Philip Brocklesby came from a religious united middle class family. He was one of four brothers. In spite of the shocking experiences during the war, and many of his friends and colleagues being killed, he managed to keep his mental balance and a sense of humour. He spent 1 year and 10 months in France and participated in the Battle of the Somme from the first attack on 1 July 1916. During this period he narrowly escaped being killed on several occasions, and this was a fact which concerned him all his life, because he tried to find some reason why he should have been saved when so many of his companions had been killed.