Nash, Sir Philip – From Grantham apprenticeship to many directorships

Maj Gen Sir Philip Nash (1875-1936)

MAJOR-General Sir Philip Arthur Manley Nash, KCMG, CB, was the son of the Rev William Nash, Rector of Old Somerby, (including the parish of New Somerby) from 1875 until his death in1905.

Sir Philip’s boyhood was spent at Somerby, and he was educated at Somerfields, Oxford, and Radley College, near Oxford.

He was a premium apprentice at Richard Hornsby and Sons, Grantham, from 1893 to 1897, when he accepted an appointment with the Great Northern Railway, and remained with that Company until he entered the service the East Indian Railway in 1899.

From the outbreak of the First World War he became Director of National Filling Factories, Ministry of Munitions 1915-1916; Deputy Director General of Transportation, British Expeditionary Force (BEF) 1916; Director General of Transportation, British Expeditionary Force (BEF) 1917; Inspector General of Transportation, Western Front 1918-1919;

He relinquished his commission with honorary rank of Major General in 1920. He was Director General of Traffic, Ministry of Transport 1919-1922.

Apart from his British honours, he was an Officer St Maurice and St. Lazarus, Commandeur Legion of Honour, Commandeur Order Leopold, Croix de Guerre (Belgian) , Grand Officer Order of Crown of Italy 1918, American Distinguished Service Medal 1919.

He was also chairman W. T. Glover, Manchester, vice-chairman of Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers and British Portland Cement Manufacturers and chairman of Great Universal Stores.