Allegiance United Kingdom Role Armed force officer | Name Lewis Evans | |
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Years of service 1899 – 19381939 – 1941 Commands held 159th Brigade2nd Battalion, Black Watch14th BrigadeBlack Watch1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment Similar People Fernando Tamagnini de Abreu, Douglas Haig - 1st Earl Haig, Erich Ludendorff, Hubert Gough, Friedrich Sixt von Armin | ||
Brigadier Lewis Pugh Evans VC, CB, CMG, DSO & Bar, DL (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.
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Early years
Lewis Pugh Evans was born at Abermadd to Sir Gruffydd Humphrey Pugh Evans (1840–1902), KCIE, Advocate-General of Bengal and a member of the Viceroy's Council, and Lady Emilia Savi Pugh Evans (nee Hills; 1849–1938). Lewis Pugh Evans was educated at Eton and entered the army after training at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
Early career
Following a year at Sandhurst Evans entered the British Army with a commission in the Black Watch, with whom he served in the Second 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 air 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.
Victoria Cross
On 4 October 1917 near Zonnebeke, Belgium and by now an Acting Lieutenant Colonel in The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), British Army, Pugh was Commanding Officer of 1st Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment and aged 36 years when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
For most conspicuous bravery and leadership. Lt.-Col. Evans took his battalion in perfect order through a terrific enemy barrage, personally formed up all units, and led them to the assault. While a strong machine gun emplacement was causing casualties, and the troops were working round the flank, Lt.-Col. Evans rushed at it himself and by firing his revolver through the loophole forced the garrison to capitulate. After capturing the first objective he was severely wounded in the shoulder, but refused to be bandaged, and re-formed the troops, pointed out all future objectives, and again led his battalion forward. Again badly wounded, he nevertheless continued to command until the second objective was won, and, after consolidation, collapsed from loss of blood. As there were numerous casualties, he refused assistance, and by his own efforts ultimately reached the Dressing Station. His example of cool bravery stimulated in all ranks the highest valour and determination to win.
1918
After recovering from his wounds he returned to duty with the 1st Battalion. On 9 April 1918 their lines came under attack in the Germans' Spring Offensive in a three-day battle. He was awarded for this a bar to his DSO, the citation for which read:
On the first day he was moving about everywhere in his forward area during operations, the next day he personally conducted reconnaissance for the counterattack, which he carried out on the third day. It was largely due to his untiring energy and method that the enemy was checked and finally driven out.
At the end of hostilities in November 1918 he was commanding the 14th Infantry Brigade of the 32nd Division with temporary rank of Brigadier-General.
Awards
Evans was mentioned in despatches seven times and was awarded the DSO and Bar; the 1914 Star and Clasp; the British War Medal; the Victory Medal; the Order of Leopold (Belgium) and the Croix de Guerre. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1919, and a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1938. Pugh was also invested as an Officer of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.
He also as a living recipient of the Victoria Cross received the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal (1935), King George VI Coronation Medal (1937), and Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953).
His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London.
Marriage
Lewis Pugh Evans married Margaret Dorothea Seagrave Vaughan-Pryse-Rice on 10 October 1918. They lived at Lovesgrove on the death of his elder brother in 1945.
Retirement
In 1938 he retired from the Army but returned to service in the Second World War as a Military Liaison Officer at the Headquarters of the Wales Region. He worked with the Special Operations Executive in India. He later achieved the rank of brigadier. Between October 1947 and January 1951 he was Honorary Colonel of the 16th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment.
He died of a heart attack, aged eighty-one, at Paddington Station, London.
Affiliations
He was Honorary Colonel of the Army Cadet Force in Ceredigion and was for 25 years President of the Aberystwyth Branch of the Royal British Legion.
He was a Churchwarden at Llanbadarn Fawr, where he now lies buried, 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. Pugh was also invested as an Officer of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.