Son of the late Arthur Frederic Evans and of Emily Mary Evans, of Fazakerley House, Prescot, Lancs. An Architect
Census Details
1901 Census -
The family lived at Fazakerley House in High Street, Prescot. Head of household Arthur Evans was a colliery proprietor, aged 55. His wife, Emily Mary was aged 45. Their children are shown as Dorothy (20), Emily (19) and Phylis (12).
At the time of the census, Arthur Frederic Evans was a boarder at the Grammar School, Kingsland, St Julian, Shropshire
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
Birth Registered Q2/1886, Prescot, 8b, 735
Research Ref. No.
P095
Service Details
Lt. Evans, a pilot in No 100 Squadron RAF, was killed while flying in Handley Page O/400 C9728 on 30 October 1918. Lt V Mackenzie and Lt W B Warneford, who were also flying in C9728, were injured. No 100 Squadron was a night heavy bomber unit in the Independent Force, RAF, and was based at Xaffévillers. It was the first RFC squadron to be formed specifically for night bombing, Number 100 Squadron formed at Hingham, Norfolk on 23 February 1917, and moved to France a month later. On arrival it was issued with modified FE2B two-seat pushers biplanes and operations against aerodromes, railway stations and rail junctions commenced. By the end of the year, No 100 in conjunction with No 55 Squadron, RFC and Naval 'A' Squadron had formed the nucleus of what was to become the Independent Force used for the strategic bombing of Germany with its Handley Page 0/400 heavy bombers.
The window in Prescot Parish Church dedicated to the memory of Arthur Evans shows the emblems of the three units with which he served; the King’s (Liverpool Regiment), the South Wales Borderers and the Royal Air Force. The inscription reads “To the Glory of God and to the memory of Arthur Frederic Evans, Lieut. 100th Squadron, Royal Air Force, born March 30th , 1886, Killed at Langre, Oct. 30th 1918, and lies in Charmes Cemetery, near Nancy”
The Evans window in Prescot Parish Church
The detail on the windowshowing the unit emblems
The publication “Liverpool Scroll of Fame” reported,
“Lt. Arthur Frederic Evans was born at Prescot in the year 1886, his parents being Mr. Arthur Frederic Evans and Mrs. Evans, of Fazakerley House, Prescot. Both parents were members of families which for several generations have been intimately concerned with the public life of the district. Lt. Evans maternal great-grandfather was the Rev. C. G. T. Driffield, Vicar of Prescot.
Lt. Evans was educated at Shrewsbury School, where he showed considerable ability as an artist, and on leaving school he decided to undertake a career as an architect. He attended Liverpool University taking architecture and general Art training, and here he succeeded in obtaining a Travelling Scholarship which gave him a period of continental study for his chosen profession. He was articled to Messrs. Grayson and Ould, of Liverpool, and upon becoming qualified as an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects, he practised under his own name in Liverpool for a short period prior to the outbreak of the war.
When war was declared, he was away on holiday, but immediately returned and with three friends enlisted in the 1st Battalion Liverpool 'Pals' , the 17th (Service) Battalion King's (Liverpool Regiment) on the 1st September, 1914. He marched out from Liverpool with the Battalion past his own home to take up quarters in the Prescot Barracks, and for several months he remained in Prescot, until about six months later when he received a commission in the 2/5th Royal Welsh Fusiliers, and took up duty with this Battalion.
He then devoted himself to specialised duty and became Brigade Bombing Instructor, in which position his painstaking ability seemed to stand in the way of his being sent overseas. Throughout his service career he suffered considerable disappointment from the fact that he was continuously retained in England when he was desiring to proceed overseas, and in spite of his making application time after time for overseas service. He was just on the point of proceeding to Gallipoli when the evacuated of the peninsula was undertaken, and after four applications for transfer into some overseas Battalion, it was not until June. 1917 that he was successful in transferring into the Royal Flying Corps.
He again experienced the same difficulty in obtaining the opportunity of obtaining service abroad. Upon the completion of his courses for the Air Force, he was immediately appointed to be the instructor in the place of his own late instructor. Eventually, upon his own personal appeal for foreign service, he was permitted to go to France on the 2nd October, 1918.
He became attached to the Royal Air Force Independent Force, and after being in France less than a month he was reported killed in action on the 30th October, 1918, less than a fortnight before the cessation of active hostilities upon the Armistice on the 11th November, 1918.
