King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 12th Battalion, Service no. 814
Born: 19th November 1880. Died: 1939
Story
Richard Evans was the son of Evan and Margaret Evans. He was a coal miner, and married Lois Leach in Thurscoe, Rotherham on 22nd September 1902. His wife passed away in 1908 aged 24, and Richard re-married Annie Eliza Woodall in Featherstone on 16th May 1910. In 1911, whilst living in Castleford, Richard was sent to prison for a month in July, and then for a year in October for shop-breaking. Richard enlisted on 14th September 1914, whilst living at 18 Smith Street, Pontefract. He stated that he had been born in Kippax, and had previously spent 12 years with the 8th Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, and 2 years with 5th Battalion, as a sergeant. He was 5 ft 3¼ inches tall, and had tattoos on both arms. He was promoted to Sergeant on 18th November 1914, and then demoted back to Private, imprisoned for a day, and finally discharged from the Army on 1st January 1915 for having given a false answer on attestation, when it was discovered there was no record of him having served previously. After the War, Richard enlisted again, joining the Army Service Corps under Service no. 695063. He now had a large family, and his second spell in the Army was more successful. He was promoted just before his discharge, and served in France from 22nd June 1919 to 15th October 1919. Aged 39, he was discharged with disability due to a loss of vision in his right eye. In 1939, he was living in Thorne, and his occupation was ‘incapacitated traffic manager’. He passed away the same year aged 58.
Below: In front of the 12th Battalion, a British Mine explodes under the German Lines at Hawthorn Ridge Redoubt at 07:28 1st July 1916, triggering the start of the Battle of the Somme:
<< John Henry Dunwell
George Arthur Michael Firth >>
Soldiers discharged as Unfit Home Page
Home Page
Kippax Roll of Honour 