Pte 52859 Albert Edward Evans

• Age: 23
• From: Waterloo, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Albert Edward Evans was born at 13 Doric Street, Seaforth, on the 06th August 1893 and was baptised at St.Thomas' Church, Seaforth, on the 10th September. He was the eldest son of David Evans and Catherine or Kate (nee Massam) who married at St.Peter's Church, Liverpool, in 1888. His father was a railway signalman and was born at Henllan, Denbighshire, Wales, whilst his mother was born at Hightown.  

Albert was one of eight children; Florence (1889-1912), Ellen (1891-1907), Frederick William (b 1895), Amy (1897-1917), George Henry (b 1898), Evelyn (b 1904) and David Arnold (b 1909). By 1919 only the three youngest children were still alive. The family were living at 46 Argo Road, Waterloo by 1911 and this was still the family home after the war. Albert then aged seventeen, was a railway porter. 

He enlisted in Seaforth and was serving in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 52859 when he was killed in action at “The Battle of the Transloy Ridges” on the 12^th October 1916 aged 23.

17^th Bn War Diary:  Battle of Transloy Ridge –                                               

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday.  Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16  - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak.  2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced.  Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful.  Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed,  5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds: “As the whistle blew, the 17^th Battalion left its trenches to move forward.  […]  As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire.  […]  Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire.  As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.   The 17^th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets.  Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will.  It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners.  There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”

Albert Edward'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.”

His brother Private 2172 Frederick William Evans of the 1/7th Battalion K.L.R., aged 19, was killed in action at Festubert on the 16th May 1915. He is commemorated on Panels 6 - 8 on the Le Touret Memorial in France.

Soldiers Effects to mother Kate, the Pensions of Frederick William and Albert Edward also went to his mother. 

Albert Edward is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Waterloo with Seaforth Civic Memorial

Cunard Steam Ship Company (Roll of Honour).

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