Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Thomas Evans, a shoe trade riveter, born 1852 in Towcester, Northamptonshire and his wife Mary Ann Evans (nee Rolfe, married in the 1st quarter of 1873 in the Northampton district), a boot and shoe trade machinist, born 1853 in Writtle, Essex. Oliver was born in the 2nd quarter of 1894 in St. Barnabas’s, Evington, Leicester, his siblings were, John William, a joiner’s labourer, born 1880 and Harriet, a shoe trade machinist, born 1883, the latter two siblings were both born in Leicester, Ernest Vincent, a shoe trade clicker, born in the 2nd quarter of 1887 in St. Barnabas’s, Leicester, Beatrice, born 1890, Herbert, born 1892 and Alfred Henry, born 1896, the latter three siblings were all born in Evington, in March 1901 the family home was at 52, Spalding Street, Leicester. In April 1911 Oliver was employed as a boot trade finisher and was residing in the family home at 52, Spalding Street, Leicester together with his father, a boot repairer, his mother and siblings, Beatrice, a tailoress, Herbert a shoe trade heel scourer and Alfred, a boot trade preparer. After the 1911 census Oliver’s parents resided at 111, Lancaster Street, North Evington, Leicester. His elder brother Ernest Vincent also fell in action.
The War Diary records: 13 Oct-15 - At noon our artillery started to bombard. At 1.00pm our smoke and gas started. At 1.50pm smoke and gas stopped. At 2.00pm artillery lifted and Battn assaulted the HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT. Lt Col R. E. MARTIN was wounded early but remained in the fire trench directing operations for nearly 24 hours and until -?- to the dressing station by Brig Gen KEMP. All officers of the Battn either killed or wounded. The War Diary entry for the following day the 14th October records. In the evening the Battn was relieved by part of the 139th Bde and went back to the LANCASHIRE TRENCH. Roll call revealed that 188 NCO’s and men returned. The Official History of the War – Military Operations (France and Belgium 1915 Volume II) provided the following statistics for the 1st/4th Battn Leicestershire Regiment, officers killed 20, other ranks killed 453. Total losses for the day were 138th Bde 64 officers and 1,476 other ranks. 137th Bde 68 officers and 1,478 other ranks.