Lewis Pugh Evans

Brigadier General Lewis Pugh Evans VC, CB, CMG, DSO & Bar (3 January 1881 - 30 November 1962) was a Welsh recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

After Eton and Sandhurst Evans entered the British Army with a commission in the Black Watch with whom he served in the Boer War in South Africa. After service with his regiment in India Evans returned to England and obtained a pilot's certificate and when the First World War broke out in 1914 he was posted as an observer with the Royal Flying Corps but after a few months he returned to the Black Watch and in 1917 was appo­inted to command the First Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment.

He was 36 years old, and an Acting Lieutenant Colonel in The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), British Army, Commander 1st Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 4 October 1917 near Zonnebeke, Belgium, Lieutenant Colonel Evans took his battalion through a terrific enemy barrage, and while his troops were working round the flank of a machine-gun emplacement, rushed at it himself, firing his revolver through the loophole, and forcing the garrison to capitulate. Although severely wounded in the shoulder he refused to be bandaged and again led his battalion forward and was again wounded. Nevertheless he carried on until the next objective was achieved, and then collapsed. As there were numerous casualties he again refused assistance and managed unaided to reach the dressing station.

Evans was mentioned in despatches seven times and was awarded the D.S.O and Bar; the 1914 Star and Clasp; the British War Medal; the Victory Medal; the Order of Leopold of Belgium and the Croix de Guerre : he was also a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.

In 1928 he retired from the Army but returned to service in World War II as a Military Liaison Officer at the Headquarters of the Wales Region.. He later achieved the rank of brigadier general.

He was Honorary Colonel of the Cardiganshire Army Cadet Force and was for 25 years President of the Aberystwyth Branch of the Royal British Legion. He was a Churchwarden at Llanbadarn Fawr and a Justice of the Peace on the local bench as well as Deputy Lieutenant for Cardiganshire and a Freeman of the borough of Aberystwyth.

References

*Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
*The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
*VCs of the First World War - Passchendaele 1917 (Stephen Snelling, 1998)

External links

* [http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/wales.htm Location of grave and VC medal] "(Dyfed, Wales)"
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