Llewellyn Lewis Meredith Evans was born in Brightlingsea where his father was vicar and was educated at Worksop College in Nottinghamshire where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps. He left there in December 1915 for Cambridge University, and gained an officer’s commission in the Royal Flying Corps in May 1916. He survived the war, but was killed when his plane ditched into the English Channel in May 1919 when flying from France to England. His body was brought to Holy Trinity Church in Springfield, where his father had been assisting, for burial.
EVANS, LLEWELLYN LEWIS MEREDITH*, Air Force Cross,
Lieutenant, Royal Air Force
On 19th March 1916 the military authorities acknowledged receipt of Llewellyn’s application to join the Royal Flying Corps.
On 15th May 1916 the War Office wrote to Llewellyn at The Park, Brightlingsea to state:
“I am directed to inform you that you have been selected for appointment as a 2nd Lieutenant on probation in the Royal Flying Corps, Special Reserve, with effect from the 27th May 1916, and the notification will shortly appear in the London Gazette.
I am to request you to reporte yourself to the Officer Commanding, Royal Flying Corps, Christ’s Church College, Oxford, on that date, for a course of preliminary instruction in aviation.
You will be required to provide yourself with the necessary outfit, including Camp Kit, before proceeding to join. A list of the necessary articles is enclosed, and on joining you will be credited with an allowance of £50 for your outfit.
In the event of you being unfavourably reported upon during your period of probation, your commission will be cancelled.”
He gained his wings in a Maurice Farman Biplane at the Military School in Birmingham on 6th July 1916.
On 7th August 1916 Llewellyn graduated from the Central Flying School at Upavon in Wiltshire. His graduation certificate was sent to the Officer Commanding, 8th Wing, Royal Flying Corps.
In 1918 Llewellyn's father moved to Springfield to assist as Curate of Springfield.
He was killed in a flying accident on 9th May 1919 in the English Channel near Dover while flying from France to England. He was 21 years old. His body was brought to Chelmsford by train and on 14th May 1919 conveyed to the entrance of Trinity Churchyard, Springfield, where it was met the Rev. Canon Lake, who officiated both in the church and at the graveside.
By then he had been promoted to Lieutenant and had received the Air Force Cross.
On Friday 1st August 1919 less than two months after his son’s death, Llewellyn's father, who had been assisting in the Springfield parish for about a year, was instituted by the Bishop of Chelmsford as Vicar of Ford End.
He did much good work there, restoring both the church and vicarage, but died after an appendix operation at the Chelmsford & Essex Hospital on 14th June 1926. He too was buried at Holy Trinity Churchyard, Springfield.
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Llewellyn was born in Brightlingsea on 19th November 1897, the son of the clergyman John Lewis Evans (1863-1926) and Ellen Evans (nee Hall) (1862-1920). He had two brothers.
Llewellyn's father had been ordained in 1888 and after serving in churches in Wales came to Essex on appointment to Brightlingsea from 1893 to 1918. In 1911 the census found Llewellyn away from his family, aged 13, at St. Cuthbert's College, Worksop in Nottinghamshire.
In October 1912 he suffered from appendicitis and peritonitis.
While at the college he joined the Officers’ Training Corps and achieved the rank of Corporal. He left there on 15th December 1915, shortly after his 18th birthday, having been described as ‘a promising cadet’, who was a 1st class shot, could ride, and had had ‘good’ general efficiency. He left Worksop for Cambridge University.
On 13th March 1916 Llewellyn completed his application for a Temporary Commission in the Royal Flying Corps. His headmaster at Worksop College certified his ‘good moral character’ and confirmed from personal knowledge that Llewellyn had attained a standard of education suitable for a commissioned rank.
The same day he passed his medical at Brightlingsea. At the time he was relatively tall, five feet eleven inches, with an expanded chest of 36,25 inches. Ge had good vision in both eyes.