Pte 25328 Thomas Clayton Evans

• Age: 25
• From: Crewe, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

25328 Private Thomas Clayton EVANS 19^th Battalion KLR.

Born at 84 Ludford Street, Crewe on the 29th April 1891, Thomas was the eldest of 4 children born to Thomas Evans and his wife Catherine Annie (nee Clayton) who were married on the 27th July 1890 in at Christ Church, Crewe. Thomas was a 25 year mechanic of 19 Wistaston Road, father Samuel, whilst Catherine Anne was aged 29 of 72 Hay Lane, father Edward. 

He was baptised at St. Paul's Church in Coppenhall on 21st June 1891.

He was enrolled at the Edleston Road, National School, Crewe on the 17th April 1899.  

At the time of the 1901 Census the family lived at 41 Brown Street, Crewe. Thomas is 9 years of age. His father, Thomas senior, is 35 years of age, and is a mechanical stoker, he was born in Welshpool, Montgomeryshire and his mother is 39 years of age and born in Cound Moor, Shropshire. The Census shows that their four children were all born in Crewe. Thomas' siblings are recorded as Nora aged 8, Gladys E. aged 6 and Wilfred aged 5 months. 

The 1911 Census shows the family have moved to 72 Flag Lane, Crewe. Thomas Jr., is aged 19, and shown as a railway clerk with LNWR. Both parents are in the household, his father aged 45 is shown as a fireman/electrician at a power station, mother Catherine is aged 49. His siblings are: Nora Annie aged 18, Gladys Elizabeth aged 16, an apprentice dressmaker, and Wilfred aged 10 at school. His parents record that they have been married for 20 years and all four of their children have survived.  

He was a pupil at Edleston Road School and a well-known footballer who played for Crewe Alexandra and Nantwich. 

Thomas enlisted in Liverpool on the 11th January 1915 joining the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 25328.

Formed on 07^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th 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 on the 07th November, 1915, arriving in Boulogne.

He was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on the 01^st July 1916, the opening day of the Battle of the Somme.

19^th Battalion Dairy

Zero Hour 7.30am First day of the attack. The Battalion used up entirely in “carrying parties” for the Brigade. Battalion H.Q. in the “Chateau”, Maricourt. Total casualties 01 -04/07/1916: 1 officer wounded, 12 other ranks killed, 53 wounded and 3 missing.

Thomas was one of those other ranks recorded as killed or missing.

His death was reported in the Nantwich Guardian on the 28th July 1916: 

PRIVATE T. C. EVANS.  

Official news has been received that Private T. C. Evans, of the King’s (Liverpool Regiment), has been killed in action. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Evans. 17, Brown-Street, Crewe. He had been in the Army 12 months and before this he was a clerk in the Joiners Shop Office, Crewe Works. 

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is 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.”

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Catherine, 17 Brown St. Both records state he was KIA on the 02nd July 1916, as does SDGW. 

He is also commemorated on the Crewe War Memorial, located in Market Square, Crewe.

The 1921 Census shows that the family are living in Monks Coppenhall, Nantwich. 

His father died, aged 74, in 1938 in Crewe. 

His mother Catherine, date of birth 05th February 1862, appears widowed on the 1939 register at 206 West Street, Crewe, with daughter Nora A. 

His mother died, aged 92, in 1954 in Crewe. 

Her death was reported in the Crewe Chronicle on 08th May 1954: 

The family of the late Mrs. Catherine Ann EVANS wish to thank all relatives, friends and neighbours for the their expressions of sympathy and beautiful floral tributes, also doctor and district nurses for their kind attention. 11, Lawton Street, Crewe. 

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