Lieutenant Evans was a man who was loved by all who knew him for his unassuming honesty of purpose and affectionate disposition, which caused him to form strong friendships among those with whom he came in contact, whether in his school life, his professional sphere or his Army duties. He showed marked ability in artistic work, his musical powers, sketching, and caricature being of great promise commencing from his school days, while he had that infinite capacity for taking pains that is the truest genius, and had he survived, his abilities in these directions must have sooner or later come to the front and gained him recognition. Among the members of his immediate family he was a loving and loved son and brother, who never asserted his own wishes to the detriment of others, and with the same spirit has he repeatedly pressed during his service of his country to be allowed to run the risks in active service, when by so doing he thought that he was doing his duty, even when he knew that he was considered to be doing useful service in the home forces.
For more than four years he waited for his chance, and one short month in France called upon him for the sacrifice which he had so willingly faced for his country and those he loved. He was a true gentleman in every sense, and his passing leaves a great sense of loss among all who knew him. His Commanding Officer has reported upon the work in which he was engaged that "His work throughout with the Squadron was magnificent."
His promotions and transfers can be followed by looking at the appropriate entries in the London Gazette:-
·London Gazette, 16/07/1915 5th (Flintshire) Battalion, The Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
Private Arthur Frederic Evans to be Second Lieutenant. Dated 17th July, 1915.
·London Gazette,22/10/1915 The Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
The appointments of the under-mentioned Second Lieutenants bear date as stated against their names, and not as previously stated: —
Arthur Frederic Evans. Dated 14th April, 1915.
·London Gazette 15/11/1917 Royal Welsh Fusiliers
The under-mentioned Lts. to have pay and allowances of rank. 1st July 1917: —
Lt. A. F. Evans. 1st July 1917.
London Gazette 01/04/1918
Flying Officers
29th Jan. 1918.
Lt. A. F. Evans, R. .Welsh Fusiliers, Territorial Force, and to be seconded
Lt. Evans Medal Index Card. His service with the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment is not shown, but it is noted that his medals are to be issued by the Air Ministry. The reverse of the card, shown below, records the address of his solicitor’s, to whom the medals were to be sent.
After the war was over, the Parish Magazine reported on 27th November 1918, “The following names to be added to the list of honour” and included “Lieut. Arthur Frederick Evans of Fazakerley House. He was an instructor in the Royal Flying Corps and fell in action in France on the last day of October. He was 32 years of age and enlisted as a private at the outbreak of war in the 1st Battalion of the “Pals” at Prescot Barracks”.
Private 31166 Edward Henry EVANS
Unit/Regiment
18th Bn., King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death
02/11/1916
Age at Death
21
Burial/Memorial & Reference
Etaples Military Cemetery
XII C 18
CWGC Family Details
(if shown)
Son of Robert Charles and Margaret E. Evans, of Compton House, Penmaenmawr. Native of Penmaenmawr, Carnarvonshire.
Census Details
1901 Census (Wales) –
The Evans family lived at Dwygfylchi in Caernarvonshire and comprised parents Richard (42, a Fancy Goods Merchant) and Margaret (41), with children Harold Jeffery (15), Newman Edgar (13), Edward Henry (6) and May Edith (4).
Private Evans Medal Index Card shows that he arrived in France on 29th December 1915. For details of the actions in which the battalion was involved up to the Battle of the Somme, refer to the narrative of Pte. John Copple.
After the activity on the Somme, the battalion was relieved on 22nd August and moved back to billets at Pont Fixe and La Panniere, where they spent the rest of the month.
The next action in which we see the 18th involved was the Battle of Le Transloy, 1st to 18th October 1916. It was the 13th October before the 18th Battalion came into the action, relieving the 20th King’s in the front line. The next phase of the attack on Le Transloy was due to start at 3.40 a.m. on the 18th October. The 18th Battalion were in the centre of a line which included the Green Howards on the left and the 2nd Wiltshires on the right.
Prior to the attack, the battalion had been in reserve at Flers Trench until the 15th, when they moved to support trenches at Goose Alley, then on the 17th they moved to their assembly trenches, which were in extremely poor condition.
