Gunner 245122 Richard Allen Evans
Royal Artillery

Richard Allen Evans was the son of Richard and Sarah Evans, of Godar Fach, Llansantffraid. He enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) and when killed (21st March 1918 aged 34) was serving in ‘B’ Battery 293rd RFA.  At that time his Battery was supporting the 51st reinforced by elements of the 25th Divisions. On the 21st  March the Germans launched a huge and overwhelming attack on the fronts of Fifth and Third Armies; the 51st Division being a part of the Third Army was deployed near Flesquieres. The defensive front around Flesquieres was strongly held and consequently the enemy decided not to attack it frontally, but instead drenched it with gas while attacking on either side. The pressure grew during the day, and from early evening the Division began a fighting withdrawal that, over the next few days, took it back several miles, through Beaumetz, towards Bapaume. In this action the 51st Division lost over 4,900 men while the 25th Division lost more than half its fighting strength.  Richard Allen Evans was killed during this German attack and is buried in Beaumetz Cross Roads Cemetery (Grave Reference: D.6.), Beaumetz-Les-Cambrai, Pas de Calais. He is also remembered on grave 232 in the Llanfechain Churchyard.

Also named on the Llansantffraid Memorial