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Record #3962
Name :
: Robert EVANS (1891 - 1916)


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 9 Dec 1891

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 26 Sep 1916   Notes : Killed in Action
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Middlesex, London
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialFrance
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 6 Apr 1902
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Dominion

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Barnardos
NotesRobert EVANS was born in London on 9 December 1891 the illegitimate son of Mary Ann EVANS (formerly STOREY). On Valentine's day 1900 his mother Mary died of consumption in St Mary's Infirmary, Islington and her partner (possibly Robert's father) William BURGESS asked Dr Barnardo's if they would take the boy and his younger sister Mary.

Their admission report to the Barnardo's recieving house, Stepney Causeway, East London states that they had been living at 35 Ashburton Grove, Holloway. An officer from Barnardos had found the two young children "shut up in a room on the first floor, and, when he entered [they] complained of hunger and cold. The room was "scantly furnished and very dirty." Before he left them the officer arranged for the landlady, Mrs Woodcock to make them a fire and he fetched them something to eat.

Robert and Mary had three older siblings, Harriet EVANS aged 22 at the time of their mother's death and living at 35 Rupert Road Holloway, unmarried and a laundress earning from 1s. 6d. to 2s. a day, Nellie KING aged 20 who was married to Robert KING a french polisher working in a piano factory and who earned a guinea a week (6s. paid in rent), they lived at 10 Spencer Road, Dartmouth Park Hill, London and William EVANS aged 15 and an errand boy to Mr Chapman, boot-maker, Hornsey Road. None of them were in a position to take in the youngsters and so Barnardos accepted them. They were admitted on 21 February when Robert was 8 years and 2 months old. His sister Harriet confirmed that he had been baptised in the Church of England and she signed that she was in "Full Agreement, with Canada Clauses" the implications of which shall become clear later.

Robert was described as being 3ft. 7in. tall, he weighed 46lbs, his chest measured 22in.and had brown hair and eyes. His complexion was described as dark an he had a scar on his right shoulder.

SS Dominion, Dominion Line, 1898-1922On 23 February 1900 the children were separated. Robert went to Leopold House, East London where he stayed until the 12 March when he was boarded out to a foster home in Charsfield, Suffolk. On 28 February Mary went to the Girl's Village Home, Barkingside, Essex.

On 27 March 1902 Robert sailed to Canada aboard SS Dominion arriving in Portland on 7 April 1902.

Thomas Barnardo always intended for a very close watch to be kept over the children he sent overseas. Luckily the report on Robert's life in Canada survives and although sketchy yields some interesting information.

Robert travelled in a large party of children from Barnardos. The entry of Robert's name on the list can be viewed by clicking on the image below.

The Barnardo's inspector, Mr Owen makes his first report at the end of December 1902. Robert was at that time employed by Mr John Parker of Cargill, Ontario and the boy's health is said to have been good. He was being "Kindly treated" and was "happy and contented in his home." Mr Parker apparently thought he was a "very good boy, cheerful, truthful & a willing worker."

A year later at the end of December 1903 Mr Owen reports that Robert's health remains good and his conduct satisfactory. He is apparently "Not very robust but free from ailment." Although his employer, still Mr Parker at this time, feels there is room for improvement it is thought that Robert is doing his best. He was attending school and went regularly to church and Sunday school.

Mr Owen's next report is from January 1905. Robert is still at the Parker's farm in Cargill and his health continued to be good. This time he is described as a "very useful boy and thoroughly well behaved" He seems to have been treated very well by the Parkers being "amply supplied with clothing." The boy also seems to be adapting well to life as a farmer for he is said to have taken a "great interest in the welfare of the livestock and the affairs of the farm generally."

He was visited again in November of that year but no details are given. However in August 1906 it seems there was some mix-up regarding a letter Robert tried to send to his sister Mary back in England. At first Barnardo's couldn't find her and doubted she was in their care. However she was eventually traced to a Miss Collett's, Skinner Street, Stockton-on-Tees and the letter finally forwarded to her.

The reports for November 1906 and October 1907 simply state that he was "Doing Well" and seems still to have been with the Parkers. However in September 1908 he is working for a man called Robert Hestler, "Giving satisfaction but only earning board & clothes."

In August 1909 Robert went to work for Wesley Abel in Dundalk, Ontario. Dundalk - OntarioUnfortunately the quality of the microfilm makes the entry impossible to read apart from the comment that he was "Doing well." By July 1910 he was back in Cargill this time employed by Charles Hestler for two months at a rate of $25US per month. He is described as a "Good Worker."

Then it seems Barnardo's lost touch with Robert. He had apparently gone "West" in 1912 but had kept up a correspondence with Sydney Parker from which the Barnardo's inspector learned, in 1920, of his enrollment in the army in 1915, and his subsequent death the following year.

Reference is made to his sisters being Robert's next of kin and the last entry in his file mentions that his brother William was in the Navy and had been in the Dardenelles. Then the Barnardo's file on Robert EVANS is closed.

Thankfully at this point we have the Canadian army's records to help us take up the story.