At Zero hour, the battalion advanced steadily towards the German lines, but the Germans replied with a barrage that checked the first wave and resulted in them merging with the second wave. On one side of the advance, uncut barbed wire and withering machine gun fire slowed the advance, but the remainder continued onwards. But when they reached the German trenches, for some unaccountable reason they failed to jump in to the actual trenches, and instead began filtering back.It was felt that the men were utterly worn out after the continuous attrition. One description of the area said “The ground was covered in shell holes. Combined with the greasy and sodden state of the ground and numerous bodies, the going was exceedingly difficult. There were no landmarks to give the troops direction. The mud and the slime clogged the rifles and guns, preventing them from being fired”.
Eventually, during the night of the 18th/19th, the battalion was relieved by the Manchester Regiment and moved back to support trenches at Goose Trench. They had lost heavily – 14 officers and 212 other ranks.
It seems likely that Private Evans was wounded around this time. He eventually died of wounds on 2nd November at the base hospital at Etaples, where he is buried.
Private Evans’ Medal Index Card
Private Evans grave at Etaples Military Cemetery.
Lance Corporal 432305 George Pierce EVANS
Unit/Regiment
57th Div Sig Coy RE, Corps of Royal Engineers
Date of Death
20/04/1918
Age at Death
28
Burial/Memorial & Reference
Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No 1
VI C 60
Census Details
1901 Census (Wales) -
George P Evans lived at Jessamine (?) Cottage, Holywell, Flint, with his father Joseph, a 37 year old widowed Boilerman and brothers John (15) and William (13).
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
Birth Registered Q3/1890, Holywell, 11b, 209
SDGW – Where Born
Holywell, Flintshire
Enlisted
St Helens, Lancs
Resided
Prescot, Lancs
How Died
Died
Theatre of War
France & Flanders
Research Ref. No.
P097
Research ongoing
Sapper Evans’ Medal Index Card. His medals were returned for adjustment after issue.
Private 12411 John EVANS
Unit/Regiment
2nd (Garrison) Bn, King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death
22/03/1918
Age at Death
47
Burial/Memorial & Reference
Pieta Military Cemetery
C XVII 4
CWGC Family Details
(if shown)
Son of the late Benjamin and Ellen Evans of Liverpool.
SDGW – Where Born
Prescot, Lancs
Enlisted
Seaforth, Lancs.
Resided
Everton, Liverpool
How Died
Died
Theatre of War
Malta
Research Ref. No.
P098
Research ongoing
Private Evans’ Medal Index Card
Private Evans’ grave at Pieta, on the island of Malta The cemetery was started during the First World War and due to the shallow nature of the soil on the island, the graves had to be cut from underlying rock. This means that the stones are recumbent upon the graves instead of standing vertical
Private 22995 Thomas FARRELL
Unit/Regiment
20th Bn., King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death
06/03/1916
Age at Death
Burial/Memorial & Reference
Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery
II G 18
SDGW – Where Born
Prescot, Lancs
Enlisted
Liverpool
Resided
Liverpool
How Died
Killed In Action
Theatre of War
France & Flanders
Research Ref. No.
P099
Service Details
The 20th (4th City) Battalion of the King's (Liverpool Regiment) was formed in Liverpool on 16 October 1914, by Lord Derby. On 30 April 1915 it was attached to 89th Brigade, 30th Division.
The battalion landed in France on 7th and 8th November 1915. After spending the first night in camp at Boulogne, they entrained and moved south to the Pont Remy area. On the 17th, they undertook a two day march to Flesselles and on the night of the 18th, they billeted at Vaux.
Several days training followed then on the 28th the battalion once again moved, this time to Bernaville. However, the following day the battalion was on the march again, this time to Halloy, having received orders to be attached to the 37th Division for digging purposes.
There they remained until 17th December, when they marched to Berles-au-Bois, where they began trench training in earnest until Christmas Day, when they came out of the trenches and began to move back to their own brigade. They reached Halloy the same night and then the following morning left at 9 a.m. for Bernaville. The battalion suffered its first casualties around this time, having two men wounded in the trenches.
New Year’s Day 1916 found the battalion out of the front line, being in billets at Bernaville. On the morning of the 2nd, the battalion marched to Naours for attachment to the 90th Brigade, then on the 3rd they marched to Pont Noyelles, on the 4th to Sailly and on the 5th to Suzanne!
On the 6th, the battalion marched to the trenches, relieving the 1st Battalion DCLI. They were now in the Maricourt sector. On the night of the 7th, the enemy made a sudden grenade attack. This was driven off with the attackers suffering heavily at a cost of one man in the battalion being killed and three wounded.
