| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. 21:02 - Mar 24 with 2188 views | catch74 |
I had promised to do this a while back, the picture of Woodbridge during WW2 jogged my memory.
I think Facters suggested I get these to a museum, which I’m going to get organised. The importance of them has only really just hit me.
I met Kathy and Lucy Evans, they were my grandmothers best friends - sisters, both of whom didn’t marry. I have an amazing picture of them up in my pub, I’ll add that on later.
The photos start with Mr Evans senior (dated 1888)and his wife and one of their mothers. - sadly I don’t know first names.
I’ll continue as a reply as I think this might go on a bit! Bear with me and I’ll shout when I’ve finished, if anyone interested could wait to reply!
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| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 21:07 - Mar 24 with 2148 views | catch74 |
The photos continue with a card announcing the birth of Kathy - note the date! and a photo of Milly and Arthur - think the date for this one is 1895, writing a bit faint.
Then there’s a photo of the whole family, looks like Arthur on the right.
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| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 21:12 - Mar 24 with 2117 views | catch74 |
Next, Arthur in uniform, followed by the first letter I have. Hope I’ve done these in the right order.
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| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 21:19 - Mar 24 with 2101 views | catch74 |
The next letter is a really tough read, included after is the letter home informing of Cecil (Arthur’s brother) death.
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| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 21:26 - Mar 24 with 2093 views | catch74 |
Sadly it doesn’t end there, next is the letter home for Arthur.
and finally, I think this is a photo of the daughters - it’s dated 1956 I think (again a little faint) assuming Kathy took the photo.
Anyway - thought I’d share with the board as I know a few are interested in this kind of thing.
Important as well as this was left to my grandmother, then my father who’ve sadly passed away, so I thought I’d get the detail I know onto somewhere, as there’s likely no Evans left to tell the tale.
RIP | |
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| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 00:20 - Mar 25 with 1960 views | Churchman |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 21:26 - Mar 24 by catch74 |
Sadly it doesn’t end there, next is the letter home for Arthur.
and finally, I think this is a photo of the daughters - it’s dated 1956 I think (again a little faint) assuming Kathy took the photo.
Anyway - thought I’d share with the board as I know a few are interested in this kind of thing.
Important as well as this was left to my grandmother, then my father who’ve sadly passed away, so I thought I’d get the detail I know onto somewhere, as there’s likely no Evans left to tell the tale.
RIP |
Thank you for posting this. It’s an absolute privilege to read and hear Arthur Evans’ words. These letters should be preserved. He writes carefully to avoid the censor and of course to not upset his mother, but he expresses himself far better than most.
Requests of things from primes stoves to clothing, food, cigarettes etc were common and the postal service phenomenally efficient. The were often called ‘comforts’ and they were just that.
After a quick look on CWC, he is buried in Serre no 2 cemetery, quite close to Albert and the Thiepval Memorial. The date and place of course say he was killed in the Somme offensive, which was only 7 days old at the time.
It is sometimes forgotten due to the horror of the first day that the battle actually raged for months with a never ending stream of actions and casualties.
Once again thank you for posting and allowing us to hear his words. It’s important. |  | | |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 00:39 - Mar 25 with 1952 views | Churchman |
Arthur J Evans won the Military Medal. That was awarded for extreme bravery and is just one ‘down’ in recognition from a Victoria Cross. He was an exceptionally brave man.
The attached has a list of the fallen from the Royal Sussex. There were a lot of casualties for the 7th July, including Serjeant Evans.
http://somme-roll-of-honour.com/Units/british/7th_Royal_Sussex.htm | | | |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 07:17 - Mar 25 with 1876 views | Churchman |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 00:39 - Mar 25 by Churchman |
Arthur J Evans won the Military Medal. That was awarded for extreme bravery and is just one ‘down’ in recognition from a Victoria Cross. He was an exceptionally brave man.
