Pte 22070 Joseph Evans

• Age: 22
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: 13th KLR
• Died on Thursday 14th December 1916
• Commemorated at: Varennes Mc
  Panel Ref: I.G.74

Joseph Evans was born in Liverpool in 1894 and was baptised at St Anne's Chuch Aigburth on 02nd December 1894. He was the youngest son of John Evans and his wife Louisa (nee Prince). They had married in 1885 at St Michael's Church ,Toxteth. 

Joseph was one of 11 children born to John and Louisa. They were Herbert, John, Edith, Jessie, Joseph, Bertha, Margaret, Nona, and Agnes. 2 of the children died young, they were Louisa and Constance. 

His mother Louisa died in 1908. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 1 Gordon Terrace, Aigburth. His father works as a gardener for the council whilst Joseph is employed as a grocers apprentice. 

He enlisted on 06th November 1914 joining the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 22070. He lists his age as 20 years and 1 month, his occupation as a Clerk. He is described as 5'5 inches tall and weighs 126lbs with a 37" chest.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

His service record shows that Joseph was wounded on 30th July 1916 at Guillemont returning to the UK for treatment on 06th August 1916. He was reported as wounded in the Liverpool Daily Post on 05th September 1916.

He was at home until 13th November 1916, returning to France on the 14th November 1916. He was posted to the 12th Battalion KLR at Etaples before transferring to the 13th Battalion of the King's Liverpool Regiment on 25/11/1916. 

Joseph received GSW to back, right shoulder and face on 11th December 1916 and succumbed to his wounds at No.4 Casualty Clearing Station on 14th December 1916.

He now rests at Varennes Military Cemetery in France at I.G.74. His headstone bears the epitaph:

"A LIFE WELL LIVED A DEATH WITH GLORY WON".

The cemetery was laid out by the 39th Casualty Clearing Station in August 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, but the first burials were made during August and September by more mobile divisional Field Ambulances. The 4th and 11th Casualty Clearing Stations then used the cemetery from October 1916, joined by the 47th from December 1916, but by May 1917 Varennes was deserted and remained so until the Germans launched their offensive in this quarter in April 1918. The cemetery was then extended by the 17th and 38th (Welsh) Divisions by the addition of plots II and III, and at the beginning of September 1918, the 3rd Canadian and 59th Casualty Clearing Stations arrived at Varennes.

The cemetery contains 1,219 burials of the First World War, two of which were brought in from Varennes Communal Cemetery in 1934.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

His headstone shows his age to be 21 though his Baptismal record would suggest he was 22.

Joseph's death was sadly not the only loss that the family had to endure as his elder brother, Herbert, was killed in action whilst serving as Private 331680 with 1/9th King's Liverpool Regiment on 22nd September 1917 aged 32. Herbert's body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium. 

Soldiers Effects went to John Henry, which is his elder brother. Pension to his father John.

Joseph is commemorated at St Anne's Church in Aigburth alongside his elder brother Herbert.

We currently have no further information on Joseph Evans. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.