In memory of Philip John Walsh
Philip John Walsh lived at 7 Whinacres, in the Morfa area of Conwy, writes Adrian Hughes. His parents were Philip and Mary Walsh. He was educated at St Joseph’s School in Colwyn Bay and then Freshfield College, Liverpool.
After leaving school he took up a position with Braids Brothers in Colwyn Bay, a firm of motor engineers. He was an active member of Conwy Liberal Club.
Philip volunteered to join the Royal Air Force in 1941. After basic training he specialised as a wireless operator and air gunner, and was sent to 547 Squadron. As part of Coastal Command, the squadron scoured the seas for German naval ships and submarines that were a threat to British shipping convoys.
On 8 October 1943 he was in a Wellington bomber which suffered a catastrophic structural failure while coming in to land at the end of a routine flight from RAF Davidstow Moor in Cornwall to Dunkeswell Aerodrome in Devon. At 30 metres (100ft) above ground, the starboard wing broke off. This caused the aircraft to roll twice, crash on the runway and catch fire. All on board were killed including Sergeant Philip Walsh, who was 21 years old.
After the accident his body was brought back home to Conwy and a service was held at St Michael’s Catholic Church. As a youngster he had been an altar boy there. He was buried with full military honours at St Agnes cemetery, Conwy.
This was a double tragedy for Philip’s mother. She had received news seven months earlier that her second husband, Vincent Moss, had been killed in action in Burma while serving with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Before the outbreak of the Second World War, Vincent worked for grocery retailer Dunphy’s in Conwy but as an army reservist he was called up at the outbreak of hostilities.
Return to listing page (Conwy cenotaph)
