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Sgt. Philip Brick DCM
British Army 39th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
from:Llandrindod Wells, Radnorshire, Wales
Philip Brick was my grandfather of whom I am very proud. He was born 16 December 1893 at Cravens Arms Shropshire England, the fourth of five children and second son of Edward Brick and Priscilla Evans. His father was a farmer and to supplement the family’s income, worked as a platelayer on the railways.
At the outbreak of World War 1, Philip answered the call to fight for his country. According to his military record he enlisted as a Bombadier in the 39th Siege Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery on 2 December 1915 and was sent to Sheerness Kent for training. On his enlistment he was living at 104 Grey Street Bootle, Lancashire, he being 21 years and 330 days of age and 5ft 6¾ in tall and his occupation was a clerk.
Philip went to France and Belgium and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions on 13 October 1916 at Butte de Warlencourt France, as it states in the London Gazette, "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He performed most valuable services under very heavy fire and by his courage and coolness set a splendid example to all."
He was promoted to Sergeant on the 7th of May 1917. It was around this time he was severely wounded, a fractured right tibia and fibula and from his discharge papers dated 31 May 1919 from the Royal Chelsea Hospital, it states "that as from 18 February 1919 he will receive a sum of 6d a day for as long as." After being wounded, Philip was sent to Rubery Hospital Birmingham to recover from his injuries and it was here he met a nurse Sarah (Ducie), who would later become his wife. Sarah was serving in Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Nursing Service.
Sarah Duncan (Ducie) Miller was born December 1890 in Toronto Ontario Canada, the eldest daughter of Alexander Getty Miller and Rachel Fleming both born in Antrim, Ireland. They married in Antrim Ireland on 22 January 1919. After they married the couple moved to Llandrindod Wells Radnorshire Wales and shared a house with Philip’s parents, Edward and Priscilla. There were three daughters born between 1920 and 1923. With their three daughters, Philip and Ducie decided to migrate to a new life in a new country, Australia. They boarded the ship Orama at Southampton on 5 March 1927 and arrived in Sydney on 13 April 1927. In 1933 Philip bought a small farm of 5 acres at St Marys NSW and a son was born soon after to complete their family. It was a small poultry farm with about 900 chickens, a couple of cows, and a horse. As the years passed Philip's health became progressively worse, caused mainly through his war injuries, and Ducie nursed him for many years until he passed away on 21 November 1938 aged just 45 years. Both Philip and Ducie are buried in St Mary’s Cemetery, Ducie passing away 14 September 1954.
