Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Evans, a Midland and Liverpool Railway chief clerk, born in the July quarter of 1852 in Stoneyford, Derbyshire (son of Thomas Evans, 1820-1900 and Margaret Bansall, 1819-1872) and his wife Sarah Ann Evans (nee Unwin, married on the 1st May 1877 in St. Bartholomew’s Church, Clay Cross, Derbyshire) born in the January quarter of 1856 in Burslem, Staffordshire and baptised on the 18th October 1854 in Holy Trinity Church, Sneyd, Staffordshire (daughter of James Unwin, 1829 and Mary Jones, 1829). James Bansell, a schoolboy, was born in the April quarter of 1885 in Garston, Lancashire and baptised on the 17th May 1885 in St. Michael’s Church, Garston, his siblings were, Thomas, a schoolboy, born in the April quarter of 1878, Henry, a schoolboy, born in the January quarter of 1880 and Jane Annie, a schoolgirl, born in the July quarter of 1881, the latter three siblings were all born in Liverpool, Lancashire and Margaret, a schoolgirl, born in the January quarter of 1883 in Garston, in April 1891 the family home was at 2, Argyle Road, Garston, West Derby, Lancashire. In March 1901 James was employed as an architect’s pupil and was residing in the family home at 56, Highfield Street, St. Peter’s, Leicester, together with his father, a Midland Railway goods agent, his mother and siblings, Thomas, a railway clerk, Jane, and Margaret an assistant schoolmistress. On the 17th April 1915, James married Edith Mabel McCall in St. Peter’s Church, Leicester, Edith was born on the 3rd June 1886 in Leicester (daughter of James McCall, 1857-1919 and Sarah Ann Somers, 1861-1896) James and Edith had a daughter, Florence M. Evans, born in the October quarter of 1916 in Islington, Middlesex.
FAMILY NOTE: No trace can be found of James in the April 1911 census records.
James’ Army enlistment documents were not researched, and as such all that is known of his military service is that he was commissioned into the Royal Fusiliers – City of London Regiment, and was posted as a 2nd Lieutenant to the 20th Service Battalion of that Regiment and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 13th November 1915. He was awarded the 1914-15 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 20 Jul-16 – HIGH WOOD (Map reference MARTINPUICH AREA) – 19th Brigade attack at 3.25am on HIGH WOOD: Attack by 1st CAMERONIANS and 5th SCOTTISH RIFLES, 20th ROYAL FUSILIERS in support, 2nd ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS in reserve. North corner and North West corner of WOOD not taken, rest taken and consolidated. 2nd ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS came up about 12 noon. A front and support have consolidated across wood from East to West about, with a strong point about S.4.d.2.8 in support line.
Held on to this position until relieved by 100th Brigade at midnight then withdrew to old bivouacking ground MAMETZ WOOD. Casualties Lieutenant Colonel BENNETT wounded. Killed Lieutenant RAWSON, Lieutenant PALMER, 2nd Lieutenant PRICE, 2nd Lieutenant COVENTRY. Missing 2nd Lieutenant HINE. Missing believed killed Captain TOLLER, Lieutenant WALLWORTH, Lieutenant EVANS. Wounded Captain HOLLINGWORTH, 2nd Lieutenant BELL, 2nd Lieutenant COOKE, 2nd Lieutenant BROOKE, 2nd Lieutenant FABRICUM, 2nd Lieutenant IVES, 2nd Lieutenant HERBERT. Other Ranks killed, wounded and missing 375.
On Saturday July 29th, 1916, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page 4, under the heading. – ROLL OF HONOUR. – LIEUT. J. B. EVANS FALLS IN ACTION. – Information has been received of the death in action of Lieut. J. B. Evans, Royal Fusiliers, son of Mr. Thos. Evans, district goods manager of the Midland Railway, Liverpool and Manchester, formerly of Leicester. The deceased officer was an old Wyggestonian, and in April 1915, married Edith Mabel, younger daughter of Councillor McCall. On the outbreak of war, he joined the Public Schools Battalion, now the Royal Fusiliers, as a private. This was in September, 1914, and shortly afterwards he received a commission in his own battalion. In November last he went to France, and became first lieutenant in March of this year. A brother officer writes to the friends of the deceased officer: - “All the men who returned said how splendidly brave Lieut. Evans was. The whole brigade was attacking where a German machine-gun was holding up our fellows. It was whilst he was organising an attack to clear out this machine gun that he was hit, and died almost immediately. The battalion had a hot time, but they did the work they were told to do. The divisional general thanked all ranks for their splendid behaviour.” One of the men also writes: - “Lieut. Evans died like a brave man. He was killed by a high explosive in the early part of the battle. The last time I saw him he was at the head of his men. It was a case of death or glory.”
On the 31st January 1920 the Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester published a Roll of Honour of former pupils, this records that James attended the school between the years 1897 and 1900.
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