Edward David Evans (1928 - 1992)

Hi

This may be a long shot, but I am hoping someone might be able to help me.

I am doing some family research and one of the people I am researching is Edward David Evans. He was born in St Asaph in 1928 and is believed to have emmigrated to Australia in 1957 where he joined the Australian Army. However I am led to believe that he was in the British Army before emmigrating to Australia and served in Melaka in the Malaysia Emergency. I do not know what Regiment he belonged to, or exactly when he was in Malaysia. I do not know his service number either.

So the long shot begins.... I believe the Royal Welch Fusiliers were in Malaysia and wondered if anyone on this Forum remembers Edward (he may have been known as Ted or Teddy).

If anyone does remember him or has any photos of him could they maybe contact me.

Thank you

Suzy Cairns

Hi Suzy.
Welcome to the Forum.
Sadly i personally can not help you but, if i am not breaking forum protocol, you may be able to help me.
My name is Ivor Robert Evans and although i am from Prescot,Lancs.my father Robert Thomas Evans was born in Liverpool and my Grandfather Isaac Charles Evans, i believe,was from Llansanan ,Denbighshire. Although, sadly, i do not know any names , i do know we had relatives in St Asaph.,as i recall visiting them as a child. That would probably have been in the early 1950's. the only thing i can tell you is that they lived in a flat above a large shop premises on the main Rhuddlan road, i think at one time it may have been a car salesroom. the only other thing i can recall is that the roof and outer wall was corrugated iron sheets.
Some years ago my wife and i were visiting her brother in a home in Denbigh ,i spoke with a young lady, who was from St Asaph whose Grandfather was named John Wesley Evans but for various reasons i have not been able to continue my research.
If you have any info that might tie in with this i would be very interested to know about it. although i have some cousins that i knew as a child i have no idea of any other part of my family
I hope you do not mind my asking.


Ivor

Hello vori,
I am working on this thread. I will contact an old Fusilier who was in my platoon in Malaya and he has contacts in OZ and see what I can find out from him and then search
the M & B V Association for names it might ring a bell and a slight possibility of finding a number for E D Evans ( Slight chance of this how ever)
Regards RBD aka jungle1810

Hi there

This side of the tree is that of my partner, Ceri's. So far we do not have any of those names in the tree although we are at the early stages of the research so you never know... I know that Evans is a fairly common name in Wales so it may be that there is no relation however I will keep the names you have mentioned in mind just in case. Ceri doesnt recall any of her relatives living in the road you mentioned however ceri wasn't born until 1981. If we find any links I will get in touch.

Hello Suzy c 1978& vori
I have not forgotten you. I had shufti at the Malaya and Borneo Veterans list of the 2nd Battalion R W F from our Malaya service. I had not looked at it for quite a while. In the event I only found four with the name Evans. Evans Alfred R W F Enlisted on the 18/4/44 Evans Gwilym enlisted on the 1/1/1956. Evans David enlisted on the 1/1/1956. Evans John enlisted on the 1./1/ 1953. Now for the bad news the list does not give any of these men an army number. In regards to Edward serving in MELAKA this is a town in the State of MALACCA. I will search the Regimental records to see which companies of the 2nd served in MALACCA and when they were there to try and pinpoint at least the company locations. I will ask my former platoon member ( Taffy Gwilym another £10--00p Pom) if he can possibly find an army number for Edward when he served in Malaya I will keep up with the search but as you well know it is most difficult to find a man with out knowing his army number.
Regards R B D aka jungle1810

Hello,
I have just rec an e mail from my mate in OZ he is looking into the situation for me and will let me know his findings asap.
Regards R B D aka jungle1810

I only have records for three "E Evans" serving in Malaya - a long shot - but I do have service numbers which may help Don.

