Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine Great War D.C.M. group of four awarded to Lieutenant W. F. Evans, Royal Air Force, late North and South Staffordshire Regiments and Royal Flying Corps: having been awarded his D.C.M. for bravery on the Somme in July 1916, and been wounded as a Subaltern at Ypres in 1917, he qualified as an Observation Officer in the R.F.C.

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (9713 A.C.S. Mjr. W. F. Evans, 8/N. Staff. R.); 1914-15 Star (9713 C. Sjt., N. Staff. R); British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut.), a little polished, otherwise generally very fine (4) £800-1000

D.C.M. London Gazette 10 January 1917:
‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. When in a part of a village where there was no officer, he led three attacks against the enemy, who had re-established themselves by a counter-attack. He showed great coolness and courage, and did fine work consolidating.’

Walter Fletcher Evans, a native of Burton-on-Trent, was born in April 1877 and first entered the French theatre of war as a Company-Sergeant in the 8th Battalion, North Staffordshires in the course of 1915. Subsequently employed with his battalion on the Somme in July-November 1916, his D.C.M. was awarded for the attack on La Boiselle on 3 July, when his unit sustained casualties of 12 officers and 272 other ranks - accompanying war diary extract refers.

Commissioned in the 7th Battalion, South Staffordshires, in May 1917, Evans joined ‘D’ Company out in France that July and was wounded at Ypres in the following month.

He subsequently transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, passed the Aerial Gunnery Course at Hythe and was appointed an Observation Officer in the Royal Air Force in April 1918. Evans was demobilised at the end of 1919, having latterly served in an Artillery Co-operation Squadron in the rank of Lieutenant.