ARCO regrets to inform its members of the death of Colonel William X (Willie) Phillips, peacefully, on Tuesday, 24th February 2026 in the Holy Family Residence, Roebuck Road, Dublin 14 (D14 C7W2). Willie’s funeral service will take place at the Residence on Monday, 2nd March 2026 at 11 am, to which former comrades in the Defence Forces are welcome.
May he Rest In Peace
Willie Phillips was born on 17th January 1932 and enlisted in the Defence Forces as a member of 25 Cadet Class on 21st November 1950. He was commissioned into the Artillery Corps on 24th November 1952 and went on to serve in a wide variety of appointments both in the Artillery Corps and across the Defence Forces. These included 3 Field Artillery Regiment (An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil) and Regimental Commander of 2 Field Artillery Regiment. He was also Adjutant, Eastern Command, served in Enlisted Personnel Section, and was Deputy Adjutant General at Defence Forces Headquarters.
Overseas Willie served as a Lieutenant with ONUC in the Congo with B Company, 1 Infantry Group from May to November 1961. He also deployed to Lebanon with UNIFIL in 1987 and to the United Nations Iran Iraq Military Observer Group (UNIIMOG) in Bagdad in 1989.
Willie retired from the Óglaigh na hÉireann on 4th May 1991 with the rank of Colonel.
