Philip Joseph's Story.
Birkenhead News 24 March 1917
THREE HEROES OF THE WAR.
Gallant New Ferryites.
Mr. and Mrs. Mustoe of 27, Napier Road, New Ferry, have received the distressing news that their son, Pte. Philip Joseph Mustoe, of the Cheshire Regt., was killed in action on March 6th. This gallant young fellow – he was only 20 years of age on the day before he was killed – he had been at the front for over two years, he having enlisted in the “Wirral Pals” at the outbreak of hostilities with many of his fellow workers at Messrs. Price’s Candle Co’s works at Bromborough Pool. After much severe fighting, during which young Mustoe had been twice wounded, he was invalided home. Afterwards he was transferred to another battalion of the regiment and was drafted out once more to the scene of the fighting, and whilst taking part at the work at the front line trenches was shot through the head by a sniper, a comrade having his arm shattered at the same time. The bereaved parents have received numerous letters of sympathy from their son’s officers and chums, and also one from the chaplain of the regiment. The latter writes :- “Your son was a good boy and died doing his duty. I buried him in a little cemetery behind the lines, where a great many of our heroes are laid to rest. “
Mr. and Mrs. Mustoe have two other sons doing their duty to King and country. The eldest, Fred, is in the R.F.A., and took part in the operations at the Dardanelles, afterwards being drafted to France where he was stricken with dysentery. He is now in hospital at Nottingham. He was, previous to enlisting employed by Messrs. Lever Bros. at Port Sunlight. The other son, Robert, is in the Royal Navy, and was on board H.M.S. Gloucester when the first shot was fired in the present war, the cruiser sinking a German vessel that was laying mines. He also took part in the battle of Jutland, and was in the ship that went to rescue of the ill-fated “Invincible” which was sunk during the action.