Arthur Evans (VC)

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For other persons named Arthur Evans, see Arthur Evans (disambiguation).

Arthur Evans (Alias "Walter Simpson"), (8 April 1891 - 31 October 1936) was an English 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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He was 27 years old, and a Lance-Sergeant in the 6th Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment, British Army, (alias SIMPSON, Walter) during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 2 September 1918 south west of Etaing, France, a patrol reconnoitring on the west bank of a river sighted an enemy machine-gun on the east bank. The river being very deep at that point, Lance-Sergeant Evans volunteered to swim across and having done so crawled up behind the machine-gun post, where he shot the sentry and another man and made four more surrender. After a crossing had been found and one officer and one man joined him, machine-gun and rifle fire was opened on them. The officer was wounded and Sergeant Evans covered his withdrawal under very heavy fire.