Arthur Evans

March 21, 1916 (age 94)

Thousands of young men were incarcerated in Stalag VIIIB, in Lamsdorf, by the Germans during World World War World War II Evans recounted these experiences both in his book, as well as on his website, Lamsdorf Remembered. Evans encountered the respected Royal Air Force pilot Douglas Bader while at Stalag VIIIB, and talked about his escape attempts in his book Evans himself is mentioned in a book called Prisoner Of War: Allied Prisoners in Europe, 1939–1945 by Adrian Gilbert who used Sojourn in Silesia for his information. More recently, on his website Lamsdorf Remembered, a half-hour Radio Kent interview with Evans was published, as well as a blog called Letters from Stalag VIIIB, which is made up of Evans" letters home during his four years as a prisoner-of-war. The blog was published as a book in February 2014 by Evans" daughter Kathryn Gower. Arthur Charles Evans was born in 1916 in the Wirral, Cheshire. The first years of his employment were at Lever Brothers, soapworks at Portuguese Sunlight, and then with the New Zealand Shipping Company. One voyage to Australia and then another to New Zealand convinced him he was not meant to be a sailor. To further his ambition to become a policeman, he enlisted in the Irish Guards in 1936. In May 1940, he was wounded and taken prisoner in Bolougne and spent the remainder of the war in prison camps in Upper Silesia. He returned to England in May 1945 and upon demobilisation, joined the Kent County Constabulary. They worked together during that time on negotiations for an increase in police pay. Whilst still a police constable Arthur was Secretary of the Police Federation from 1956 to 1967 and it was in this capacity that he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) on 1 January 1967. In an article dated 19 August 1966, Police Federation Secretary Arthur Evans complained that, because of the old anti-gun tradition, "you could count on the fingers of one hand police trained in the use of firearms." Evans was also responsible for policemen finally being allowed to buy their own homes. Up until then, they were at the mercy of the Chief Constables and being moved around the country. In May 1967, Evans organised and headed up the British contingent at The World Congress of Police Officers in Niagara Falls, Canada. He later returned to police work in Sevenoaks, Dover, Whitstable and Herne Bay, his last position being as an Inspector in 1970. He later became the chief of administration at Ashford Police Station (Ashford, Kent), a position he held until 1981. He retired aged 65, and spent much of his time gardening, bowling and cooking in his Kent home, and in later years caring for Freda. Evans died of natural causes on 18 March 2011. He left a request for some of the profit from Sojourn in Silesia to go to the British Red Cross.

Arthur Evans

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Evans was a member of The National Ex-Prisoner of War Association, whose patron is Dame Vera Lynn, Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Doctor of Laws, M.MUS, and is mentioned in the August 2001 newsletter.

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Thousands of young men were incarcerated in Stalag VIIIB, in Lamsdorf, by the Germans during World World War World War II Evans recounted these experiences both in his book, as well as on his website, Lamsdorf Remembered. Evans encountered the respected Royal Air Force pilot Douglas Bader while at Stalag VIIIB, and talked about his escape attempts in his book Evans himself is mentioned in a book called Prisoner Of War: Allied Prisoners in Europe, 1939–1945 by Adrian Gilbert who used Sojourn in Silesia for his information.

More recently, on his website Lamsdorf Remembered, a half-hour Radio Kent interview with Evans was published, as well as a blog called Letters from Stalag VIIIB, which is made up of Evans" letters home during his four years as a prisoner-of-war.

The blog was published as a book in February 2014 by Evans" daughter Kathryn Gower. Arthur Charles Evans was born in 1916 in the Wirral, Cheshire.

The first years of his employment were at Lever Brothers, soapworks at Portuguese Sunlight, and then with the New Zealand Shipping Company. One voyage to Australia and then another to New Zealand convinced him he was not meant to be a sailor.

To further his ambition to become a policeman, he enlisted in the Irish Guards in 1936.

In May 1940, he was wounded and taken prisoner in Bolougne and spent the remainder of the war in prison camps in Upper Silesia. He returned to England in May 1945 and upon demobilisation, joined the Kent County Constabulary. They worked together during that time on negotiations for an increase in police pay.

Whilst still a police constable Arthur was Secretary of the Police Federation from 1956 to 1967 and it was in this capacity that he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) on 1 January 1967.

In an article dated 19 August 1966, Police Federation Secretary Arthur Evans complained that, because of the old anti-gun tradition, "you could count on the fingers of one hand police trained in the use of firearms."

Evans was also responsible for policemen finally being allowed to buy their own homes. Up until then, they were at the mercy of the Chief Constables and being moved around the country.

In May 1967, Evans organised and headed up the British contingent at The World Congress of Police Officers in Niagara Falls, Canada. He later returned to police work in Sevenoaks, Dover, Whitstable and Herne Bay, his last position being as an Inspector in 1970.

He later became the chief of administration at Ashford Police Station (Ashford, Kent), a position he held until 1981.

He retired aged 65, and spent much of his time gardening, bowling and cooking in his Kent home, and in later years caring for Freda. Evans died of natural causes on 18 March 2011. He left a request for some of the profit from Sojourn in Silesia to go to the British Red Cross.

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Arthur Evans

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Commander of the Order of the British Empire