Born in London.
Enlisted at Heston, Middlesex, on the 11th of February 1853.
Age: 20 years 1 month.
Height: 5' 11".
Trade: Groom.
Features: Fresh complexion. Hazel eyes. Brown hair.
Wounded in action at Balaclava, and "being sent on board ship without having been seen by the Surgeon."
On the General Hospital, Scutari, rolls from the 30th of October 1854 and being sent to Malta on the 25th of December 1854 and from there to Chatham on the 16th of January 1855.
Discharged from the Chatham Invalid Depot on the 8th of January 1856:
"Found unfit for further service. Disabled from the service, having suffered amputation of the lower left extremity from a severe contusion of both lower extremities by a horse which was killed under him having fallen upon him. The right leg is quite recovered and the left has full use of it."
Served 2 years 283 days. In Turkey and the Crimea, 5 months.
Conduct: "good". Not in possession of any Good Conduct badges.
Aged 21 years on discharge. Awarded a pension of 8d. per day.
Reverted to Out-Pension on the 1st of August 1876 - "To take up a situation." Character, "good."
Pension increased to 1/- per day from the 13th of April 1880 and was further increased to 2/- per day from the 2nd of October 1882.
In the "Birmingham Daily Post" of the 2nd of January 1856, under the heading, "Extraordinary injuries received by a soldier" appeared the following:
"Amongst the number passed as "unfit for further service" held recently at the Brompton Barracks at Chatham, was Robert Evans of the 13th Light Dragoons, who has been at the Hospital nearly twelve months, and had received his injuries in an extraordinary manner. In the Charge at Balaclava a shell entered the chest of his horse which rolled it completely over, falling upon Evans when the shell burst inside the animal and tearing it open from the shoulders to the hindquarters, the weight of the animal nearly causing suffocation whilst in its death throes and inflicting serious contusions upon the legs of Evans, who would have expired had not a man of his troop and two Lancers released him. Her Majesty has evinced great sympathy for this youth and his photographic likeness was taken by her special command."
Extract from the "Naval and Military Gazette" for the 8th of December 1855:
"The Commandant of the Chatham Garrison has received from Her Majesty the photographic likeness of John Daniels and Robert Evans, which he is presenting on Wednesday next to these two young men, who are now in Fort Pitt. The former had 13 pieces of his skull taken away and the latter lost a leg under distressing circumstances. (See copy of this photograph in the 13th Hussar file, the original of which is in the Royal Library at Windsor.) Evans is depicted in this with John Daniels of the 55th Foot."
Extract from the "Eddowes Shrewsbury Journal" for the 12th of December 1855:
"We report that Robert Evans, of Birmingham, and late of the 13th Light Dragoons, who lost a leg in the Light Cavalry Charge at Balaclava, has been told that the Queen has declared that should any of her gallant soldiers need assistance due to wounds received, he was to be sent to London immediately in order that he might be supplied with an artificial limb at the Queen's expense. The soldier gladly obeyed the command of his sovereign and is in instant expectation of the Royal gift."
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Sebastopol.
Attended the first Balaclava Banquet in 1875.
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
To live in Birmingham after discharge, but he transferred to the West London Pension District on the 30th of April 1857.
Admitted as an In-Pensioner at Chelsea Royal Hospital on the 1st of May 1876. He then gave his age as 42 years, and stated that "his wife would be able to support herself by her own labour.."
Offered re-admission to the Royal Hospital Chelsea on the 9th of September 1881 and this he took up on the 28th of September 1881, stating at the time that "his wife was employed, but could not support them both."
A man of this name was shown in the 1881 Census Returns as living at No 53 James Street, Bethnal Green, London, a Cab Driver, aged 46, born in Bethnal Green, with his wife, Emma, aged 43, a Tailoress, born in the parish of St, George's Middlesex, and six children: Robert 17, Elizabeth 17, Walter 14, Emma 12, Richard 8, Sarah 5, and Henry 2.