Military service
Burial/memorial information
Son of Edwin and Rachel Phillips of Montreal, Quebec.
He worked as a printer’s apprentice before volunteering for service with the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942 during the Second World War. Only 21 years old when he enlisted, he would go on to work as a mechanic with the No. 168 Heavy Transport Squadron and rise to the rank of sergeant. As part of his duties, Phillips would sometimes accompany transatlantic cargo flights.
The eastern European country of Poland had suffered greatly during the Second World War and there was a serious shortage of medical supplies. The Canadian Red Cross donated tons of penicillin in response to the humanitarian crisis there after the end of the war and the military agreed to transport it overseas from Canada.
On November 4, 1945, the Flying Fortress aircraft carrying the vitally needed medicine to Warsaw, Poland crashed into a hilltop near Halle, Germany and burst into flames. Phillips and the four other crew members onboard were killed in the accident. The fallen Canadian airmen are buried at Munster Heath Cemetery in Germany.
Commemorated on Canada's Air Force Poland Humanitarian Plaque.
Digital gallery of Sergeant Edwin Erwin Phillips
Digital gallery of
Sergeant Edwin Erwin Phillips
Digital gallery of
Sergeant Edwin Erwin Phillips
Digital gallery of
Sergeant Edwin Erwin Phillips
Digital gallery of
Sergeant Edwin Erwin Phillips
Digital gallery of
Sergeant Edwin Erwin Phillips
Digital gallery of
Sergeant Edwin Erwin Phillips
Digital gallery of
Sergeant Edwin Erwin Phillips
Digital gallery of
Sergeant Edwin Erwin Phillips
Digital gallery of
Sergeant Edwin Erwin Phillips
Image gallery
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 554 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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MUNSTER HEATH WAR CEMETERY Germany
Munster is 57 kilometres south west of Osnabruck, and 62 kilometres north west of Dortmund. The MUNSTER HEATH WAR CEMETERY is 11 kilometres north east of the town of Munster, 3 kilometres north of the main road to Telgte and Osnabruck.
Munster can be approached from the A43 or A1. Both motorways take you to the junction 'Kreuz Munster Sud'. From this junction follow the 51A road which becomes the 51 road to Telgte. When passing the railway station 'Haudorf' take the first road left which leads to the civil cemetery 'Waldfriedhof Lauheide'.
MUNSTER HEATH WAR CEMETERY is signposted within the civil cemetery (with CWGC signs).
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Poppy Design is a trademark of The Royal Canadian Legion (Dominion Command) and is used with permission. Click here to learn more about the poppy.
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