Themes

The Navy's People

• Naval Lives

  • Edward Pitcairn Jones

  • William Waller

  • Loftus William Jones

  • JT Cull

  • A C Green

  • Philip Needell

  • Astle Scott Littlejohns

  • EJF Records

  • Clifford Simkin

  • Frank Clements

  • Margaret Hodgson

  • Charles Sheppard

  • 'Buster' Crabb

  • Sir Frank Twiss

  • Jeff Tall

  • Phil Macquaid

  • Julia Massey

  • Nick Vaux

  • Wayland Austin

• In Focus: Women in the Navy

• In Focus: Recreation and Time off

• In Focus: Discipline and Punishment

Learning

• How To: Understand Naval Medals

Phillip Needell

The career of a Royal Naval Volunteer Reservist and artist

Phillip Gregory Needell was born in Islington, London 28th September 1886. A bank clerk by trade, he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) in 1916 and served in World War One as a Signalman on board the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Almanzora on the Northern Patrol blockading shipping and on convoy escort.

Although he served for a little over two years, he demonstrates the vital contribution that the Reserves made to this war effort. He was also an accomplished amateur artist and made many sketches and paintings of the ship and his work in the Reserves. He died on the 6th December 1974.

Portrait of Phillip Needell (RNM)

Article highlights

• The career of a Royal Naval Volunteer Reservist and artist

• The RNVR in World War One

• Needell's war service

• Back to civilian life

Related External Links

• Armed Merchant Cruisers

• Royal Naval Museum - Collection Catalogue Online