William Evans was born and raised in Dolgellau, Merionethshire. He enlisted in the 7th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers, the Merionethshire Battalion following service in the 4th Battalion. He was killed in action in Suvla Bay on 10 August 1915 in the attack on Chocolate Hill. He was 34 years old and left a widow and four children. He was one of seven from Dolgellau who were killed on that one day. Very many more were wounded, including my Grandfather.
Some weeks later, an account of one soldier who was wounded in the action was reported in Y Dydd, Dolgellau's local newspaper:
"The 7th RWF landed in Suvla Bay on Sunday night, the 8th August. Under the command of Lt Col Jelf Reveley they crossed the Salt Lake to prepare for an advance on Chocolate Hill. As they crossed the lake they were shelled by the Turkish defences. The Royal Navy responded by shelling the Turkish positions.
"On the 10th August the 7th RWF attacked Chocolate Hill in extended order and took two trenches whilst coming under fire from Turkish snipers. According to later reports it was the snipers who accounted for most of the Battalion's losses. The fighting continued until darkness when the 7th consolidated their positions with Turkish shelling continuing through the night."
A Sergeant in the Royal Engineers who witnessed the 7th RWF attack wrote to his family : "I saw the charge they made, it was glorious and worthy of Britishers, Colonel Jelf Reveley leading his men with fixed bayonets".
As we commemorate the hundred years anniversary since the first World War, Lt Col Reveley commemorated the first anniversary of the Battle of Suvla Bay on 10 August 1916 with this letter to Y Dydd. A translation is:
"On August 10th 1915 our County battalion fought its way for fifteen hours against an excellently armed, highly resistant enemy, and in hideous thirst and exceptional heat. Seven loyal boys from Dolgellau bravely laid down their lives that day, in the knowledge that they were saving the sanctity of hearths and homes so loved amidst the mountains of Wales. It is right that we admire them and their families in their grief for their sons' sacrifice and it is also right that, for ever, they will have the admiration of one who had the greatest privilege of leading men who professed themselves truly worthy of the highest traditions of the Principality."
William Evans is commemorated on the Helles Memorial in Gallipoli and on the War Memorial in Dolgellau.
We will remember them.
Emrys Tippett