22814330 </SPAN>	Fus</SPAN>	Evans</SPAN>	E.</SPAN>
23023833 </SPAN>	Fus</SPAN>	Evans</SPAN>	E.</SPAN>

23129233 </SPAN>

Fus</SPAN>

Evans</SPAN>

E.V.</SPAN>

Hello Richard et al,
I have just had a reply from "Taffy" Gwilym in OZ. He has sent the following Sgt Edward David Davies Service (Army Australian) Service between 6/01/1971
and 18/11/1971. Total 317 days. Units served in "A" Squadron 3rd Cavalry Regiment and Squadron "B" 3rd Squadron Cavalry Regiment. I thank Richard for his help in this search much appreciated. This info from OZ does not help in the search for an army number to pin down what British Regiment David served in and I was born in 1932 and Joined the RWF in October 1950 and my number starts with 2254. I will try and see what transpires but all the manifold experts on our Forum know with out an army number it is a really long shot. Sorry "Taffy" Gwilym could not fine his British army service details. So the search continues. Thanks to all concerned in this search.
Regards R B D aka jungle1810

Well done Don, good effort. I wonder if he saw service in Vietnam?

Al

Hi

Thank you all for your efforts...

Sgt Edward David Evans (Taffy or Teddy) did see service in Vietnam for the 11 months as mentioned in one of the replies. He actually joined the Australian Army in the 1960s and didnt come out until 1980 I believe. I will be ordering his full Australian Military Record tomorrow but it can take upto 6 months for it to arrive so I am told. Taffy was involved in the Tropical Trials Unit, which I believe from a few of his Australian Comrades I have spoken to, was a unit set up in North Queensland for detailed testing of proposed new military to ensure suitability for tropical conditions. In 1962 a special unit (Number 5 Tropical Trials Unit) was established to test a couple of types of armoured personnel carriers, the final choice was the American M113 APC which they used in Vietnam. Taffy was involved in the testing of these carriers.
<o:p>From speaking to his only surviving sister, she doesnt remember much about his british service, she believes he only did his National Service in the British Army. I do not know if that helps any with the searches or if it helps identify what Regiment he was most likely to have been attached to.

Thank you again for all your hard work and I look forward to hearing anything else you may be able to come up with.

Suzy </o:p>

Hello Suzy c1978
Hello Re the search for David Evans. As I previously stated I was just turned 21 and a half when I left for Malaya.That would make Teddy a 26 and a half year old.I reckon that is a bit too old for Teddy to have served in the Second Battalion as an N S man.?? As a point of interest during the 12 years of the Malayan Emergency, up to 30 Battalions of British Infantry completed a tour of Malaya ( This was a 3 years posting at this time)as well as R A M C R A and the R A F. The ranks were mainly filled by N S men.And at this time the 2nd Battalion R W F were some 1200 strong, we were a battalion at higher establishment and had a Major Adjutant ( Major Egglington). if as stated Teddy was an
N S man I doubt very much he served in the R W F. I have looked at a random selection of Company locations and from the April to May 1955 we had 16 Company moves , and I did not find Malacca mentioned. But in saying this it may well be my fault but in no way detracts from the comprehensive work put into the Two Volumes of the R W F. records. The Volumes were what i would term as well nigh perfect, this is down to all the officers who helped finish this part of the R W F history. More to the point with out an army number and even a positive declaration That Teddy could be a confirmed soldier from the 2nd Battalion R W F, it becomes almost a mission impossible. I am sorry but I must say I and others have given the search our best shot and failed
Regards R B D aka jungle1810

I think we must hold on for a while longer before giving up. I would be expecting to see previous Military Service mentioned on his Aussie papers.

So once they are obtained we might be in business again.

Hello Richard,
I did ask "Taffy" Gwilym to see if he could gain any info on his British army service such as a number and Regiment, but he said he sent me all he could find. I would have thought Evans's British Army service would be linked to his Australian papers.?? I would like to think we have not reached the end of the road on this search.
Regards R B D aka jungle1810

Hello Richard,
I tried to forward "Taffy Gwilym's e mail to you but it bounced back. If you send me your correct e mail address I can then forward the e mail from "Taffy" with the OZ army info on. Then you may be able to pick the bones out of it.
Regards Don aka jungle1810