Bricket Wood war hero father dies

The father of a fallen Bricket Wood war hero who has spent years fighting for justice for his beloved son has died.

Tony Philippson, of St Albans, father of Captain Jim Philippson, died in hospital on Tuesday night (10) after suffering a major heart attack last Friday.

Capt Philippson, 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, died fighting for this country on June 11, 2006, when he was fired upon by the Taliban in a night-time ambush.

Mr Philippson had been pursuing legal action, suing the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for negligence after an assistant coroner concluded in February 2008 that British troops were totally outgunned in the battle of June 11.

Soldiers were apparently sent into a combat zone without basic equipment.

That verdict and findings of two boards of inquiry by the Army had pushed Mr Philippson into fighting for the MoD to admit responsibility for inadequate provision of equipment.

Last year he told the Herts Advertiser: “I just want the truth. I didn’t realise something had gone wrong. I thought it was just bad luck.”

Mr Philippson believed there was insufficient night vision and other “essential” equipment supplied to those patrolling that fateful evening.

The funeral for Mr Philippson will be held on Friday June 20, at 1.20pm, at the North Chapel, West Herts Crematorium, High Elms Lane, Garston.

No flowers have been requested but as an alternative any donation to the Captain Jim Trust would be appreciated.

A tribute article on the sad passing of Mr Philippson will be in next Thursday’s Herts Advertiser.