Pte 300473 John Evans

• Age: 25
• From: Walton Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 27th August 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

John Evans was born in the March quarter of 1893 in Liverpool. His father, Thomas Evans, was born in Birkenhead, and was a joiner. His mother Emily (née Williams) was born in Liverpool in about 1863. They married in 1887 in St. Mary’s Church, Walton on the Hill.

The 1891 Census, finds his parents were living in Wilburn Street, Walton. His father is 30 and his mother 27. They have  two children, Jessie age 2, and Thomas 1 month old.

After John’s birth in 1893 they had Dorothy, who was born in the summer of 1894.

His mother Emily appears to have died in late 1894 or early 1895, aged 31, possibly from childbirth complications.   

After his mother’s death his father was not able to work and care for four children under five years old.

The 1901 census finds the two older children Jessie, 12, and Thomas, 10, living with their widowed aunt Jane West, 55, born in Scotland, keeping a boarding house at 102 Bridge Street, Birkenhead.  A Thomas Evans of the right age, 40, occupation house joiner, is boarding in Harebell Street, Kirkdale with Joseph and Catherine Speddy. Unfortunately, John and his youngest sister Dorothy are not found on the census. 

In 1911 John is with his father and siblings at 56 Sidney Road, Bootle. His father Thomas is a joiner/building contractor, as is brother Thomas aged 20. John, 18, is a junior clerk; his place of birth is shown as Walton. He has an elder sister Jessie, 22, and a younger sister Dorothy, 16.

His medal card shows that John originally served with the 1/1^st Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry, regimental number 250659, and subsequently served with the 18^th Battalion of The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment. John was likely one of a draft of 290 men from the Lancashire Hussars who amalgamated with the 18^th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment in September 1917 in the Torreken Farm area of Wytschaete, in the Ypres salient. John's service number upon his transfer was Private 300473. Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, John enlisted in 1914. However, a 1914-1915 Star medal roll has not been found.

CWGC shows John’s date of death as 27^th May 1918, while SDGW shows 27th August. He was 25 years old.

John’s name appeared in the list of K.L.R. Missing published in the Weekly Casualty List on 28th May 1918.

John’s body was never recovered or identified and he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

John’s effects went to his father Thomas Evans who received a War Gratuity of £19.  Soldiers’ Effects record his death as presumed 27/5 – 27/8 1918.

Probate was issued to Thomas Evans, joiner, at 56 Sidney Road, Bootle,  £136 8s. 

SDGW shows formerly service no.1642, 1/1st LHY, but no records have been found with this number. 

A pension card has not been found. 

In 1939 his father, now 79 and retired, is living with daughter Jessie, 50, still at 56 Sidney Road. He died in 1944, aged 83. 

Bootle’s Fallen records the following:

John was born in Walton 1893, the son of Thomas and Emily Evans. In 1911 he was working as a junior clerk for a manure merchant. Probate of his estate was obtained by his father, Thomas; John having been described as having died between 27th May and 27th August 1918. His effects were valued at £136 8s (£6,000 at current values.)

John is commemorated on Bootle Civic Memorial

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