Gnr Simon Evans

Simon Peter Evans
Surname	Christian Names		Service Number			Rank	Regiment
Evans	Simon Peter		24493155			Gnr	22 Location Battery, 16th Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
Born	Age	Enlisted at			Address
Cardiff	19
Date of Death	Where killed					Cause of Death
16/12/1979	Near Dungannon, Co Tyrone					Bomb explosion
Cemetery	Plot					Country
Kington St Michael Churchyard						England
Next of Kin	Next of kin address					Town
Peter and Doreen Evans						Kington-St-Michael
Notes
One of 4 soldiers killed when an IRA landmine detonated on the Ballygawley Road, near Dungannon, Co Tyrone. The other 3 were Gnr Keith Richards 19 Gnr Alan Ayrton, 21 Gnr William Beck 23 Young Soldiers Death in Ireland Shocks Home Village A 19 year old soldier from Wiltshire was 1 of 4 who died in an IRA bomb attack in Northern Ireland on Sunday. Gunner Simon Peter Evans of The Close, Kington-St-Michael near Chippenham and his comrades were killed in a Landrover which was blown up by a remote control bomb near Dungannon, Co Tyrone. His father Peter is a sales director for a soft drinks firm and his mother, Doreen, is a nurse at Greenways maternity hospital. Simon joined the Army 18 months ago. He had always been keen on service life and his first choice was the Navy but the intakes were twice a year. He trained at Woolwich and was based at Larkhill as a member of 22 Location Battery of the Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery. Simon spent a fortnight’s leave at home before going to Northern Ireland on a 6 month tour of duty 8 days before the tragedy. When his family moved to Wiltshire from Kent, Simon worked in a supermarket and warehouse in Corsham. He was not due home for Christmas and his parents threw a farewell party for him. Among those attending were his 16 year old girlfriend Jeanette Harrison, a pupil at Hardenhuish School. It is reported that it was a 1000lb bomb which blew up the landrover. Chippenham News 20 December 1979 "You have a note about the death of 4 Gunners killed in a Land mine explosion: Simon Peter Evans, Keith Richards, Alan Ayrton and William Beck. They were members of 22 Locating Battery, Attached to 16^th Air Defence Regiment Royal Artillery (the Strathclyde Gunners). It was a sad story! The Bomb was meant for the UDR who had set a pattern of driving down the road at the same time each weekend to go to a range. Some of the men were late that morning and our patrol set off before them, not knowing about the regular movements of the UDR. Had the UDR vehicles been hit the casualties would have been much greater. A gun battle ensued between the remaining members of the patrol and the terrorist and then with another foot patrol from 32 (Minden 1709) AD Bty; who gave chase as best they could but were too far away and on foot over difficult countryside. We closed the Border at Aughnacloy but they avoided the crossing point and made their escape deeper into Armagh." Email from Anthony BH dated 22 June 2018
Memorials Commemorated on:
Chippenham Town War Memorial				Yes
Armed Forces Memorial, National Arboretum "Cherished memories of our dear son SImon"

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