Philip Martin Blake Collcutt was killed in action on this day in 1917

Philip Martin Blake Collcutt was born 12 January 1881, London, the youngest son of Thomas (President of the Royal Society of Architects) and Emily Collcutt. At the 1881 and 1891 Census, the Collcutt family lived at 36 Bloomsbury Square which was notable for its wealthy residents. 

In 1891, Philip was the youngest of six children. As well as his parents, the household included a private Governess, and three domestic servants: two housemaids and a cook. Their neighbour at no.35 was Ludwig von Lowentstein - a diamond merchant.

In 1895, Philip was sent to Charterhouse School in Surrey.

In 1901, Philip, age 20, was studying as an architect’s pupil and planning to follow in his father's footsteps. He was living with his parents and three older sisters. Architecture was not for him. Having gained a commission with the East Yorkshire Regiment in 1902, he transferred to the 5th Warwickshire Regiment in November 1905 then transferred to the Indian Army.

Philip served in Burma 1905-8. He resigned his commission in December 1908 to get involved in rubber planting on the Malay Straits. At the time Burma was part of the Indian Empire, itself part of the larger British Empire from 1824 to 1948. He was a mason, joining Klang as No.3369 on 5 August 1910 and Lodge Moyle as No.2904 and Negri Semblian. No.3353 for which he was petitioner and founder on 6 January 1912.

He returned to England on the outbreak of war in late 1914. In December that year, he rejoined the East Yorkshire Regiment in the 6th (Pioneer) Battalion. He later transferred to the 7th Battalion which arrived in France on 14 July 1915.

In February 1917, Philip was transferred to the Garrison Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry that was being formed in Plymouth to serve in India. However, before he could take up that post, the 7th Battalion was engaged in the Battle of Arras. In May 1917, they occupied trenches to the North East of Arras and on the 12th, took part in an attack on the German-occupied front line.

As reported in the Battalion War Diary, Philip was killed in the attack.

Philip was unmarried and 36 years old. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, as well as the family grave at St Andrew's Churchyard, Totteridge and on the war memorial on the village green, as well as in the Charterhouse Roll of Honour Memorial Archive online and the Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918.

Lieut. Philip Martin Blake Collcutt, 7th (Service) Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment