The news will be received with great regret in the Amman Valley that Captain the Hon. Roland Philipps, heir of Lord St. David’s of Lydstep Haven, near Tenby, was killed in action in France on July 7th during an attack on the Prussian Guards.

The greatest sympathy is felt with Lord St. David’s, who has now lost both sons – his only children – the elder, Captain the Hon. Colwyn Philipps, Royal Horse Guards, having been killed May, 1915.

Captain Roland Philipps, who was born in 1890, had been at the front with the Royal Fusiliers for more than a year, and April last was given the Military Cross, the official record stating that “while seriously wounded he killed four of the enemy with his revolver and repelled all attacks upon his position.” He was a most popular officer, and exercised a wonderful influence for good among his men.

Captain Philipps was regarded as one of the rising hopes of Wales. Although only 26 years of age, he had identified himself with a number of movements – religious, political, and social – in which his personal support was a most valuable asset.

In his native Pembrokeshire he had manifested the keenest interest in the welfare of the rural workers. In Carmarthenshire he will be remembered for his brilliant debut at Ammanford some years ago, when he gave the local Liberals a difficult task to choose between him and Mr. Towyn Jones, M. P., and Mr. Aneurin Williams.

Those who heard his speech on that occasion will not forget the figure of virile energy, splendid enthusiasm, and strong progressive thought which he presented; and none was more prompt in recognising these qualities than Towyn, who carried the day. He was the prospective Liberal candidate for South Glamorgan, and it is a sad coincidence that he, like the prospective Conservative candidate for the division, Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Gaskell, should have fallen on the field of battle.

Captain Philipps always took the greatest interest in public work, particularly that connected with children or old persons. At the age of 18 he went from Winchester to New College, Oxford, and shortly afterwards put himself at the service of the Oxford branch of the Charity Organisation Society, doing much work for them, and working also in Oxford parochial affairs.

He was a member of and a speaker at the Oxford Union; and the “Oxford Magazine” referred to a speech of his as “one of fine oratory.”

At the age of 19 he made his first visit to East London. There he was so deeply stirred by the need for workers that, during his last year at Oxford, he spent most of his vacations at University House, in Bethnal Green.

After leaving Oxford in July, 1911, with a B. A. degree, for which he had studied history and law, Captain Philipps went to Liverpool for six months, and in the office of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company was engaged in shipping affairs. Yet all his evenings while in Liverpool were devoted to philanthropic work at the various missions for seamen and those casual men who form such a large portion of Liverpool’s poorer population.

He next went to London to work for a short time in the Union Castle Steamship Company’s office, and at once decided to live as long as he was free to do so in the midst of slumdom in Bethnal Green.

Captain Philipps also devoted much attention to political work. As Mr. Walter Roch’s private secretary he took an active part in the Pembrokeshire election of 1908, and in the election of January, 1910, he spoke many times for Sir Owen Philpps, Mr. Walter Roch, and for Mr. Sidney Robinson.

He also took keen interest in the Boy Scout movement, being assistant commissioner to Lord Glanusk for Wales, and a commissioner in East and North-East London. He was secretary for Wales of the Boy’s Country Work Society, the object of which is to send to well-recommended farms in England and Wales lads of good character who wish either to train for emigration or to stay on the land. Captain Philipps was also associated with the Waifs’ and Strays’ Society and with Dr Barnardo’s Homes.

Waiting recently from France to the “Headquarters Gazette” of the Boy Scouts’ Association, Captain Philipps said : — “At Easter I was thinking of all our Scouts at home. We were up in the front line trenches. The Saturday was one of the wettest I have ever seen, and when at last the rain left off there was a continuous interchange of rifle grenades and trench mortars. It was though man were intent upon working the damage that was beyond the power of the storm. Then came Easter morning. The clouds had fled right away. Hardly a shot was being fired. As the day burst into blossom there were 10 of my men going with me to a little underground ‘dressing station,’ less than 300 yards from the enemy’s front trenches, to take our fighting orders from our Lord Jesus Christ. In the midst of the world’s most terrible war, which is temporal, we knelt down and asked for the peace of God which passeth all understanding and is eternal.”