Evan Robert Oliver May was killed in action on this day in 1916
Evan May was born in 1880 in Northleach, Gloucestershire, the son of Robert (a farm labourer) and Olive May.
At the 1881 Census Evan was the youngest of four children, the oldest two, age 15 and 12 were working in turn as a domestic servant and a ploughboy.
By the 1891 Census the older children had left home. Evan, not yet 11, was the middle son of three, ages 14, 11 and 8 George, Evan, William.
Towards the end of 1910 Evan married Emily Smith in Cirencester.
He was 32 when he enlisted in Cirencester joining one of the New Army battalions - nine were raised to join the Gloucester Regiment.
He was killed in action during a bombardment of the trench he was in during the 'Battle of Pozieres' fighting for Mouquet Farm.
Evan May has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
Evan and Emily had two children, Victor and William, aged 3 and 1 when their father died. Emily remarried a civilian and moved to Dollis Hill Farm, Cricklewood at the the end of 1916. Her new husband died the following year.
His younger brother William served in the RAMC and survived the war. His older brother George, age 35 at the outbreak of war, remained in domestic service in Hassocks.
23627 Pte Evan Oliver Robert May, 10th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt.