Sergeant William Henry Evans (3561/241130)

William Evans probably enlisted in the Chums Company of the 8th Worcesters ^[1] at the beginning of 1915 and served with the 2/8th Battalion. As a corporal he was Mentioned in Despatches on 18/12/17 and was subsequently promoted sergeant. In April, William Evans’ family heard that he was a prisoner of war in Germany, but sadly this was not the case. At the end of May 1918, the Malvern News reported:

“Sgt William H Evans, Worcestershire Regiment (the youngest son of Mrs Eales, Meadow Bank, West Malvern and the late Mr Henry Evans) has been killed in action, previously reported as missing. Sgt Evans, 23, joined the Colours in November 1914 and had been in France for 2 years. Before enlistment he was in charge of the Bible Depot, Worcester Road, Malvern and as much esteemed by his employer Mrs T R Johnson. Mrs Eales received the following from his Lieutenant-Colonel:

“‘It is with the very deepest regret that I received a postcard from an officer, who is a POW in Germany, telling me that your son, Sgt W H Evans, was killed on the 21st March. He was in the line when the enemy attacked. His loss to the Battalion is a very real one, as he was such a splendid soldier, always fearless and always so cheery and enthusiastic. Please accept my sincere sympathy in your great loss.'”

Mrs Evans’ eldest son, Pte Arthur Evans was killed in October 1916 and her step son, Roland Eales ^[2] was killed in March 1917. The Evans brothers had one sister Elfreda May Syndonia Evans, later Chester.