Pte 32619 Evan Edwards

• Age: 19
• From: Penmachno, Wales
• 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.

Evan Edwards was born in Penmachno, about 5 miles from Betws-y-Coed, Caenarvonshire (SDGW gives his place of birth as Betws-y-Coed) on 11th September 1896, the son of Robert Edwards and his wife Elizabeth (nee Roberts). His parents who were married on the 07th December 1895 at St David’s Church, Liverpool. Robert was a 29 year old carter of Ida Street, father Evan a miner, whilst Elizabeth was aged 22 of Kirkdale, father Ellis a quarryman.

Evan was the eldest of their five children. He had a younger sister Ann Jane, born in Penmachno in 1898. After her birth the family moved to Liverpool, where Catherine (Katie), Ellis, and Margaret Elizabeth were born.

At the time of the 1901 census, the family were living at 2 Beech Road, Walton, Liverpool. Evan was 4 and living with his sister Annie aged 2, and his parents. His father, Robert, who was aged 35 and a coal carter, and his mother Elizabeth who was aged 28.

Evan was enrolled at Arnot Street School on 10th June 1901, his address was given as 2 Beech Road and his father Robert's occupation is shown as a carter. 

The 1911 census shows them living at 31 Naseby Street, Walton. This census records his father Robert’s birthplace as Llanarmon-yn-Ial in Denbighshire, he is 45 years of age and Elizabeth’s as Penmachno in Carnarvon, she is now aged 36. Evan is now 14 and working as a chemists assistant for a wholesale druggist. As well as his sister Annie, aged 12, he now has three more siblings: Kate aged 9, Ellis aged 7 and Margaret aged 2.

Evan enlisted in Liverpool and joined the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 32619. He served in the 1st Platoon and arrived in France some time in 1916.

He was killed in action on the 30th July 1916 at the village of Guillemont, France, aged 19, 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.       

M. R. Davies (relationship unknown), of 17 King's Road, Crosby, made enquiries with the International Red Cross but was notified on 22nd September 1916 that they held no information on Evan.

His 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 outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £3 went to his mother. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he had served no more than 12 months before he was killed.

Elizabeth was awarded a pension of 4/- a week from June 1917, then living at 9 Oxton Street, Walton. The pension was increased to 14/- from 1918 to 1920, then reduced to 5/-.

Evan is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 1. 

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