Pte. Bertie Evis MM, 16123 8th Somerset LI, & 304893 Tank Corps

[Ivor Anderson]

Pte. Bertie Evis MM, 16123 8th Somerset LI, & 304893 Tank Corps

Enlisted Taunton Nov 1914

Entered France 9th Sept 1915

MM listed in LG of 14 Jan 1918 - for Battle of Broodseinde on 4th October 1917: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30476/supplement/835

8th SLI were part of 63^rd Brigade, 37th Division, IX Corps, 2^nd Army on 4th Oct 1917. They were awarded 5 MMs - citations in their WD (TNA):

Bertie EVIS was transferred to the Tank Corps in Dec 1917.

Edited 7 March by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[Ivor Anderson]

His service record is on Ancestry. He was wounded three times 29 Sept 1915, 27 April 1917 & 21 Aug 1918:

[Ivor Anderson]

His Medal roll on Ancestry has a 15 beside Tank Corps - Battalion?

Charles Machin 304895 - 15th Bn. Tank Corps: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1746337/charles-machin/

LLT - Tank Corps: http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/tank-corps-in-the-first-world-war/

Edited 8 March by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[Ivor Anderson]

EVIS appears to have been at home for training with the Tank Corps from Dec 1917 to 7 July 1918.

He was perhaps in action with the 15th Tank Corps at the Battle of Amiens in Aug 1918 - wounded 21st August?

From Ancestry service record:

Edited 8 March by Ivor Anderson

[johntaylor]

Hi, the War Diary and War History for 15th Bn are available (WO 95/103/6 and WO 95/103/7 respectively). The War History is pretty comprehensive with Battlegraphs, maps etc. but unfortunately no other ranks are named apart from medal recipients.

John

 

 

 

[johntaylor]

There is also a very good summary of the action on August 21, 1918 here: https://sites.google.com/site/landships/home/narratives/1918/albert-21-to-29-aug-1918-4th-army?authuser=0

 

[Ivor Anderson]

Many thanks John. So, he was wounded in the 3rd Battle of Albert.

I'll look at the 1918 diary: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/0b86515efe2c4a6f82d30a85d9f60c57

14 Jan 1918 - Training commenced.

8 July 1918 - 15th Battalion Tank Corps left Bovington Camp and entrained. They embarked at Southampton later that day.

9 July 1918 Arrived & disembarked at Southampton.

10 July - arrived PERMICOURT. Joined 2nd Tank Brigade.

31 July transferred from 2nd to 5th Tank Brigade.

8 August - maiden action of 15th Bn., Tank Corps at the Battle of Amiens.

21 August - in action at COURCELLES.  MCs awarded to many tank commanders.

Edited 11 March by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[Ivor Anderson]

CWGC record 7 15th Bn. Tank Corps deaths on 21 August 1918:

[johntaylor]

Hi, that's consistent with the numbers shown in the War Diary - assuming it says 6 Other Ranks Killed, which isn't completely clear. Unfortunately it's possible that some of the men who were wounded could have subsequently died of wounds.

John

[Ivor Anderson]

On 21 August 1918, for the in action at COURCELLES - the purpose of the action was to capture the line of the Albert-Arras railway. MCs awarded to many tank commanders:

B Company:

Capt A S W Willis

Capt A N Hutton

2/Lt Ralph Archibald Wadeson - Tank 040 'Or Stuff'

2/Lt S Brandle - Tank 023 'O'Grady'

2/Lt T C Gibson MC Bar - Tank 024

A Company:

Capt Smeddle

Capt J D Unwin

2/Lt P H Bell - Tank 04 'Olwen'

2/Lt S Payton - Tank 011 'Olivia'

Lt G H R Barton - Tank 015 'O'Grady'

C Company:

Lt Clive Frederick Uzielli - Tank 046 'Opossum'

The MC citations were in the LG 31043 of 2 Dec 1918: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31043/supplement/14267

e.g. The officers were leading their tanks 'on foot'?

