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Caradoc Evans
63724, Private, 24th (Denbighshire Yeomanry) Royal Welch Fusiliers
Died of wounds after discharge, 15 May 1920, aged 27
Buried at the Great Orme’s Head Cemetery
CWGC registered (Son of Philip Evans, of 5, Pleasant St, Craig-y-don, Llandudno, and the late Elizabeth Evans)
Caradoc Evans, the son of Phillip Evans and his wife Elizabeth Evans (née Hughes), was born in Llandudno on 29 January 1893. In 1891, two years before Caradoc was born, the family lived at 1 Church Walks, Llandudno, Phillip Evans being described as a general labourer. However, when Caradoc was admitted to St. George’s School in 1896, the family’s address was “Shaftesbury House” and in 1899 it was Victoria Street, Craig-y-Don. The Census for 1901 records the family living at 3 Pleasant Street, Craig-y-Don and that Caradoc (8) had five elder brothers (Elias, Llewellyn, Arthur, Ivor and Hywel) and a younger sister, Gwladys. Caradoc transferred to Craig-y-Don New School in September 1908. The Census of 1911 records the family still living at Craig-y-Don though Caradoc had by now left school and become a butcher’s porter.
Caradoc Evans enlisted into the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in December 1916 with a regimental number of 63724; where he did his infantry training is presently unclear. On 15 April 1917, the troopship HMS Arcadian was en-route from Salonika to Alexandria when it was sunk by a torpedo fired by the German U-boat SM UC-74 near the island of Milos with the loss of 279 lives of the 1335 on board. Some who lost their lives were soldiers of the Royal Welch Fusiliers being sent to Egypt as reinforcements. Caradoc Evans was on board the Arcadian when it was torpedoed but was rescued unhurt. His new battalion on arriving in Egypt was the 24th (Denbighshire Yeomanry) RWF. The 24th RWF was a Territorial Force battalion that had formed in Egypt on 1 March 1917 from former hussars from the Denbighshire Yeomanry who had been converted to infantry and employed on Suez Canal defences. Reinforcements were needed to bring the battalion up to the strength of an infantry battalion and Caradoc Evans was one of those reinforcements. The battalion came under the orders of the 231st Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division. The division’s first action was the Second Battle of Gaza (17-19 April 1917). Caradoc Evans was wounded in the head and limbs, losing his left eye, and was hospitalised at Port Said. A memorandum dated 14 July 1917 states that Caradoc Evans was still dangerously ill. He was repatriated and then discharged on 19 March 1918, his discharge unit being recorded as the depot, RWF. He was awarded a Silver War Badge number 355384.
Caradoc Evans died on 15 May 1920 aged 27 at the Ministry of Pensions Hospital, Bangor of cerebral palsy and meningitis, complications of the gunshot wound to his head, and he was buried at the Great Orme’s Head Cemetery. His address on the death certificate was given as 3 Pleasant Street, Craig-y-Don and his profession as a bathman at a hotel. Local newspaper reports of the time state that he had previously been employed at the Craigside Hydro Hotel (now demolished).
Known memorials:
- Llandudno Roll of Honour
- Llandudno War Memorial
- Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno
- Tabernacl Welsh Baptist Chapel, Llandudno
Addition information courtesy Adrian Hughes, Home Front Museum.
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