The photograph above was taken soon after he was awarded his Wings (Photograph - Mr John Evans). David was just twenty years old when he was killed and was buried at Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

David Evans was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 4th April 1923 and was the son of Arthur Carson and Annie Margaret (nee Franklin) Evans. As a youngster he attended Blythewood Public Schoolfrom 1930 to 1935. He and his tail gunner, Bob Ballentine, were close friends prior to enlisting, both had attended University of Toronto Schools (UTS) studying the same subject and both boys had attended Grace Church-on-the-Hill near to where they lived. The family lived at 363 Courtleigh Blvd, Toronto only a few streets away from the Ballentine home on Vesta Drive. Not only were David and Bob friends but David's father and Bob's father were also friends as was Bob's sister and David, it was no doubt a double tragedy to both families when they were killed in the same crash. David had three brothers and a sister. Two of his brothers served in the War overseas; Worder Evans served in the British Fleet Air Arm and younger brother John served as a pilot in the RCAF in the UK also as a part of Bomber Command.

David Evans was still a student when he enlisted for RCAF service on 29th September 1941, and trained at various locations including Brandon Victoriaville and Cap de la Madeleine, Canada prior to receiving his pilot Wings on 20th November 1942. He received his commission to the rank of P/O on 20th November 1942 while stationed at St Hubert, Quebec. He went overseas with the RCAF in December 1942 arriving in the UK on 29th December 1942 and was promoted to F/O on 20th May 1943. He then trained at 15 (P)AFU beginning 19th April 1943, 23 OTU beginning 22nd June 1943, 1659 HCU beginning 28th September 1943 and was then posted to 434 Squadron on 26th October 1943. He would have "crewed up" with the main part of his crew; Armour, Cotton, Ballentine, Jackson, Hutt and Sleigher at 23 OTU and all were flying as a fixed crew at 1659 HCU. David and Bob Ballentine, one presumes, must have met up in the UK whilst training at the O.T.U. which they attended. His training and other flights undertaken by the airmen as a "Crew" is shown via a link from the previous main page to the history of this incident or here here. A list of his operational flying is shown here. He flew his first operational flight with 434 Squadron on 18th November 1943, as a second "Dickie" pilot to S/Ldr Hockney in Halifax LK990. The target was Mannheim, take off was 17.00hrs and they returned at 00.22hrs and they reported the Gee and compass had both failed. He then flew his first operational flight with his own crew on the following night on 19th November 1943, tasked with flying to Leverkusen in Halifax LK971, they bombed Cologne because a flak burst in the nose of the aircraft damaging it. The navigator, F/O Armour's oxygen supply was severed by the blast and his life was apparently saved by P/O Jackson, who dropped the bombload and held Armour's mask and pipe together for the return part of the flight. They landed at Thorney Island on return to England. David Evans was aged just twenty when he was killed in the crash at Kepwick Bank and the crash took place on his fifteenth operational flight.

A further photograph David Evans, probably taken when he enlisted and a photograph of his headstone in Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery.

The medals of F/O Evans, now in the collection of Mr M Johnson, Ontario, Canada (Photograph Mr M Johnson).

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