In memory of Noel Everard Evans

potrait_of_noel_everard_evansNoel Everard Evans was injured in one of the last battles of the First World War. His father estimated that he had died at about the same time as the armistice was signed, bringing the war to an end.

He was born on 26 December 1898. His parents were the Rev Enoch Evans and Violet Evans, who moved from Surrey to Colwyn Bay when Enoch became vicar of Llandrillo-yn-Rhos. One of his grandfathers had survived the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava in 1854.

Noel attended Rhos Preparatory School, followed by Llandovery College where he excelled at rugby and athletics. He enrolled at Jesus College, Oxford, but left in autumn 1918 to join the Royal Field Artillery’s 121st Battery. He was in the 27th Brigade, attached to the 5th Division. His brother Morgan was also in the RFA.

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In December 1918, his commanding officer wrote a detailed account of how Noel was injured near Beaudiques, France, on 3 November. “At about 6.30am, Noel went on duty and remained at the guns till 7.30am. Soon after this, at about 7.45am I should think, I was standing outside the dug-out and Noel walked towards me and we stood chatting for a few minutes; then I re-turned to the dug-out and had just stooped under the ’paullin [tarpaulin over the dug-out] when a shell burst a few yards away. Our cook, who stood at the entrance of the dug-out, fell over on top of me, shot through the neck, and I was busy bandaging him when Noel was brought in. He appeared to be slightly wounded in the left thigh and right heel, and a tiny splinter was pulled out of the back of his head; his thigh seemed to worry him most, but the hit on the head had caused him to go temporarily blind: we put this down to concussion.”

Noel was cheerful when he was taken away. His comrades didn’t think he was fatally wounded, and were shocked to learn of his death.

Noel’s parents travelled to Rouen to visit him in hospital. In a letter dated 15 November, his father wrote: “It has been the hardest week to bear of my life. The delay here and the uncertainty of the dear ladies’ condition – the suspense at the last moment when we reached the hospital and the crushing words of the matron: ‘I am afraid I have bad news for you’. We were too late. He had passed away on Monday morning in the early hours, strange to say just about the time ‘the armistice’ was signed!”

photo_of_grave_of_noel_everard_evansThe bottom photograph shows the temporary wooden cross on Noel’s grave at St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen.

With thanks to the National Army Museum, which holds archives of soldiers. More details about Noel, including letters by him and his family, can be viewed here on the NAM website

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