EVANS, Mark

Mark Evans lived in Holly Street, Holly Hall, and was a pre-war regular soldier who had enlisted in the South Staffords. In 1914 he was serving in the 2nd Battalion which was stationed at Aldershot in the British Expeditionary Force. When war broke out they were mobilized immediately and on the 12th August crossed the Channel to help in the defence of Belgium. They moved to Mons and on the 23rd faced the overwhelming forces of the invaders. They were obliged to retreat for 10 days but eventually stopped the enemy on the Marne. They were able to advance to the Aisne where a series of indecisive actions took place and trench warfare began. However, in order to meet a new German threat to Ypres the Staffords moved to defend this vital city and clashed with the enemy at Becelaere on the 3rd November. Among those killed was Private Mark Evans. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial and also on the Dudley and Woodside Memorials.