Private 22620 Arthur Ernest Evans

Killed in Action on Wednesday, 26th April 1916, age 35.
Buried in Grave I. B. 3. at Ferme Olivier, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

11th Bn., Leicestershire Regiment. Pioneer Battalion of 6th Division.

Husband of Mrs Emily Ball of 3 Pettifers Back Row, Anstey, Leicestershire.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Leicester, Resident: Anstey.

First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives survived and transcribed.

Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/429097/

Genealogical Data

1891 Census
163 Toll End Road, Tipton, Staffs.
Mrs Eliza Evans (39, Widow, Shopkeeper), and her 3 sons: Henry (16, Labourer, born Tipton), Fred (14, In Factory, born Tipton), and Arthur (10, Scholar, born Tipton).

1901 Census
Cannot trace them.

1911 Census - strong chance this is him.
Clipstone Villas, Brookdale Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts.
William Davis (62, General Labourer, born Wolverhampton), his wife Eliza (56, born Tipton), his stepson Arthur Evans (30, General Labourer, born Tipton), and his niece Maria Clee (19, Frame Knitter, born Tipton).

Personal Data

Arthur was born in Tipton in about 1881, but the family moved to the East Midlands at some stage before June quarter 1905 when he married Annie Gray at Leicester Registry Office. They had a son Walter, and it seems that Annie died in 1906.

By 1914 Arthur and Emily Ball appeared to have been living together at 3 Pettifers Back Row, Anstey, and had a daughter Edna Evans Ball born 22nd September 1914.

Arthur attested with the Leicestershire Regiment on 8th November 1915 at Leicester. He was 35 years and 6 months old, 5 feet 5 inches tall with a 38-inch chest, and was an Engineer. His next of kin was Mrs Emily Ball of 3 Pettifers Back Row, relationship: "reputed wife". He embarked at Southampton on 25th March 1916 landing in France. He was allocated to the 11th Leicesters, the pioneer unit of the 6th Division, known as the Midlands Pioneers.

In November 1916, the child of Pte Arthur Evans was awarded a pension of 5 shillings per week - it is not clear if it was Walter's child with his 'real' wife, or the children with Emily Ball.

In June 1919, the Army requested information regarding living relatives:
Mrs Emily Evans of 3 Hollow Rd, Anstey (still recorded as reputed wife) with children Edna Evans Ball (22/Sept/14) and William Arthur Evans Ball (11/July/1916), William was born after his father had been killed in April 1916.
Arthur's mother is recorded as Elizabeth Evans of 5 Sussex St, Leicester, his father is recorded as 'none'. The 1891 Census suggested his mother was a widow.
Brothers: Thomas Henry Evans (44) of Hollow Road, Anstey, and Alfred Frederick Evans of 5 Sussex Street, Leicester.

After Arthur's death, his army pay and allowances had been overpaid by £9/13/d (9 pounds, 13 shillings and 1 penny); the family was informed of this in August 1916 but there is no indication that they were asked to repay this significant sum. His War Gratuity was £3/0/0d (3 pounds exactly), this was paid to his Legatee, Emily Ball, in October 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Arthur had enlisted in the previous 12 months.

Action resulting in his death

Still to be researched. Contact me if required.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.