Lieutenant H J W Phillips Memorial Plaque, Manly

The memorial is situated at the eastern entrance of The Corso on Steyne Reserve at Manly. Two sandstone gatepost pillars frame the entry to the reserve, with one of the pillars dedicated to the memory of Lieutenant Harry (Henry) J Weston Phillips. The pillar is engraved with 'The Corso' in large letters, with a rectangular marble plaque positioned at the base, inscribed with the dedication in black lettering and the date of the Armistice, 11 November 1918. 

Lieutenant Phillips enlisted in 1915 and was placed in charge of a detention barracks. He died in Athelston Private Hospital at Manly on 27 January 1916, aged 35, after injuries sustained from an accident when his horse fell on him (Australian Town and Country Journal, 2 February 1916). A short obituary was published in The Sun (Sydney) on 28 January 1916. Death notices from the family were printed in The Sydney Morning Herald on 29 January 1916.

The family donated two sandstone pillars in his memory at The Corso, Manly, however it is uncertain when they were installed. A history of the sandstone pillars is available at the History Hub entitled 'Corso sandstone pillars and urns'. Originally both pillars had large decorative urns on top suitable for floral decorations. It is not known when they were removed, although they were still in place in 1954.

Lieutenant Phillips was buried at Waverley Cemetery on 28 January following a service at Kirby's Mortuary at 7 Elizabeth Street, Sydney (The Daily Telegraph (Sydney), 28 January 1916). 

Information on the life of Lieutenant Phillips is available in the Northern Beaches Council Library Services History Hub. Service records for Lieutenant Phillips cannot be located in The AIF Project or in the Australian National Archives.