| Henry Cope Evans | |
| Birth Date: | 1880 7, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | London, England |
| Death Place: | Northern France |
| Placeofburial Label: | Commemorated at |
| Placeofburial: | Arras Flying Services Memorial, Pas de Calais, France |
| Allegiance: | Canada United Kingdom |
| Branch: | Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery Canadian Expeditionary Force Royal Flying Corps |
| Serviceyears: | 1900–1901 1914–1917 |
| Rank: | Second lieutenant |
| Unit: | "C" Battery, Canadian Field Artillery 19th Alberta Dragoons No. 24 Squadron RFC |
| Battles: | Second Boer War World War I |
| Awards: | Distinguished Service Order |
Second Lieutenant Henry Cope Evans (26 July 1880 – 3 September 1916) was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories, all gained while flying the Airco DH.2.[1]
Evans was the only son of W. H. and Alice M. Evans of West Point, Camberley, Surrey, and was educated at Woodcote House School, Windlesham, and Haileybury. As a young man Evans emigrated to Ontario to learn fruit farming. He enlisted in the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery during the Second Boer War, and served in South Africa for a year as part of "C" Battery. On returning to Canada he took up ranching near Macleod, Alberta, and also held a Government appointment as Range Rider. A keen sportsman and horseman, he was well known as a polo player, and was one of the early pioneers of the game in Western Canada.[2]
On 23 September 1914 at Valcartier, Quebec, he enlisted as a trooper in the 19th Alberta Dragoons,[3] arriving in England with the 1st Canadian Contingent in November 1914. He served with the Dragoons in France from February until September 1915, was promoted to the rank of sergeant[2] and was badly affected by poison gas.[4]
He was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant on 13 September 1915, and on 25 September joined No. 24 Squadron RAF in action at the front,[2] not being officially gazetted as a flying officer (observer) until 22 November.
Evans was posted to Home Establishment on 26 January 1916 for pilot training, being appointed a flying officer on 15 May, and being granted the Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No. 2603, after flying a Maurice Farman biplane at the Military Flying School, Farnborough, on 23 May.[1]
He re-joined 24 Squadron on 4 July 1916, gaining his first victory on 20 July, driving a Roland C.II down out of control over Fleurs, and the next day he destroyed another enemy aircraft over Combles. Between 6 and 9 August he destroyed a further three enemy aircraft, gaining the five confirmed victories needed for flying ace status. Evans was shot down and killed by German anti-aircraft fire on 3 September 1916 while on a morning offensive patrol over the British Fourth Army front.[1]
He was listed as "missing" by the War Office,[5] and as his remains were never recovered he is commemorated at the Arras Flying Services Memorial.[6]
Both of Evans' awards were gazetted posthumously, on 22 September 1916 and 2 January 1917 (dated 13 November 1916), respectively.