Name
Leonard Thomas Evans
1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/05/1918
38
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
82981
Royal Fusiliers *1
7th (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MESNIL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
I. B. 34.
France
Headstone Inscription
Original documents show inscription: IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR HUSBAND, GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN, FROM WIFE & SONNY, but the inscription was later crossed out.
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial,
St Mary's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead
Pre War
Leonard Thomas Evans was born in 1880 in Hemel Hempstead, Herts the son and eldest child of Walter and Harriet Evans, and one of seven children.
On both the 1891 and 1901 Census the family were living at 47 Chapel Street, Hemel Hempstead, and his father was working as an Iron moulder, with Leonard working as a Grocer's Assistant in 1901. He had left school in 1893 to start work with Joseph Mead in his grocery shop at 61 High Street, Hemel Hempstead. He later worked for Roland Keen who took over Mead's shop in 1912.
There appear to be two marriages for Leonard to Lilly Maria Parrott, one on 19 July 1903 at St Paul's, Hemel Hempstead and another on 3 August 1903 at St Mark's Church, Surbiton, Surrey. The marriage record of the Surbiton marriage is available to view online and confirms that Leonard's father was Walter, he gave his address as Hemel Hempstead and his occupation as Grocer's Assistant. Lily gave her address as 18 Cottage Grove, Surbiton, Surrey and her father as Joseph Parrott (deceased).
Lilly, who had been born in Hemel Hempstead, had lived at 50 Chapel Street, Hemel Hempstead on the 1901 Census with her younger brother William and lodger, William Ambrose and she was working as a charwoman. Her father had died in February 1891 and her mother in 1886, both in Hertfordshire. The witnesses to Leonard and Lilly's marriage in Surbiton were George Woodger and Jennie Hosier. George married Lilly's sister Agnes in 1900 at St Mark's, Surbiton and lived at 18 Cottage Grove, Surbiton. Jennie married Lilly's brother Charles Parrott in Hemel Hempstead in 1906.
Leonard and Lilly lived at "Spring Cottage", 20 Church Street, Hemel Hempstead and had a son, Leonard Walter, who was born on 12 February 1910 in Hemel Hempstead.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hemel Hempstead in 1915 and was transferred to the Army Reserve under the Derby Scheme. He was eventually mobilised in May 1916 and posted to the 3rd (Reserve) Royal West Kent Regiment for basic training. He went to France 6 months later and was then posted to the 6th Battalion, arriving at Montauban in October.
Leonard saw his first serious action in the Battle of Arras in April 1917, followed by the First Battle of the Scarpe. He was wounded near Monchy and, with 30 other casualties, was taken to hospital to recover but was back with his regiment by mid June, being transferred to the 11th Battalion in early July. They were then near Poperinghe Belgium. He fought in the Battles of Pilckem Ridge and Menin Road between July and September.
In November, the 11th Battalion were posted to Italy for a few months before returning to France in early March. The following month he was one of several men transferred to the 7th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers and was fighting near Forceville, when he was killed in action on 24 May 1918, age 38. He is buried at Mesnil Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
Additional Information
His widow Lily received a war gratuity of £9 and pay owing of £11 19s 10d. She also received a pension of £1 0s 5d a week for herself and her child.
Original documents show inscription: IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR HUSBAND, GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN, FROM WIFE & SONNY, but the inscription was later crossed out. it was ordered by Mrs L M Evans, Spring Cottage, 20 Church Street, Hemel Hempstead, Herts
Brother to Harry Evans who died in 1917 and is buried at Hooge Crater Cemetery, Belgium and who is also named on the Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial.
*1 Probably more
correctly (City of London) Bn. London Regiment.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www.hemelatwar.org. www.hemelheroes.com
