Private Philip Robert William SOUTAR

New Zealand Expeditionary Force  - WWI

 


Service Number: 52481

3rd Bn. Wellington Regiment

Born: 18 May 1877 - Opotiki, NZ

Date of death: 20 December 1917,  age 40

Status: KIA

 

 

 

Buried in Buttes New British Cemetery, Belgium Plot I. B. 3.


Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal


BIOGRAPHY

Philip was the 5th of 8 children, 4 sisters and 3 brothers, of Alexander Chalmers and Jane Elizabeth Soutar, originally from Scotland.

 

4 sisters and 3 brothers

  1. Edmund Soutar - °JAN 1868 • Opotiki, Bay of Plenty, NZ - +6 JUL 1959 • NZ
  2. Ronald Soutar - °JAN 1871 • Opotiki, Bay of Plenty, NZ - +11 OCT 1916 • Whakatane, Bay of Plenty • NZ
  3. Marion Elizabeth Soutar - ° APR 1873 • NZ - +18 DEC 1911 • NZ
  4. Kenneth Norman Soutar - °APR 1875 • NZ - +29 MAY 1927 • Whakatane, Bay of Plenty • NZ
  5. Philip Robert William Soutar - °18 MAY 1877 • Opotiki, Bay of Plenty, NZ - 20 DEC 1917 • France
  6. Amy Jane Soutar - °10 FEB 1880 • Opotiki, Bay of Plenty, NZ - +13 MAY 1957 • NZ
  7. Lucy Soutar - °2 MAR 1884 • Opotiki, Bay of Plenty, NZ- +1961 • NZ
  8. Brenda Soutar - ° JUL 1885 • Opotiki, Bay of Plenty, NZ - +7 FEB 1946 • NZ

 

Before World War One, Philip Soutar was a 37 year old farmer near Whakatane. He had a Maori life partner, Kathleen PINE, and two 2 children, Pine Winnie Irene and Pine Kathleen.  And was also the financial support for his sister Brenda.

 

He did 4 years volunteer service in the Whakatane Mounted Rifles, after this he went for his medical and was declared fit for service on December 22, 1916.  He enlisted on January 19, 1917.

 

Height: 5ft 6' (1,70 m)

Weight: 8" 9 lb (57 kg)

Complexion: Fair

Eyes: blue

Hair: dark brown

 

His training period was at Trentham and Featherston,  April 9, 1917: Posted to "E" Company 28th and Apr 28, 1917: Transferred to "E" Company 27th.

 

On June 12th 1917 Philip embarked NZ from Wellington aboard the HMNZT 87 - Tahiti.  

They disembarked on August 16, 1917 in Devonport, UK.

 

Marched in 1st Wellington Company, August 16, 1917.

Proceeded overseas October 1, 1917, left for France 4th Bn Wellington Regiment "B" Company. And on October 4, 1917 attached strength at Etaples.

 

Philip went into action on October 8, 1917, 7th Company, 3rd Bn Wellington Regiment and headed for Ypres, Belgium, the battle around Polygon Wood in November 1917.  

 

In December 1917, the New Zealanders were involved in ‘holding the line’ on Broodseinde Ridge.  

 

On 20 December 1917, Private Philip Soutar was killed. His Service Record only states “Killed in Action … In the Field.” and buried in the Buttes New British Cemetery.


In 2014 I made a remembrance statue at the CWxRM (Coming World Remember Me) project.

 

Every statue in this project is linked to a soldier of the Great War and this one is for Philip Soutar.


MILITARY RECORDS

 

Soutar_Philip
PDF – 6,3 MB