Pte 31673 Albert Evans

• Age: 20
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Albert Evans was born in January 1896 in Liverpool and was baptised 19th February 1896 at St Anthanasius Church, Kirkdale, Liverpool. He was the was the son of John Evans and his wife Mary Ellen (nee Leonard). His parents married on the 02nd August 1886 at All Saints Church, Liverpool. John was a 23 year old labourer of 9 Boundary Place, father Abraham, whilst Mary was aged 23 of 80 Virgil Street, father William deceased. They had twelve children. Albert had older siblings Phoebe, Emily, John, Florence (who died before her first birthday),and William, and younger siblings Samuel, Thomas, Dora, Annie, May (who died at 7 months), and Henry (Harry). 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 11, Pugin Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool. Albert's father, John, aged 38, born in Liverpool in 1863 is a dock labourer, his mother, Mary Ellen, is aged 37, born 1864 in Liverpool and has no occupation listed. They have seven children at home at the time of the Census; Emily aged 12, born 1889, John aged 10, born 1891, William aged 7, born 1894, Albert aged 5, born 1896, Samuel aged 3, born 1898, Thomas aged 2, born 1899 and Dora born in 1901. The children were all born in Liverpool. Eldest sister, 14-year old Phoebe, is a domestic servant in Wellfield Road, Walton.

His father died, aged 45, in 1909.

The 1911 Census shows the family were now living at 40 Wykeham Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool. His mother, Mary Ellen, is a widow aged 47. She advised that she had been married for twenty four years and had twelve children, of which two had died.  At the time of the Census she had eight children at home, John aged 20, is a dock labourer, William, aged 17, is a labourer in a flour mill, Albert, aged 15, is a shop boy in a bread shop, Samuel aged 13, Thomas aged 12, Dora aged 10, Annie aged 8 and Harry aged 6 are all at school.

His mother remarried to widower John Collins in December 1911. He was a sheet metal worker, born 1863 in Wolverhampton, and was living with his children Thomas 18 and Margaret 17 at 6 Wykeham Street. 

Albert enlisted in Liverpool joining the 20^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 31673. (Pte 31661 Spragg enlisted on the 06th October 1915 with the 22nd KLR). Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, Albert had served for at most one year when he was killed.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 20, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 Other Ranks

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July. 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.     

His name appeared in the list of K.L.R. Wounded published in the Liverpool Daily Post on 12th September 1916 but on 09th November he was listed as Wounded and Missing. His death was later officially presumed to have occurred on or since 30th July 1916.

SDGW gives his date of death as 03rd September 1916.

Albert's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Soldiers Effects to his mother Mary Ellen Collins.

His outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £3 went to his mother Mary Ellen Collins, of 11 Hermia Street, Kirkdale, who was awarded a pension of 3/- a week from June 1917.  Mary Ellen appears to have died in 1934 at the age of 71. After her death stepfather John Collins of 13 Blanca Street, Bootle, claimed the pension. 

Albert is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 1

Daisy Street Council School

We currently have no further information on Albert Evans, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.