Throughout the remainder of January the battalion, along with the 17th, relieved each other alternatively in the line. They recorded that over 5,000 enemy shells had been fired at the sector, resulting and just two men killed and two wounded.
The battalion remained in the trenches in this sector until the end of March, with a visit in the trenches by Lord Derby at the beginning of March. Throughout this period, they suffered a low but steady stream of casualties due to the usual attrition.
Private Farrell was one of those casualties. The cemetery in which he rests, Cerisy-Gailly, was only opened in February 1917. It seems likely that he was originally buried in Maricourt Military Cemetery, which was concentrated into Cerisy-Gailly after the armistice.
Thomas Farrell’s Medal Index Card confirming his arrival in France in November 1915. He was entitled to the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal
Thomas Farrell's headstone at Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery
Lance Corporal A/3036 John FERRISEY
Unit/Regiment
8th Bn, King's Royal Rifle Corps
Date of Death
03/08/1915
Age at Death
Burial/Memorial & Reference
Menin Gate
Panels 51 & 53
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
Marriage to Mary Beesley registered Q3/1912, Prescot, 8b, 1457
SDGW – Where Born
St. Mary’s, Cardiff
Enlisted
Birmingham
Resided
Prescot, Lancs
How Died
Killed In Action
Theatre of War
France & Flanders
Research Ref. No.
P100
Service Details
The battalion diary for the 8th Bn., Kings Royal Rifle Corps shows that in July and August 1915, they were rotated in and out of the trenches in the Ypres Salient. Place names included at the time are Zouave Wood, Ypres, Poperinghe, Sanctuary Woods, and other names evoking memories of the grim life of the Ypres Salient.
At the time Pte. Ferrisey was killed, there were no major action underway, simply the daily grind of trench warfare. The diary around the time of this death reads as follows:-
“Saturday July 31
Returned to rest camps at G4D, Sheet 28, from Sanctuary Wood. Captain Blane given command of “C” Company.
Sunday August 1st
Church Parade
Monday August 2nd
A, B and C Companies get baths at Poperinghe in the morning. The Battalion relieves 9th Rifle Brigade in H Sector, leaving rest camp in motor buses at 8.00 p.m. Captain Campbell ill (invalided to England), command of D Company given to Captain Barber. Two companies Shropshire Light Infantry under command of O.C. 8th KRRC. 150 7th Rifle Brigade & 4 officers attached to KRRC for tour of duty in trenches. The battalion is temporarily attached to 42nd Brigade. Right sector under command of Colonel Green.
Tuesday 3rd August, Trenches opposite Bellewaarde
Communicationby telephone with firing line completely broken. A Company occupies H16 & H15, B Company occupies H14 and H13, C Company H12 & CS 11, D Company S5, S6. Two companies of KSLI in G4 & S3. Major Jordan, senior officer of KSLI. Damage to trenches. 13 Casualties.
Wednesday 4th August
Casualties from whiz bangs in A & D Company. During this tour of duty, A company suffers the most casualties. Major Gunn writes a report to General Markham. Damage to trenches built up at night.38 casualties.”
“
Lance Corporal Ferrisey will have been one of the 13 casualties reported for 3rd August. His body was never identified and he is remembered on the Menin Gate memorial.
Prescot Reporter 14th September 1917
John Ferrisey’s inscription on the Menin Gate
Private 46540 George FILLINGHAM
Unit/Regiment
23rd Bn, King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death
18/04/1920
Age at Death
41
Burial/Memorial & Reference
Prescot Churchyard
Middle Part West
CWGC Family Details
(if shown)
Son of Thomas and Alice Fillingham. Born at Prescot.
Census Details
1901 Census -
Living at 52 Sewell Street, Prescot, were Thomas Fillingham, a 44 year old Colliery Fireman, his wife Alice (43) and children George, a 21 year old coalminer, John (19) and Florence (6).
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
Birth Registered Q3/1879, Prescot, 8b, 695
Death Registered Q2/1920, Prescot, 8b, 799
Notes
Transferred To (125232) 172 Coy, Labour Corps
Research Ref. No.
P101
Service Details
The 23rd Battalion of the King’s Liverpool Regiment was formed in May 1916. A Works Battalion, it was transferred to the Labour Corps as the 1st (Labour) Battalion, Labour Corps on 28th April 1917
George Fillingham’s CWGC headstone in Prescot Churchyard
