 in Market Harborough, in April 1891 the family home was at Coach and Horses Yard, High Street, Market Harborough. In March 1901 Tom was residing in the family home at 22, Abbey Street, Market Harborough, together with his father, a general hawker, his mother and sibling Alfred, a hosiery trade sock machinist. In April 1911 Tom was absent from the family home at 11, Kings Road, Market Harborough, residing there was his father, a general hawker and his mother, Tom was serving as a Private with the 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment and was stationed at Floriana Barracks, Malta. He was recorded at birth as Tom Phillips, but is shown with the full name of Thomas during his military service.
Thomas’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he was a regular soldier having enlisted prior to 1911 into the Northamptonshire Regiment, being allotted the service number 8814, and was posted to the 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, in 1911 he was serving in Malta, stationed at Floriana Barracks, it has to be assumed that he was either still serving at the outbreak of war, or was mobilized as a Reservist and rejoined his Battalion, first entering the theatre of war in France on the 6th November 1914, he was killed in action on the 23rd of November, having served for only 18 days on active service. He was awarded the 1914 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 23 – 25 Nov-14 till 8.30pm – The Battalion was in trenches during this period. The Weather was milder and fairly fine and the trenches were not such slush drains as when we first went in. Braziers and coke were issued for warming the trenches and supplies of warm clothing chiefly warm vests were issued. These were in many cases supplemented by gifts from kind friends at home.
2nd Northamptonshire Regt.
APPENDIX IX.
Showing Casualties up to 30/11/14
also
State of the Battalion on that date.
CASUALTIES.
Other Ranks: Killed 18. Wounded 47. †
†Includes Lt. Col. C. S. Pritchard D.S.O.
Capt. C. A. Elston.
In Hospital.
All Ranks 250 (Approx).
including 4 Officers: Captain C. R. J. Mowatt, Lt’s. S. H. Beattie, W. G. M. Sparms, 2nd Lt. C. Z. de la P Beresford.
In nearly every case their admission was due to frost bite.
J. Power
Captain.
State of the Battalion.
Fighting Strength: 26 Officers. 714 Other Ranks. Total strength (including attached) 757.
Animals 57.
J. Power
Captain & Adjutant.
On Friday December 11th 1914 The Leicester Journal published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL CASUALTIES.” ROLL OF HONOUR. – A letter received from Private H. Lord, of the 2nd Northampton’s, states that Private A. Randall and Private T. Phillips, both of the 2nd Northampton’s, and both Market Harborough men, have been killed in action.