Pte 29243 Robert Edward Evans

• Age: 22
• From: Seacombe, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Robert Edward Evans was born on the 01st February 1894 at Poulton cum Seacombe and was the second son of Robert Edward and his wife Sarah Jane (nee Parkins) who married in Liverpool on the 14th March 1892 at Christ Church, Liverpool. Robert was a 26 year gardener, father Thomas, whilst Sarah was also aged 26, father Thomas, both of St Anne Street.

Robert junior was baptised on 26th February 1894 at St Peter's Church, Liverpool and at the time of Robert's baptism, his father was working as a gardener.  They had eight children, two of whom died young. Robert had an elder brother Thomas, and younger siblings Sarah Jane, Emma, Lilian, Ellen May (who died at 2 years old), Mary Elizabeth (who died at age 4), and Evan. 

The 1901 Census finds the family living at Stanley Cottages, 6 Poulton cum Seacombe. Robert is 7 years of age and is living with his parents and siblings. His father Robert is a railway goods porter born in Liverpool in 1867, whilst his mother was born at Wednesbury, near Walsall, in 1869. There are 5 siblings listed, who were all born at Seacombe; Thomas b.1893, Sarah b.1895, Emma b.1897, Lilian b.1899 and Ellen May b. 1901.  

The 1911 Census shows the family are living at 6 Romeo Street, Poulton. Robert a general labourer, aged 17 living with his parents and 5 siblings. His parents are both listed as 45 years of age, his father is still working as a railway goods porter. His siblings listed are; Thomas aged 18 is employed as a general brickfield labourer, Sarah J. 16 is a domestic servant, Emma 13, Lilian 12 and Evan 5 are at school. 

He was educated at Poulton Council Schools and employed afterwards at Paul's Flour Mills.

His mother, Sarah, died aged 47, in the December quarter of 1913. 

Robert enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 29243. Based on his regimental number and the amount of the War Gratuity, Robert volunteered in May or June 1915 when the 17th Bn were based at Belton Park, Grantham.

He arrived in France on 07th November 1915, disembarking at Boulogne with his battalion. 

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 22, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. 

17th Battalion Diary 30th July 1916

The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th 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 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July. 

The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th 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 death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on 12th September 1916: 

Killed. 

King’s(Liverpool Regiment) Evans, 29243, R. (Poulton); 

Robert's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

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.”

Robert earned his three medals.

Soldiers effects to his father Robert including a War Gratuity of £4.

The pension card (giving his number as 29343) shows that a Gratuity in lieu of a pension was paid to his sister Emma in February 1917.

His father died, aged 63, in 1929. 

R. Evans is commemorated on the Parish of Poulton Memorial in Poulton Memorial Hall.

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