Philip Harmer was born in Dry Doddington in 1899. His parents were from Stevenage and his father was a GNR signalman. According to the 1901 census Philip was born at ‘Westborough Box’. After 1901 the family moved on to 1 Railway Cottages, Friern Barnet in North London.
During the Great War Philip enlisted at Mill Hill and served with 1/1st Battation, Hertfordshire Regiment. He died on 28th March 1918 during the German spring offensive and and was later buried at Crucifix Corner Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux.