74565
EVANS, John Michael
| Service Number: | 2480 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 April 1915, at Keswick |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Eudunda, South Australia, Australia, 30 September 1891 |
| Home Town: | Georgetown, Northern Areas, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Circumstances of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia Derrick Garden of Remembrance, Path 5, Grave 489A |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Apr 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2480, 10th Infantry Battalion, at Keswick | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 2480, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Kanowna embarkation_ship_number: A61 public_note: '' | |
| 23 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 2480, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Kanowna, Adelaide |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Saint Ignatius' College
John Michael Evans was born on the 30th of September 1891 in Eudunda, South Australia. He was born into a family of 3 with his mother, father and sister, Miss Winifred Evans. Like the rest of his family, John became a Roman Catholic and was faithful to his religion. John later moved to the Northern Areas of Georgetown, South Australia and became a labourer working all over the state. He was single before the war and had a dark complexion, with grey eyes and dark hair. He was average height, at 5 foot 8 and weighed 75 kg. Before World War 1 John Evans did not have any military experience.
He signed up in the early stages of the war, on the 9th of April 1915, at the age 23 ½. He initially embarked for Egypt on board HMAT A61 Kanowna on 23rd of June 1915 but arrived too late to serve in Gallipoli. Instead, Evans travelled to France in late May 1916. He joined the 10th Battalion in France on 31st of July. Three weeks later, on 21st August 1916 in the fighting at Mouquet Farm, Evans suffered a fractured left leg. This meant he was evacuated to England, where he spent the rest of 1916 and most of 1917. During this period he was punished several times for being absent from parade or absent without leave.
On 25th October 1917 Evans rejoined the 10th battalion in France, meaning he missed most of the Third Ypres campaign. Apart from a few days in hospital in August 1918, he stayed with the 10th for the rest of the war. However, in November 1918, after the Armistice, he injured his left hand and spent some time in hospital. He left England to return to Australia on 20th May 1919 and was discharged from the AIF in Adelaide on 29th August 1919.
For his service in World War One, Joh Michael Evans found himself in the ownership of three medals. The star, for his service during 1915, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal awarded to all soldiers who returned home from the War. After the War, however, John completely vanished from all records. There is only one piece of information from after the war was he sent a letter to his sister, Mrs Winifred Evans, asking for a copy of his discharge form. Evans lived a full life, serving over 4 years during the war, and has been laid to rest at Centennial Park Cemetery, in the Veteran’s Memorial Burial ground. His date of death was not recorded but he was interred on 6th January 1968.
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