{"id":593,"date":"2016-09-09T21:58:43","date_gmt":"2016-09-09T21:58:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/54thbattalioncef.ca\/?page_id=593"},"modified":"2020-02-23T21:13:47","modified_gmt":"2020-02-23T21:13:47","slug":"lieutenant-john-llewellyn-evans-1-march-1917","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/54thbattalioncef.ca\/?page_id=593","title":{"rendered":"Lieutenant John Llewellyn Evans 1 March 1917"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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b. 5th<\/sup> April 1893
d. 1st<\/sup> March 1917 (aged 23) <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

ARMY FILE – YOU CAN SEE ONLINE OR DOWNLOAD IT<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2022 John was the eldest son, born in Newport, Monmouthshire; his parents lived at Highbury (no.32), Bishops Road, Whitchurch, Glamorgan.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Cardiff Intermediate (High) School from 1905 to 1907. Won a Headmaster\u2019s Exhibition to Monmouth School (School House) but left within a year (1908-1909) to work at a Bank in Cardiff (London, City and Midland Bank).<\/p>\n

\u2022 In 1915 John\u2019s NOK is his father and address is listed as 46, The Parade, Cardiff. In the 1901 census the whole family are at this address. In 1911 Clara is in Bishops Road with Arthur and Frances.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Arrived in Canada 1913. Spoke French.<\/p>\n

\u2022 John was living in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and working as a clerk for the Union Bank (Royal Bank of Canada) when he enlisted as a private (service number 473117) in to the 65th Battalion at Prince Albert in 24th July 1915. Promoted to Cpl, 21st October 1915. Served until 13th November 1915. Recommended for a Commission.<\/p>\n

\u2022 November 1915 he joined a course on the OTC at Winnipeg University. He was gazetted early in 1916, and was made Officer in Charge at Yorkton, Saskatchewan, where he raised a company of 287 men, of which he became O.C. when they were attached to the 188th Canadians<\/p>\n

\u2022 Re-mustered as an officer at Camp Hughes, Manitoba 15th August 1916. 188th Battalion from 1st March 1916. Appears he had served in the 52nd Prince Albert Volunteers in the interim.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Leaving Halifax on the 21st August 1916 on the SS Olympic he arrived in Liverpool on the 30th August. John was sent to the Canadian Military School in Shorncliffe, Kent (for Officer training I assume), before shipping to France 21st September 1916 to join the 54th Battalion.<\/p>\n

\u2022 From attestation documents we can see he was 5ft 8 \u00bd, had black hair and hazel eyes.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Arrived with Battalion from England on 24th September 1916<\/p>\n

\u2022 Lieutenant in D Company, 54th Battalion, Canadian Infantry.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sent to Hospital along with another officer on the 5th November 1916 for exhaustion \u2013 possibly shell shock (listed in some source. John then suffered shrapnel wounds to the fingers of his left hand an attack on Desire Trench during the Battle of the Somme. The successful Desire Trench attack took place during a heavy bombardment and snowstorm. John was admitted to hospital on the 18th, discharged 25th.<\/p>\n

\u2022 He died on St. David\u2019s Day during preparations for the Battle of Vimy Ridge (accounts below). Gun Shot Wounds to upper body and head. 687 Canadians killed.<\/p>\n

\u2022 A funeral was held at the cemetery on 4th March, attended by Major Generals and Colonels among others; also all available officers of the battalion attended and a firing party were provided.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The German commander sent word to his Colonel that his body was found in advance of all the British troops. Writing to his mother, his Colonel says ” It may be some solace to you to hear that the German commander reported that he fell when gallantly leading on his men, and that his body was actually the furthest into the German lines of the whole of the British. It is something to be proud of to have given a son like that.”<\/p>\n\n\n

Family<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Father: John Thomas Evans <\/p>\n\n\n\n