EVANS, Arthur James

Arthur Evans was the son of George and Elizabeth Evans of 64 St John's Street, Kates Hill, Dudley. He volunteered in 1914 and served in the 10th (Service) Battalion which went to the Western Front from 1915. They were sent to Artois and endured the winter of 1915-16 in trenches near Festubert. After further training they were among those battalions selected for the first day of the Somme on the 1st July. After the first waves had made little progress the 10th were held until the 3rd July for the delivery of an assault on the village of La Boisselle and its neighbour, Ovillers. It was a daunting proposition but at heavy cost the German defenders of La Boisselle were cleared and Private Fred Turrall was awarded the Victoria Cross. Among the many killed on that day, however, was Private Arthur Evans. He was 19 years of age and was buried in Ovillers Military Cemetery (XI Y 9) and commemorated on the Dudley and St. John's, Dudley Memorials.