Edited 12 March by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[johntaylor]

Hi, you will find much more detailed and accurate versions of the medal citations (for officers and other ranks) in the Tank Corps Book of Honour which is now available online: https://archive.org/details/tankcorpsbookhonour/mode/2up 

For instance, the full citation for 2nd Lieut Wadeson is here: 

Tank commanders often led their tanks forward on foot, in fact Royal Tank Regiment officers still carry an ash plant stick which was traditionally used to test the ground to see if it would support the weight of their tank: https://royaltankregiment.com/the-regimental-history/rtr-customs/

All the best, John

Edited 12 March by johntaylor

[Ivor Anderson]

Many thanks for your help here John. The Tank Corps is a new area to me. I am amazed at the bravery of these officers who must have been prime targets. MCs well earned.

It is a pity I cannot find out which tank EVIS was in.   Fantastic - I see the TANK Corps MM citations are included in the Book of Honour:

Edited 12 March by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[johntaylor]

Hi Ivor, the bravery of both officers and men was extraordinary - the only question is whether it required more courage to be inside the tank or outside it! The tank's armour gave good protection against shrapnel and small arms fire, but they were vulnerable to artillery fire and many men died when their tanks suffered a direct hit. As the citations above show, the Germans had also developed powerful anti-tank rifles by this stage in the war.

John

[Ivor Anderson]

Thanks John. Lt Stewart Harold Slade was the officer killed on 21 August. No MC as he died in the action - 15th Bn. WD from TNA:

Edited 12 March by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

I have traced Bertie Evis pre & post WW1:

Born: Bridgewater, Somerset – birth registered Bridgewater Q1 1888. I think he was born 24 Dec 1887.

Parents: Simeon Evis (1864-1949) & Jane Coram married Holy Trinity, Bridgewater 25 Dec 1885.

1891: 27 Monmouth St., Bridgewater. Aged 3, born Bridgewater. Father Simeon a ‘basketmaker’.

1901: 1 Tappers Lane, Bridgewater, aged 13. Born Bridgewater. Father Simeon a ‘basketmaker’.

1911: Boarder at 18 Philadelphia Road, Porthcaul, Wales. ‘Hauling carter’ aged 22. Born ‘at sea’.

          Parents Simeon & Jane living at 49 Polden St., Bridgewater with his younger siblings.

Married: 13 July 1913, Bridgend – to Amelia Ellen Woosnam.

              Amelia Born: 1892 in 4 Dinam Street, Nantymoel, Glamorgan, Wales. Died 10 Jun 1934.

1914  Son Augustus Walter born 18 March. Married Q2 1946. He died Cheltenham 13 Nov 1992.

1914-1919 Bertie serving in WW1 – 2^nd address 1 Coronation Rd, Ogmore Vale.

1920-1945 Bertie registered on ER at 4 Vivian Terrace, Aberavon dist., Glamorgan.

1939 Bertie living 4 Vivian Terrace, Port Talbot. DoB 24 Dec 1889? ‘Washing Engine Driver’.

1946 – 13 Feb. Bertie died in Port Talbot General Hospital aged 57. Address 4 Vivan Terrace, Aberavon. Probate (Ancestry):

Edited 15 March by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[Ivor Anderson]

Looking at the other MMs awarded along with Bertie Evis' for the 4th October 1917 -

The schedule nos. on the MM index cards are not all consecutive, but share a common authority ref. - source TNA:

134176 Sgt (later CSM) William Hedley DCM MM 15674 - SWB - entered France 8 Sept 1915

             DCM citation in LG 3 May 1917: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29968/supplement/2200

             He got a Medaille Militaire too: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30043/supplement/4161

134183 Pte. Augustus H Martin 19096

134191 Pte. Herbert Walker 15469 - entered France 8 Sept 1915

134192 Pte Bertie Evis 16123

134201 Cpl Edward H Lacey 21808

Edited 14 March by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

On 07/03/2024 at 14:27, Ivor Anderson said:

8th SLI were part of 63^rd Brigade, 37th Division, IX Corps, 2^nd Army on 4th Oct 1917.

 37th Division were in action south of the Menin Road, and SE of 'Inverness Copse' and W of Gheluvelt on 4th October 1917.

Their WD account (TNA ref prev posted) gives the coordinates of a German strongpoint - J 27.a.05.05:

Contemporary trench map - 4 Oct 1917: https://maps.nls.uk/view/101464912       J 27.a.05.05 = Berry Cottages

Edited 18 March by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info