The attached has a list of the fallen from the Royal Sussex. There were a lot of casualties for the 7th July, including Serjeant Evans.
http://somme-roll-of-honour.com/Units/british/7th_Royal_Sussex.htm |
Here is a War Diary extract for that day.
https://www.passeyfamilytree.org.uk/military/WarDiary1916077thBnRSussRegt.php
Royal West Sussex were attacking Ovillers. The battalion suffered more than 400 casualties 7/8th July. It was their highest loss of the war for a 24 hour period a battalion in this period was anything up to 1000 men at full establishment.
This area around La Boisselle was the scene of horrendous fighting through the autumn. On 1 July it was attacked by 34 Division after the explosion of the largest man made device in history (27 tons of explosive) at Lochnagar and a smaller one called Y Sap in front of the village.
https://www.lochnagarcrater.org/history/
The Northumberland Fusiliers (Tyneside Scottish and Tyneside Irish), Suffolks and Grimsby Chums were all but wiped out that day.
By 7th July, the German line had been pushed back up the valleys called Sausage and Mash to Ovillers but the advance was painful and casualties horrific. One of the notable features of this were that many of the bodies could not be recovered. This is why the West Sussex casualties for that day appear on Thiepval memorial. Arthur Evans was identified and buried.
I confess to having a personal interest in this. My grandfather was serving in the same area at the same time. He was a Sapper in an RE Field Company attached to the 102 Tyneside Scottish in the 1st July. The Field Company remained in the area after the Fusiliers has been decimated for about two weeks before it was bracketed and mauled by German Artillery and withdrawn. [Post edited 25 Mar 2023 7:23]
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| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 08:45 - Mar 25 with 1819 views | catch74 |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 07:17 - Mar 25 by Churchman |
Here is a War Diary extract for that day.
https://www.passeyfamilytree.org.uk/military/WarDiary1916077thBnRSussRegt.php
Royal West Sussex were attacking Ovillers. The battalion suffered more than 400 casualties 7/8th July. It was their highest loss of the war for a 24 hour period a battalion in this period was anything up to 1000 men at full establishment.
This area around La Boisselle was the scene of horrendous fighting through the autumn. On 1 July it was attacked by 34 Division after the explosion of the largest man made device in history (27 tons of explosive) at Lochnagar and a smaller one called Y Sap in front of the village.
https://www.lochnagarcrater.org/history/
The Northumberland Fusiliers (Tyneside Scottish and Tyneside Irish), Suffolks and Grimsby Chums were all but wiped out that day.
By 7th July, the German line had been pushed back up the valleys called Sausage and Mash to Ovillers but the advance was painful and casualties horrific. One of the notable features of this were that many of the bodies could not be recovered. This is why the West Sussex casualties for that day appear on Thiepval memorial. Arthur Evans was identified and buried.
I confess to having a personal interest in this. My grandfather was serving in the same area at the same time. He was a Sapper in an RE Field Company attached to the 102 Tyneside Scottish in the 1st July. The Field Company remained in the area after the Fusiliers has been decimated for about two weeks before it was bracketed and mauled by German Artillery and withdrawn. [Post edited 25 Mar 2023 7:23]
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Thank you so much for adding this Churchman, I knew TWTD would come up trumps. | |
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| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 08:52 - Mar 25 with 1805 views | Churchman |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 08:45 - Mar 25 by catch74 |
Thank you so much for adding this Churchman, I knew TWTD would come up trumps. |
It was an honour to read his letters. | | | |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 08:53 - Mar 25 with 1803 views | gtsb1966 |
If you have the finances and time do the "All quiet on the western front " tour with Leger holidays. It is a four day tour and one of the most moving things I've ever experienced. I recommend Leger simply because they have the expertise to explain everything. I would've missed so much if I had done it independently. It's still under £500. Ypres and the last post is an experience that will last with me forever. A beautiful place too. |  | | |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 09:11 - Mar 25 with 1785 views | Churchman |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 08:53 - Mar 25 by gtsb1966 |
If you have the finances and time do the "All quiet on the western front " tour with Leger holidays. It is a four day tour and one of the most moving things I've ever experienced. I recommend Leger simply because they have the expertise to explain everything. I would've missed so much if I had done it independently. It's still under £500. Ypres and the last post is an experience that will last with me forever. A beautiful place too. |
I really want to do one of these. I have a scrap of knowledge and I’ve been to Ypres area (The Salient) a couple of times with a stack of books and roamed about, but in truth to get the most from it, you do need a guide.
