Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John James Evans was born in January 1885 in Rhine Villa, South Australia which is now known as Cambrai. Son of Francis Joseph EVANS and Ellen nee HEGARTY. John was a store assistant until he decided to join World War 1 (the War to End all Wars) at the age of 22 which could have been from peer pleasure from his mates or because he needed money or just wanted to fight for his country.

John enlisted for the war on the 21st of October 1915 ranked as a gunner/driver. He was assigned to the 6th Field Artillery Battery in the 3rd reinforcement. He left home in September 1915 for North Essendon, Victoria where he would commence training with guns, wagons, horses and also practiced marching. This training continued until the 28th of January 1916 when John went to Melbourne, Victoria and bordered the HMAT A32 also known as the Themistocles. This ship would take him to Egypt then France.

The ship went via Egypt where he also continued his training with other soldiers. He landed in Marseille, France where he would begin marching through the deep mud to Havre, France then through Lynde and then made it to Bois-Grenier. This is where he began fighting the war against the Germans on the 27th of March 1916 in support of the 2nd Australian infantry division, France, and Britain. John’s job was a driver. He would work with horses to take artillery and ammunition to and from trenches and also to different locations. This job was tough as John was working in the rain and knee-deep mud all day long. This resulted in John getting sick from severe ulcers and bacterial infection on both legs. Because of this, he was sent to England where he would spend 4 moths in the Royal Herbert Hospital.

After recovering, he declared fit for active service and he returned to France on the SS Victoria in February 1917. He was moved from the 6th Field Artillery Battery to the 2nd Division Ammunition Column. From February to November 1917 he continued to drive, moving ammunition. In November 1917 John was then transferred from the 2nd Division Ammunition Column to the 5th Field Artillery Battery. John kept moving artillery and ammunition like he did in the other Batteries.

After his long service as a driver on the front with artillery for so long, John finally left France for England in March 1919, after World War 1 was complete, and returned to Australia in June. He finally discharged in August 1919.

John would have experienced a lot of horror with many deaths he would have had to watch and because of the endless shelling, he would have had no sleep. The shells would have also destroyed resources like water and food which means that John would have most likely been very exhausted, dehydrated and hungry. John would have had to work all hours, day and night, in the intense cold and in mud up to his knees. The cold and wet conditions were horrible because John didn’t have a change of socks or shoes it resulted in John becoming severely sick. These were very tough conditions that no one would want to face.

John Evans showed the way of the ANZAC spirit by not giving up even if the conditions were absolutely terrible with shells flying everywhere and the wet, muddy and freezing weather. He also showed it by obeying orders and continued to fight after his sickness.

John James Evans was awarded three medals, the Star medal, British War Medal and the Victory medal. The British War Medal was issued to someone who joined the dangers of the war during specified periods or left places of residence and rendered approved service overseas. The Victory medal was issued to someone who joined the dangers of the war on duty between 5th of August 1914 and 11th of November 1918.