Pte 17240 Evan Richard Jones

• Age: 21
• From: Seaforth, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

17240 Private Evan Richard JONES, 18^th Battalion KLR.

Evan Richard Jones was born in Seaforth, Liverpool in 1897, he was the second eldest of five children born to Evan Jones and his wife Jane Margaret (nee Morgan) who were married on the 03rd December 1894 at St Mary's Church, Kirkdale. 

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 68 Becket Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool. Evan is 4 years of age and lives with his parents and three siblings. His father is a 34 year old mariner born in Holyhead, whilst his mother is 31 and was born in Merioneth. His siblings, all born in Liverpool, are recorded as; John H. aged 5, David M. aged 2 and Eleanor J. aged 1.

The 1911 Census shows the family are still living at 68 Becket Street. Evan, now aged 14 is shown as a grocer. His father is aged 44, a mariner for Mercantile Marine, mother is 41 and was born in Tanygrisiau, nr Blaenau Festiniog. They advised that they have been married for 16 years and five of their six children had survived. His siblings in the household are listed as; John Hugh a 15 year old office boy., David Morgan aged 12 and Eleanor Jane aged 11.

Evan junior enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 02^nd September 1914 joining the 18th Battalon of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 17240. He gave his age as 19 years and 88 days, his birthplace as Liverpool, occupation as clerk (with Messrs John Riley and Co. general merchants of 52 Victoria Street, Liverpool) and his next of kin as his father of 68 Becket Street. He was described as being 5' 7" tall, weight 110lbs, 33" chest  with a brown complexion, brown hair and brown eyes. His religion was stated as Welsh protestant.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

He sailed to France with his Battalion aboard the SS Invicta on 07th November 1915 and on 24^th April 1916 was admitted to 22 and 23 Field Ambulance suffering from “Pediculosis”, an infestation of lice. He returned to his unit two days later.

He was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01^st July 1916.

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257.

A report of his death appeared in the Liverpool Evening Express on 12th July 1916;

Private Evan Richard Jones, of the 2nd 'Pals,' who was killed on July 1st. Private Jones,who was formerly employed by Messrs.John Riley and Co.,Victoria-street, was the son of Mr.and Mrs.Jones, 68,Beckett-street, who thus suffer a double bereavement, their eldest son, John Hugh Jones, having been washed overboard and drowned from the barquentine Ocean Ranger whilst on his way home from Newfoundland. This occured on December 29th,1915.

Evan'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.”

Evan was also remembered on the war memorial in St Athanasuis' Church, Kirkdale until it was destroyed by the German Luftwaffe in WWII.

Evan's loss was the second that the family had to endure in just over 6 months as they had previously suffered the loss of Evan's older brother John Hugh Jones who was washed overboard and drowned on 29th December 1915 from the ship Ocean Ranger whilst on his way home from Newfoundland.