It is with great sadness we announce the non-operational death of Lance Corporal Robert Evans

Lance Corporal Rob Evans served with A Coy, 4th Battalion, The Ranger Regiment for over three years. Rob was a proud Rifleman as well as a Ranger and served first in 3 and then 5 RIFLES before joining 4 RIFLES as it transitioned to a Ranger Battalion.

He joined the Army in 2017 completing his initial training at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick before joining 3 RIFLES in Edinburgh in 2018. Here, he quickly stood out as a kind, trustworthy and skilful Rifleman, a powerful combination of qualities. He combined this with a rare optimism and eagerness to learn and develop that both inspired those he worked with and delighted those who had the privilege to have him under command.

In The Rifles, we prize marksmanship and independence of thought as the fundamental skills of a successful solider. It was no surprise that Rob’s talents were abundant in these fields. He was selected for the regimental shooting team based with 5 RIFLES, and as one of the regiment’s best marksmen, he represented The Rifles at numerous shooting competitions. Never one to focus on himself, he brought the lessons he learnt from shooting back to his unit, enthusiastically helping to deliver marksmanship training while continuing to balance his skill and technical knowledge with humility.

Rob’s eagerness for challenge and adventure led him to apply for 4 RIFLES, then a Specialised Infantry Battalion but soon to become part of the newly formed Ranger Regiment. Here soldiers are selected for their empathy, communication skills, and ability to think outside the box - as well as for their tactical and technical skills. Excelling both on the Specialised Infantry Cadre and soon after on his Junior Non-Commissioned Officer Course Rob was selected to join A Coy 4 RIFLES in 2020 and was promoted to Lance Corporal in 2021. Showing all of the qualities cherished by our unit, Rob was awarded his Ranger qualification and stood proudly amongst the very first members of The Ranger Regiment on its formation in Dec 2021.

At 4 RANGER more was expected of Rob. He was entrusted with responsibility for detailed analysis of complex conceptual problems as part of team planning, as well as oversight of technical systems including drones and communications equipment. He did all of this and more with diligence, a willing attitude, and a sharp intellect, often exceeding the output of his higher-ranking colleagues. Forged on his hard work, dependability and technical knowledge Rob’s reputation was outstanding both within his battalion and with those of our international partners who were lucky enough to work with him.

His loss has cut to the heart of our community. To lose a core member of a very tight-knit team will be difficult to come to terms with. The Army and The Regiment will miss his professionalism, his technical and tactical excellence, and his relentless will to learn and develop. His friends and those who worked with him, however, will miss his kindness, his optimism, his cheeky smiles and his wit, and the way negativity bounced off him like water off a duck’s back. He will be remembered and will continue to put smiles on our faces.

Capt R Oatts

4 RANGER