Away from the Western Front : 28th – 29th July, 1917.

        Captain Tattersall DSO

The warning recorded about the dangerous currents off the beaches near Gaza proved to be horribly accurate. The war diary, usually so concise and impersonal, recorded the death and funeral of Captain Tattersall with more detail than usual.

Philip Tattershall had grown up in the Gray’s Inn Road in Holborn, not far from the Finsbury Rifles drill hall in Pentonville. His father had run a small business as an ecclesiastical furnisher and the family lived above ‘the shop’. After the death of his parents in the 1890s, he moved with his siblings, an aunt and cousin to Acre Lane, Brixton. He was still at school -possibly the City of London School for Boys- aged 15 in 1901 but by 1911 was working as a clerk in a bank.

A well-liked officer in the battalion, he had served in Gallipoli. He was promoted from Lieutenant to Captain in July 1916 and was awarded the DSO after the first two battles of Gaza in spring 1917. He was mentioned in dispatches in the list of honours put forward by Lt-Gen Murray in June 1917. This only came through in January 1918, some 5 months after his death. Perhaps it offered some comfort to his surviving sisters and brothers.

Date: 28/7/17

Battn finding working parties of 1 officer and 50 of ranks for defence works of Welsh and 7 LINT Redruths respectively also parties of 1 officer and 50 of ranks such for Barry HQ (Suffolk) and 270 Bde RFA – remainder of Batt employed on training. Draft inspected by commanding officer at 09.00. A most regrettable accident occurred about 16.15, Capt PCP Tattersall DSO being accidentally drowned whilst bathing from the foreshore here. Capt Tattersall was a non-swimmer and was carried into deep water by the backward of an exceptionally large wave. The surf on this coast being at all times heavy, with very powerful currents and …wash. It was noticed to be under in difficulties by the other officers bathing at the time but inspite of everything, that was done and very gallant personal efforts on the parts of 2/LT.H.L Windsor and 2/LT A. Smith to save him (the latter nearly losing his own life in the attempt) he was carried into deep water and drowned. Valuable aid was also rendered by the following all of this Battn. 2 /LT MORGAN RFN LEE WELTONWR 4511SY 450232 RFN LINNEY AJ 451145 Rfn MARTIN WN, 2 LT A SMITH was pulled from the water in the nick of time and was only revived by artificial respiration ,he has since been sent into hospital

Capt Tattersall’s body was recovered about 5 or 6 minutes after the time he was first noticed to be in difficulties. …. endeavour was made to restore life. Artificial respiration being resorted to for over 1 ½ hours with no avail. The M.O (Capt Cummins) who was present throughout then pronounced life to be extinct.  Being confirmed in his opinion by the M.O of the 1/5 Bedfords who was sent for at the time the accident happened.

Date: 29/7/17

(Sunday) Holy Communion celebrated at 08.00 by Chaplain 1/10 London at these HQs – Capt Tattersall’s body conveyed to DEIR.EL.BELAH MILITARY CEMETERY. Funeral was conducted by the chaplain (The Revd DIXON SPAIN) and the mourners were Lt Col AH WINDSOR CMG, MAJOR F S HAMMOND CAPT W S OWEN CAPT HEILGERS, LIEUT ROBERTSON 2^ND LIEUT WYNN EVANS 2^ND LIEUT HL WINDSOR and a representative party of NCOs and men from B coy( the late officer’s company). The MO was also present, as also was Lt Col BIEDSO from 2/25 BN LONDON REGT and late adjutant of the BN. The funeral took place at 0915 at which time BRIGADIER GENERAL A MUDGE, COMMANDER OF 162^nd INF brigade accompanied by 2^nd Lt WB GOSTLING