DRAFT

Edwin Evans was born in Penlan Mabus, Mathry, Pembrokeshire in around 1894. He was the son of William and Maria Evans.

The first confirmed record of Edwin is in the 1901 Census, he is 7 years old and living with his parents and 5 siblings at 9 Penlan Mabus, Mathry. His father, William, was listed as a Rabbit Trapper.

Ten years later, in the 1911 Census, Edwin was listed as 16 years old and working as a Rabbit Trapper with his father.

In December 1915, Edwin enlisted in the 1st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade and from that time on, he would have seen little of his family or home other than some brief periods of leave.

Edwin died of Malaria in a military hospital in Greece on 19 October 1917.

He is remembered on the war memorials in both Fishguard (where his parents moved to) and Mathry.

DRAFT

Edwin Evans enlisted as a Gunner in the 1st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade at Carmarthen in late 1915 and was given the Brigade service number 1571.

Unfortunately, his service record was destroyed during the Blitz, however it is possible to piece together much of his service using other surviving records.

Based on his service number, he enlisted in the first week of December 1915 and would most likely have been sent to No 7 Artillery Training school at Winchester to undertake his basic training (by this stage of the War, training had been centralized).

Following completion of his training, it is likely that he was one of the recruits who moved to Salonika in Aug/Sept 1916. On arrival, he would have been sent to a depot, awaiting orders to join a battery.

2 surviving sources confirm that Gnr Evans’s final unit (in October 1917) was ‘B’ Battery of the 98th Brigade. Unusually, despite his Howitzer training, ‘B’ Battery operated 18-pound Field Guns. 98 Bde was part of the 22nd Division, one of Kitchener’s New Army Divisions who fought throughout the Salonika campaign.

Gunner Edwin Evans died of Malaria on 19 October 1917 and was buried at the Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria, Greece (in the city of Thessaloniki). His parents had the words HIS END WAS PEACE inscribed on the headstone.

Kalamaria was the base of the British Salonika Force and contained, from time to time, eighteen general and stationary hospitals. It is reasonable to assume that Gnr Evans was evacuated from the front-line to one of these hospitals, where he ultimately lost his life.

For his service in the Great War, Gunner Edwin Evans was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. His family would have also received a bronze ‘Death Penny’ and memorial scroll inscribed with his name to recognize his sacrifice. His family still have the memorial scroll, a picture is included in the image library.

Gnr Evans is remembered on both the Fishguard and Mathry War Memorials.