The thing that struck me was how flat and featureless it was. When I looked at Passchendaele Ridge, scene of 3rd Ypres horror my first thought was ‘what ridge’ and how do you survive in such open, miserable terrain? You didn’t. [Post edited 25 Mar 2023 9:16]
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| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 09:21 - Mar 25 with 1766 views | catch74 |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 08:53 - Mar 25 by gtsb1966 |
If you have the finances and time do the "All quiet on the western front " tour with Leger holidays. It is a four day tour and one of the most moving things I've ever experienced. I recommend Leger simply because they have the expertise to explain everything. I would've missed so much if I had done it independently. It's still under £500. Ypres and the last post is an experience that will last with me forever. A beautiful place too. |
Cheers - will have a look into this. | |
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| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 09:38 - Mar 25 with 1752 views | gtsb1966 |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 09:11 - Mar 25 by Churchman |
I really want to do one of these. I have a scrap of knowledge and I’ve been to Ypres area (The Salient) a couple of times with a stack of books and roamed about, but in truth to get the most from it, you do need a guide.
The thing that struck me was how flat and featureless it was. When I looked at Passchendaele Ridge, scene of 3rd Ypres horror my first thought was ‘what ridge’ and how do you survive in such open, miserable terrain? You didn’t. [Post edited 25 Mar 2023 9:16]
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In a corner of a field at the Passchendaele site is a little plaque dedicated to Harry Patch. He paid for it himself. There is nothing there then suddenly you come across it. Alongside the road you will see bombs the farmers have ploughed up. Once a month the Belgium bomb squad come along and gather them up. | | | |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 09:45 - Mar 25 with 1744 views | Churchman |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 09:38 - Mar 25 by gtsb1966 |
In a corner of a field at the Passchendaele site is a little plaque dedicated to Harry Patch. He paid for it himself. There is nothing there then suddenly you come across it. Alongside the road you will see bombs the farmers have ploughed up. Once a month the Belgium bomb squad come along and gather them up. |
I’ve seen those. The ‘iron harvest’. They’ll be ploughing them up for many more years yet.
They’re still of course finding human remains quite regularly and it’s amazing the lengths the Commonwealth War Graves people go to to try and identify them and trace any relations. | | | |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 09:50 - Mar 25 with 1738 views | gtsb1966 |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 09:45 - Mar 25 by Churchman |
I’ve seen those. The ‘iron harvest’. They’ll be ploughing them up for many more years yet.
They’re still of course finding human remains quite regularly and it’s amazing the lengths the Commonwealth War Graves people go to to try and identify them and trace any relations. |
The tour took us to Delville Wood where approximately 5000 South Africans went in but only 500 came out. We were told to be careful where we walked as bones were still coming up from the ground. | | | |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 10:19 - Mar 25 with 1715 views | Churchman |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 09:50 - Mar 25 by gtsb1966 |
The tour took us to Delville Wood where approximately 5000 South Africans went in but only 500 came out. We were told to be careful where we walked as bones were still coming up from the ground. |
Delville Wood was horrific. It was part of the second phase of the battle and the aim was to secure the right in the advance to High Wood and Pozieres. The action falls under the title Battle of Bazentin Ridge. High Wood is of course close to Delville and it’s estimated that 8000 British and German soldiers lie there. I believe it’s fenced off.
I’ve read the book ‘The Hell They Called High Wood’ by Terry Norman. Sobering doesn’t really cover it.
This is all in the area and part of the battle that cost Arthur Evans his life a week earlier. The numbers are unimaginable. [Post edited 25 Mar 2023 10:37]
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| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 17:14 - Mar 25 with 1570 views | Plums |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 21:26 - Mar 24 by catch74 |
Sadly it doesn’t end there, next is the letter home for Arthur.
and finally, I think this is a photo of the daughters - it’s dated 1956 I think (again a little faint) assuming Kathy took the photo.
