Evans, John Jones

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John Jones Evans

240753, Private, Labour Corps
Formerly 33447, Private, Agricultural Company Norfolk Regiment
Died of illness after discharge, 12 February 1919, aged 36
Buried at the Great Orme’s Head Cemetery

CWGC registered (Son of David Evans, of No 4, Cottage, Victoria Yard, Back Madoc St, Llandudno)

John Jones Evans, the son of David and Catherine Evans, was born at Llandudno on 9 December 1882. His father was a baker and the family home was at “Galloway Cottage”, Bodafon Row, Llandudno. When the 1891 Census was taken, John (9) had three brothers, William (13), Robert (11), and a sister Sarah (6). John attended Lloyd Street School which he left in June 1896. The Census in 1901 recorded John as a boarder at “Cromwell House”, Old Road, Llandudno; he was a general labourer. On 20 November 1903, John married Cecilia Maude Kaye (b Norwich 1878) at St. George’s Parish Church, Llandudno. The couple adopted two children: Richard Ivor Davies (b 1908) and Freda Millicent Goulding (b 1913). The Census of Wales for 1911 records the couple and Richard Ivor living at “Trefriw Cottage”, James Street, Llandudno; John was described as a labourer/gardener working for the town council. He later became a lavatory attendant.

In 1916, John Evans was conscripted under the Military Service Act. At a medical examination in October 1916 it was noted that John had a slight left inguinal hernia and he was categorised as Class B1. His acceptance was made at Wrexham on 16 November 1916 but because of his medical category, he was posted to the second line 2/6th Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, Territorial Force, which was stationed at Southwold, joining the unit on 28 October 1916. His original regimental number is unknown but this was changed to 267824. In early 1917, the army was demanding that it could conscript an additional 30,000 agricultural workers. In order that this could go ahead, labour had to be sought to replace them so that the 1917 harvest could be gathered in. The answer was the formation of agricultural companies attached to existing regiments. John Evans was thus transferred to the Agricultural Company of the Depot of the Norfolk Regiment, his new regimental number being 33447. In June 1917, the agricultural companies were transferred to the newly-formed Labour Corps and their soldiers given new regimental numbers: John Evans’ new number being 240753. It cannot be for certain that John was employed on agricultural duties as these companies had a number of administrative personnel.

John Jones Evans died of influenza and cardiac failure at Trefrew Cottage, Llandudno on 12 February 1919 aged 36. Sadly, his wife Cecilia died of the same causes just two days later. The records of the disposal of the effects of dead soldiers indicate that John Evans died after discharge though another document records his transfer to the Class Z Reserve on 4 March 1919, three weeks after his death. John and Cecilia were both buried at the Great Orme’s Head Cemetery.

Though John Jones Evans’ last unit was an agricultural company of the Labour Corps, he is commemorated as a soldier of the Norfolk Regiment, a unit in which he was officially established for only a short period. This is because the Labour Corps was not regarded in a particularly heroic light and its fallen were remembered as members of their previous regiment, if they had had one.

Known memorials:

  • Llandudno Roll of Honour
  • Llandudno War Memorial
  • Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno

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