PHILIP, Ernest John (1890-1971)
Ernest John Philip was born at Cape Wrath Station, Hamilton, on 15 July 1890, son of William Philip and Amelia Frances Jane nee Hamilton, he was educated at Hamilton Academy before his enrolment as a boarder at Geelong College in 1903. His address at the time was 'Kenilworth', Cavendish, Victoria. He was a member of the 1st Rowing VIII and the Athletics Team in the year he left College, 1908.
In 1915, he entered into partnership with his brother in pastoral pursuits at 'Squattleseamere' and 'Nyangie'.
Although younger than his brother, W H Philip (Old Geelong Collegian), he was, during World War I, the first of the brothers to enlist (No. 295) on 5 May 1915 in the Australian Army Medical Corps (AAMC). He embarked on HMAT A67 Orsova on 17 July 1915, and served on No 2 Australian Hospital Ship Kanowna which visited Egypt, England and South Africa, and took the first batch of British prisoners from Smyrna on the signing of the Turkish Armistice. He was discharged with the rank of Corporal.
His brothers, Norman Laurence Philip (1908-1994); Hugh Gordon Philip (1886-1961) and William Hamilton Philip were also educated at Geelong College.
His sons, Geoffrey Gordon Philip and William Gordon Phillip, were also educated at Geelong College.
Sources: Based on an edited extract from Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck. p 283 (citing Alexander Henderson, Henderson's Australian Families (1941); The Pegasus; National Archives).