Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthMay 9, 1890
Place of BirthHastings, Sussex
CountryEngland
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinRosa Hanna Creed, mother, Stewarts Cotts, Winchester Avenue, St James, Winnipeg
Trade / CallingElectrician
ReligionChurch of England
Service Details
Regimental Number460916
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion61st Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Date of EnlistmentFebruary 6, 1915
Age at Enlistment24
Theatre of ServiceGreat Britain
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathFebruary 14, 1972
Age at Death82
Buried AtLake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario
Plot32E-13-3

Creed, Philip

Philip Creed was born on 9 May 1890 in Hastings, Sussex, England. His parents were Alfred and Rosa Hannah (maiden name also Creed) who had married in 1889 in Hastings. Alfred was a bootmaker by trade while Rosa was an elementary school teacher. Philip was their first born child, followed by Doris Helen in 1898 and Kathleen Mary in 1904. By the 1911 England census Philip was working as a gas fitter for the Hastings Gas Works.

Philip was the first to immigrate to Canada, arriving in Saint John aboard the Royal Edward in June of 1912. His destination was given as Swan River, Manitoba. His mother Rosa and sister Kathleen arrived next, landing in Saint John on the Empress of Britain in March of 1913. The 1916 western Canada census  listed Rosa, Philip (overseas), Doris and Kathleen as living in Winnipeg where Rosa and Doris were recorded as being employed as teachers. Although  Doris is on the census, it is likely that she was still in England, later arriving in Canada in August of 1921 aboard the Megantic. Alfred had immigrated in June of 1914 but made extended  return trips to England in 1916 and 1920. By the 1921 Canada census, Alfred, Rosa, and Kathleen were living in Livingston, Saskatchewan where Alfred was  listed as an artist and Rosa was teaching school.

With occupation given as electrician and his mother Rosa in Winnipeg as next of kin, Philip signed his attestation papers in Winnipeg on 6 February 1915. He gave his active militia unit as the 90th Regiment. Organized in May of 1915, the 61st Battalion was mobilized and recruited in Winnipeg, and embarked from Halifax on 5 April 1916 aboard the Olympic. On board was Private Philip Creed.

Once in England Philip was transferred to the 32nd Reserve Battalion that May, on to the 30th Battalion in June and then to the 11th Reserve Battalion in mid July. Although he had passed his medical examination in Winnipeg, he had been injured in an accident in 1906 while working for the Hastings Gas Company. His arm had been caught in some gears, resulting in scarring and loss of muscle in his fore arm and some paralysis and partial loss of use of his hand. It was decided that he was medically unfit for service, returning to Canada aboard the Olympic in early October, six months after leaving.

On 5 July 1920, in Toronto, Philip married Christina Florence (Buss/Tapp) Hunnisett. Christina was the daughter of Flora Buss who had married Frederick Tapp in 1892 and immigrated to Canada in 1907 with their children born after the marriage. (Frederick  signed his attestation papers  in June of 1915  at Niagara-on-the-Lake and served with the 1st Canadian Battalion overseas. He died of his wounds in  Etaples  in April of 1916.) Christina had married Charles Hunnisett in 1913 in Marylebone, London. The couple gave birth to two children, Charles Albert (Bert) and Eileen. Charles Sr enlisted with the 7th Battalion Royal Fusiliers and was reported as killed in action on 4 February 1917. Christina and the children immigrated to Canada in March of 1918, landing in Halifax aboard the Ongar on the 16th. Her destination was given as Toronto to join her mother.

Philip and Christina were to make Kenora their home where they raised their children: sons Bert, Frank, Philip, Leslie, and William, and daughters Eileen, Phyllis, Madeline, Marcelle, and Joanne. Philip found work as a construction electrician, retiring in 1957. He was a member of St Alban’s Pro Cathedral and the Kenora Branch of the Canadian Legion.

Predeceased by his wife Christina in 1969, Philip died on 14 February 1972 in the Pinecrest Home for the Aged, Kenora. He was survived by sons Bert of Vancouver, Frank, Phil Jr, Leslie and William of Kenora, daughters Eileen (George) Portier, Phyllis (Frank) Kitt, Madeline (Leo) Attrux, all of Kenora, and Marcelle (Floyd) White of Yellowknife and Joanne (Victor) Attrux of Ear Falls. Also surviving were forty-three grandchildren and six great grandchildren as well as sister Catherine (Kathleen) Horwood of Scandinavia, Manitoba and Doris (Frank) Reid of Rose Valley, Saskatchewan. Along with Christina, Philip is interred in the Lake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora.

by Judy Stockham

Creed-Philip-1 Creed-Philip-3 Creed-Philip-4

 


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