Anyway - thought I’d share with the board as I know a few are interested in this kind of thing.
Important as well as this was left to my grandmother, then my father who’ve sadly passed away, so I thought I’d get the detail I know onto somewhere, as there’s likely no Evans left to tell the tale.
RIP |
Thank you for sharing this, really moving and humanises events where the narrative is regularly only about numbers.
It's important we read and try and relate to such people and their experiences to minimise the chances of it happening again.
The brutality of the death of these men is magnified by the brutality of the letters advising of their deaths. None of us raise our children for it to end like this. We should be eternally grateful for them all. |  |
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| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 18:01 - Mar 25 with 1546 views | Churchman |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 17:14 - Mar 25 by Plums |
Thank you for sharing this, really moving and humanises events where the narrative is regularly only about numbers.
It's important we read and try and relate to such people and their experiences to minimise the chances of it happening again.
The brutality of the death of these men is magnified by the brutality of the letters advising of their deaths. None of us raise our children for it to end like this. We should be eternally grateful for them all. |
Sometimes personal effects, including uniforms shredded and covered in blood, were sent back to relations, if a soldier’s body was recovered. It was a very different world.
You are right. When you read their words, these men come alive again.
The subject of this thread Arthur Evans was a volunteer; part of Kitchener’s New Army. It was just about the only volunteer army of its kind in history. They went for all sorts of reasons, some of which are hard to understand with a modern eye. Amazing people.
They were the Pals Battalions’. A great idea for comradeship and a mechanism for encouraging volunteers. But catastrophic in the meat grinder that was the western front where the men of whole villages, towns and of course families were lost, sometimes in minutes. | | | |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 22:28 - Mar 25 with 1481 views | factual_blue |
Meant to reply to you earlier. A fascinating and touching set of letters you've got there.
I'd suggest as a starting point the Imperial War Museum, which has a large collection of WW1 letters from the front. These are all significant documents. WW1 was the first war in which literacy was common amongst the ordinary soldiers. The IWM is an important research centre, and your legacy will gain the importance it deserves by being part of that.
If you don't fancy that, then maybe a regimental museum. |  |
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| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 06:53 - Mar 26 with 1415 views | Brads |
A really interesting thread. Thanks to those who contributed. |  | | |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 08:44 - Mar 26 with 1350 views | DJR |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 06:53 - Mar 26 by Brads |
A really interesting thread. Thanks to those who contributed. |
I agree entirely.
It's things like this which show the worth of the internet, whatever its obvious drawbacks. |  | | |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 11:35 - Mar 26 with 1294 views | catch74 |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 22:28 - Mar 25 by factual_blue |
Meant to reply to you earlier. A fascinating and touching set of letters you've got there.
I'd suggest as a starting point the Imperial War Museum, which has a large collection of WW1 letters from the front. These are all significant documents. WW1 was the first war in which literacy was common amongst the ordinary soldiers. The IWM is an important research centre, and your legacy will gain the importance it deserves by being part of that.
If you don't fancy that, then maybe a regimental museum. |
Many thanks - think I’ll make a trip to the Imperial War museum, once I’ve got Easter at the pub out of the way. | |
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| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 12:43 - Mar 26 with 1272 views | HARRY10 |
| Letters from Arthur Evans WW1. on 11:35 - Mar 26 by catch74 |
Many thanks - think I’ll make a trip to the Imperial War museum, once I’ve got Easter at the pub out of the way. |
i would suggest you contact the IWM prior to any visit. That way those you need to speak with will be available, know what you are there for and can advise and process your stuff.
Sadly, I have memories as a child of watching relatives of an 'old boy' clearing away his effects after his death. A box of photos and letters were lain beside the van (dropped). I suspect this was the usual end for much WW1 stuff.
All so disposal, as were those young lives it would seem.
Thanks for posting, a worthy read. |  | | |
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