Name
Douglas Osmond Evans
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/08/1916
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 1 D 8 B and 8 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Harpenden Town Memorial, Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Harpenden
Pre War
Douglas Osmond was born in 1892 in Harpenden to Osmond Evans, a tea buyer, and Clara (nee Brown). The family lived at Beechurst, Station Road , Harpenden.
On the 1911 Census Douglas was described as a Traveller. Douglas joined the Hertfordshire Regiment as Private 2325. His service seems to indicate enlistment sometime in 1913.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war in August 1914 the Herts Regiment were embodied as an active unit. After training they, together with Douglas, went to France landing on 6 Nov 1914.
They were present at 1st Ypres, Festubert and Loos. Douglas was selected and commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment on 7 May 1916. He joined them on the Somme where they were engaged in the Battle of Delville Wood.
He was initially reported as missing believed killed and then killed in action on 8 Aug 1916. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial on the Somme.
Additional Information
Younger brother Maurice served in Dorset Regiment and survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, Mary Skinner, Harpenden & District Local History
Society (www.harpenden-history.org.uk)