When Canadian troops were sent to France in the early stages of the war, they were a largely untrained and untried army. It was not until the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917 that the Canadians started to shape their own identity as a nation.

Robert EVANS enlisted at the small town of Virden, Manitoba Virden - Manitobaand had his medical on 23 Dec 1914 (aged 21 years 186 days according to his papers). Virden is a small town in south western Manitoba, midway between the cities of Winnipeg and Regina and is close to the geographical centre of North America. It was the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway that put Virden on the map in 1883 and it is also situated alongside Trans Canada Highway No 1. The town soon became a popular agricultural centre and quickly established a firm foothold on the prairie soil with numerous grain elevators, many elegant stone buildings and a flourishing social and cultural scene. It is no surprise then that Robert gave his occupation as "farmer".

He was 5'6" tall and 140lbs and on enlistment joined the 45th Battalion for training.On arrival in Britain he was attached to the 9th Reserve Infantry Battalion at Shorncliffe, Kent on 10 June 1915. Shorncliffe was an army camp just outside Dover which had been simple tents in Napoleon's time. Now there were many thousands of Canadian forces stationed there and on the hills above Hythe, Folkestone being a major point of embarkation to the Continent.

A month later on the 18 July 1915, Private A/24132 Robert EVANS was transferred to the 5th Battalion., Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regt.) and embarked for France On the date of his Attestation in Shorncliffe, 16 July 1915 his assigned pay was $20.00 (almost double that which his British counterparts received) to become effective on 1 November 1915 and payable Canadian Expeditionary Forceto his sister Nellie KING at 27 Chesterfield Gardens, Harringay. Originally on his documents he had stated his next-of-kin as being his sister Mary but for some reason this was changed perhaps because she was too young or maybe her severe epilepsy made her unable to look after his affairs.

Robert was "Taken on Strength 5th Battalion" 18 July 1915, as stated above, and was "In the field" by 31 July 1915. He had missed the Second Battle of Ypres by a few months but the battles of St Eloi Craters (March - April 1916) Mount Sorrel (2 - 13 June 1916) and the Somme (July - November 1916) lay ahead. The Canadians were to be particularly involved in the Battle of Courcelette (15 Sept 1916) which saw the first use of the tank and the rolling barrage and the Battle of Thiepval Ridge (26 Sept 1916). Below is a letter Robert sent to his sister Nellie KING soon after he arrived in France:

YMCA Active Service With The British Expeditionary Force August 9 1915

Name Robt Evans No a/24132 5th Battalion Canadians

Dear Sister

Just a few lines to let you know I received your most welcome letter and was sure pleased to here Nell dear how is all the children getting along and have you heard from Bob?

Well this is lovely weather we are having just know [sic]. Well I had a letter from Mary and she is well. Well Nell I am getting along fine. Well Nell I am glad to hear that Bob is well and I am going to write to him if I get time today.

Well and you have been up to see Willie's wife, well I am glad she is alive yet and Nell tell her to drop me a few lines as I would like to hear from her and tell her when she writes to Willie to give him my best luck.

Well Nell I want you to do a few favors. I want you to write to some people in Canada for me if I should happen to get killed as a fellow never knows what might happen. Will you do that for me? I will write them good and plain as there is some people in Canada that is just as anxious about me as you are and this is the addresses. I am asking you to do this as I think you will be more able and if you do have to write just send them a postcard.

Mr Sidney Parker
Cargill
Ontario
Canada


Miss M Willette
Woodnorth
Manitoba
Canada


So goodbye and write soon, from your loving brother
Robert.

P.S. Well Nell you ask me if I smoke, well I do Nell since I came over here but I didn't use to in Canada but it is past time over here so if you have anything over there to smoke why send it this way.

Here is another he wrote a year later
France Aug 28 1916

Dear Sister

Rec your ever loving letter and was pleased to here from you Nell. How is everybody these times I hope the children are better by this time and also yourself as I am fine these days. Have you heard from Bob lately or Willie? I haven't had a line from Willie for a long, long time, is he still in Scotland? We have had some fine weather out here lately but it rained yesterday and made the trenches very muddy.

Well Nell I don't think Bob is down where that heavy fighting is going on. I think he is in the same place as when he was on leave that time Nell. I here you have had another visit by the Zepps hope they didn't come near you.

Well I think this is all the news for this time.

Hoping to here from you soon.
Your loving brother,
Rob.

The wood outside Thiepval. Sep-1916On 22 July 1916, a month before he wrote this letter, Robert was put on "woodcutting detail" where he stayed until 5 September 1916 when he was ordered "to duty". On 30 September a report was received at HQ that he was posted as "Missing" on 26/27 September 1916 - the date of the Battle of Thiepval Ridge.

His pay was stopped immediately and his family in England began writing anxious letters to try to discover what had happened to him.

In November his sister Nellie KING received the following letter


5th Can Bn
B.E.F.
24.10.16
Dear Mrs King

In answer to your letter of the 14th inst. I am sorry to say I cannot give you the information you desire other than the fact that he was present when the Battn. attacked and advanced over a considerable amount of country in conjunction with other battns on the 26th Oct [should read 26th Sept.] It is possible that you may hear of him from some other source soon.

