Arthur Evans
Lance-Sergeant, 6th Battalion The Lincolnshire Regiment
- Register No.
- 388 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lance-Sergeant all Lance-Sergeants →
- Unit
- 6th Battalion The Lincolnshire Regiment all Lincolnshire Regiment VCs →
- Date of action
- 2 September 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 30th October 1918 and 31st March 1919 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Born
- 8th April 1891 at Everton, Liverpool, Lancashire
- Died
- 31st October 1936 at Sydney, Austrakia
- Memorial / grave
- He was buried in Sydney, Australia and he re-buried at Park Cemetery, Lytham-St. Annes,, Lancashire
Digest of citation
On 2nd September 1918 south west of Etaing, France, a patrol reconnoitring on the west bank of a river sighted an enemy machine-gun on the east bank. The river being very deep at that point, Lance-Sergeant Evans volunteered to swim across and having done so crawled up behind the machine-gun post, where he shot the sentry and another man and made four more surrender. After a crossing had been found and one officer and one man joined him, machine-gun and rifle fire was opened on them. The officer was wounded and Sergeant Evans covered his withdrawal under heavy fire
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
EVANS, Arthur (Alias SIMPSON, Walter.)(reg. No 388)
Lance-Sergeant 6th Battalion The Lincolnshire Regiment.
London Gazetted on 30th October 1918 and 31st March 1919.
Born on: 8th April 1891 at Everton, Liverpool, Lancashire.
Died on: 31st October 1936 at Sydney, Austrakia.
Memorial: He was buried in Sydney, Australia and he re-buried at Park Cemetery, Lytham-St. Annes,, Lancashire.
Digest of Citation reads: On 2nd September 1918 south west of Etaing, France, a patrol reconnoitring on the west bank of a river sighted an enemy machine-gun on the east bank. The river being very deep at that point, Lance-Sergeant Evans volunteered to swim across and having done so crawled up behind the machine-gun post, where he shot the sentry and another man and made four more surrender. After a crossing had been found and one officer and one man joined him, machine-gun and rifle fire was opened on them. The officer was wounded and Sergeant Evans covered his withdrawal under heavy fire.
Additional information: Corporal (L/Sergeant) Evans also was awarded the the DCM. He won his VC under the name of Sergeant Walter Simpson, his service number was 41788 serving with the 6th Battn. Lincolnshire Regiment. Further to the citation, "The success of ther patrol, which cleaned up a machine-gun post on the flank of the attacking troops of a neighbouring division and obtained an identification, was greatly due to the very gallant conduct of Sergt. Simpson." So far I have been unable to finfd the reason for the change of name. Or the citation for which he was Gazetted on the 31st March 1919. It may be the correction to the name of Evans..
Additional information
Corporal (L/Sergeant) Evans also was awarded the the DCM. He won his VC under the name of Sergeant Walter Simpson, his service number was 41788 serving with the 6th Battn. Lincolnshire Regiment. Further to the citation, "The success of ther patrol, which cleaned up a machine-gun post on the flank of the attacking troops of a neighbouring division and obtained an identification, was greatly due to the very gallant conduct of Sergt. Simpson." So far I have been unable to finfd the reason for the change of name. Or the citation for which he was Gazetted on the 31st March 1919. It may be the correction to the name of Evans..
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: He was buried in Sydney, Australia and he re-buried at Park Cemetery, Lytham-St. Annes,, Lancashire
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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