Chief Communications Yeoman Peter Phillips
Class 270 Visual Signalling HMS St George summer 1945
Chief Communications Yeoman Peter Phillips joined the Royal Navy in 1944. He trained as a Visual Signaller (Signalman)) at HMS St George from 1944 to 1945 and qualified just as WW2 was coming to an end. The photo above is that of his course - Class 270 V/S taken in the summer of 1945. Prior to joining he had taught himself Morse code. Peter is centre row far right. Also in the photo is CYS Ralph Pescod and CPO Tel Cox(?).
Front row centre is his Divisional Officer, Lt E.F. Gueritz, DSC and bar. Later Lt Gueritz became a Rear Admiral and acted in the role of Beach Master on Sword Beach in June 1944. After 19 days under fire he sustained a serious head injury from shrapnel and was no doubt appointed to HMS St George to assist in his recuperation.
By early 1946 Peter was serving in the Far East in HMS Glory.
Communications Division HMS Glory 1946.
Peter is 5th from left in front row standing. Also in the photo is Captain Walter T Couchman RN (sporting wings) and Rear Admiral Arthur Robin Moore Bridge RN, Flag Officer (Air) British Pacific Fleet and East Indies.
This next photo shows Peter at the 10 inch signal projector.
Later Peter served in HMS Theseus when Rear Admiral George Creasey transferred his flag , and later during the Korean conflict he served in another carrier HMS Ocean. The following photo is of Peter sitting near the 10 inch signal projector (wearing the cap). On the back of the photo he had written 'having a yarn with Bill'.
Promoted to Yeoman he then served again in the Far East in HMS Cockade, 1956 to 1958. After leaving the Royal Navy, Peter then served in the RNR Mersey division until 1966 and during this time was promoted to Chief Communications Yeoman.
The following photo was believed to have been taken in Guernsey whilst there on exercises with other 'Ton' class ships, probably 1965. This last photo is of Peter again on the 10 inch signal projector on HMS Mersey (ex HMS Pollington) M1173.