Hoping that the news may be satisfactory.
Yours sincerely

E. Way
OC "A" Coy



Then in March of the following year this arrived
23rd February 1917
From Officer i/c Estates, C.E.F.
Westminster House, Millbank, London, SW
To Mrs. R. King
27 Chesterfield Gardens, Greer Laves [sic], Harringay

Private
Robert Evans
5th Battalion
Missing.
No. A24132
Madam
I am directed to inform you that exhaustive enquiries are being made
with the hope of learning something further regarding the soldier named in the margin,
who has been reported missing since 26th-27th September 1916.

If, however, at the expiration of six months from that date no information that he may still be living is received, he will, for official purposes, be presumed to have died on or since the day from which he was reported missing.

Should such presumption have to be made, a speedy settlement of the
military estate is desirable and due provision for any dependents the soldier
may have. To facilitate this be good enough to fill up and sign the enclosed
forms 64 and 100 in accordance with the instructions thereon and return them to this Office.

Yours faithfully

Wm. J Reilley
Lieut.
For Officer i/c Estates, C.E.F.



Canadian Record Office
Green Arbour House
Old Bailey
London E.C.4
No. R.L. 25-E-359
Cas. 13317.
13th March 1917
Mrs. R. King,
27 Chesterfield Gardens,
Green Lanes,
Harringay, London.

Dear Madam.

With reference to my previous correspondence with you regarding No. A24132 Pte. R. Evans, 5th Battalion Canadians, I regret that it is now my painful duty to have to inform you that a further report has been received in this Office to the effect that this soldier was Killed in Action on the 26/27th September, 1916, and I am at the same time to express to you the sympathy and regret of the Militia Council at your loss.

Further information regarding the personal effects and any balance of pay due to the military estate of the soldier will be communicated to you in due course by the Estates Branch, Canadian Contingents, 7. Millbank, London, S.W., but some time must necessarily elapse before these questions can be dealt with. If you do not receive further communication in six weeks' time, please write to Estates Branch, quoting Reference No., above, also Regimental No., Name and Unit of Deceased soldier

Yours truly,
JM Knowles
Lieut.
For Lt-Col. i/c Records.
C.O.M.F.

Private A/24132 EVANS, Robert is commemorated in the Canadian Books of Remembrance and on the Vimy memorial in the following way:

In Memory of Private ROBERT EVANS, 5th Bn., Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regt.), who died on Tuesday, 26th September 1916.

Remembered with honour VIMY MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France

In an act of personal remembrance his sister Nellie had the following cards printed and distributed:

In ever Loving Memory of Pte. R. Evans, No a/24132, 5th Batt., Canadians Killed in Action September 26th 1916 aged 24 years.

All information copyright Leigh Yaeger ({website}eng-villages.co.uk/robert_evans_1.html) 
ContributorsCreated : 2008-08-02 18:03:43 / From original database

Last Updated : 2009-01-21 19:58:58 /

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3036 ABBOTT, George1894ENG, MDX, London Jul 1904 : Southwark CAN Barnardos  
3082 ABEL, Walter John1869ENG, MDX, London Aug 1884 : Sarmatian CAN Board of Guardians (Various)  
4994 ADAMS, Edward1915ENG, LDN, London Sep 1930 : Duchess of Bedford CAN Barnardos  
8695 ADAMS, James1884ENG, LDN, London Sep 1896 : Mongolian CAN Unknown Catholic Group  
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8529 ALLEN, Daniel1898ENG, LDN, London Jul 1913 : Corsican CAN Catholic Emigration Association  
12790 ALLEN, Ernest1916ENG, LDN, London May 1930 : Duchess of Bedford CAN Crusade of Rescue  
6259 AMEY, Elizabeth1904ENG, LDN, London Oct 1913 : Corinthian CAN Barnardos  
6594 ANDERSON, Leslie1913ENG, LDN, London Jul 1927 : Minnedosa CAN Barnardos  
10452 ANDERSON, William1906ENG, LDN, London Jul 1921 : Megantic CAN National Childrens Home  
8858 ANNESS, James Edward1901ENG, LDN, London Jul 1914 : Empress of Britain CAN Salvation Army  
5360 APOW, Leslie1911ENG, LDN, London Aug 1925 : Montnairn CAN National Childrens Home  
5468 ARBOURNE, Frederick A1890ENG, LDN, London Jul 1902 : New England CAN Barnardos  
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17119 ATKINS, Percy1895ENG, LDN, London Aug 1907 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
3080 AUBURN, John George1855ENG, MDX, London May 1872 : Varuna CAN Shoe Black Brigade  
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4896 BAKER, Ernest F1913ENG, LDN, London Mar 1925 : Aurania CAN Liverpool Sheltering Home  
4899 BAKER, Lilian E1911ENG, LDN, London Mar 1925 : Aurania CAN Liverpool Sheltering Home  
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 596 Entries        
Surnames starting with:   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  30 Entries