Phillip Ross was a 32-year-old soldier who was serving in the New Zealand Army. On December 28, 1949, he was part of a team of rescuers who were attempting to rescue a man who had fallen while climbing Mount Taranaki. The weather conditions were poor, and the rescue attempt was difficult. Ross was killed in an avalanche while trying to reach the fallen man.
A memorial to Ross was erected on Mount Taranaki in 1951. The memorial is a plaque that is mounted on a rock. It reads:
In Memory of
Phillip Ross
aged 32 years
who while on a rescue attempt
lost his life in an avalanche
on December 28th 1949
Ross's death was a tragedy, but his memory lives on. The memorial to him is a reminder of the dangers of mountaineering and of the importance of rescue operations.