Phillip was born in January 1918 in Hammersmith, London to Poland born parents James (Isadore) and Hilda nee Zavadsky and he was the youngest of eight children. In 1911, the family lived at 5 Westwick Gardens, Hammersmith and James was listed as working as a commercial traveller selling toys. In 1921, he was listed as working as a hairdresser.

Phillip enlisted into the Royal Artillery but was admitted to the Royal Herbert Military hospital in Greenwich. He died on 25 April 1941 and his cause of death was stated as Rupture of Congenital Cerebral Aneurysm.