Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John (Jack) was born in Cleve on the 3rd November 1919 to Oscar Aston and Amanda Rose Evans. The region was predominantly a wheat and sheep farming area on the Eyre Peninsula of SA. Oscar was the agent for the new CASE Tractors, based in Tumby Bay and was later the Farmers’ Union Representative. By 1940, the family had moved to live in Cowell.
Jack was a talented footballer playing for the local Yadnarie team. In a match against Kilroo in ’36 his return was pivotal as previously the latter had soundly defeated Yadnarie. The Eyre’s Peninsula Tribune commented that ‘everybody expected to see a close match, but the visitors had a much stronger team this time, having Syd Stewart and Jack Evans on their side. The latter had not played since the first game of last season, he having received a knee injury. But, under the care of that old trainer, Ginty Bryant, he is able to take the field again, and with another game or so he will be at top form.’
With the outbreak of WWII, fit young Jack was one of several local young men who enlisted at the start of 1941. Maurice Quinn had done so in February, becoming SX11288 and 21-year-old Jack followed on March 15th becoming SX11785. The two caught up as they did their training together in their new Battalion, the 2/48th.
Back home on pre-embarkation leave, The Port Lincoln Times reported on a generous farewell to Jack. ‘Last Sunday evening a social was tendered Pte. Jack Evans in the Cummins Institute hall. There was a large attendance and Rev. T. R. Fleming was chairman. A guard of honor comprised of members of the R.S.A., Rifle Club Reserve, and V.S.D. girls, was formed in the main hall and Pte. Evans, welcomed at the entrance by the chairman and Mr. R. R. Wilson, was conducted amid applause to the stage. The National Anthem was sung and the guard dismissed.’ Several speakers addressed the crowd praising Jack’s involvement in the a variety of clubs and activities. Several presentations were made by the speakers, after which Pte. Evans responded. Jack and his family led the group into supper. The paper summarised Jack as being ‘a son of Mr. Oscar Evans who is well known in this district as a representative of machinery firms for over 13 years.’
By April, both Jack and Maurice were on the Ile de France heading for the Middle East, arriving on the 5th August and soon after attending a staging camp at Amiriya. They very quickly swapped the rich soil and tranquillity of home to conditions in Tobruk where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge to new enlistees. They were to become part of the famed and highly respected Rats of Tobruk.
On the 31st October, ’42 24 year-old Jack was one of so many from his battalion to be killed in action, but Maurice survived. In the lead up to the battle at El Alamein that October, John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan wrote “This was indeed it! To the men who listened, the significance of the recent hard training exercise and the adoption of new methods must have been firmly drive home.” He later added “We thought of ourselves as few enough then. But surely even the bravest among us would have shuddered if they could have known to what a weary handful we would be reduced by morning..”
Darren Paech in his book Adelaide to Alamein recalled Captain Mick Bryant having to combine A and C company as the combined strength had been reduced to just 45 men ‘to have any chance of continuing to move forward. At 3:00 am on that fateful day, Rex Brown (SX10970), Harry Davis (SX8328) and Jack’s Company came up against a strong German post in what came to be called the Battle of El Alamein. A fixed bayonet order was given to charge under heavy counter fire. As they crested a shallow rise the two companies’ advance was soon held up by a strong enemy machine-gun position firing from a flank. Sergeant Derrick shouted to get word for B Company to silence the nest.’ B Company’s Lieutenant gave orders ‘for a section of five men to form up and charge it whilst the enemy was busy firing across Derrick’s group. Leading the bayonet charge, Corporal Harry Davis was killed in the assault, as well as Private Rex Brown. They were both only 22 years old. Private Jack Evans was badly wounded. However, Allen’s small group prevailed. They managed to silence the post and capture 15 prisoners.’ The fixed bayonet charge in the face of very heavy fire, carried the section into the post, where they inflicted casualties and took fifteen prisoners.
Glenn recorded that ‘Although Corporal H. Davis and Private Rex Brown were killed at the commencement of the attack, and Jack Evans was very badly injured, the charge carried the section into the post, where they inflicted casualties and took fifteen prisoners. Jack Evans, who was taken prisoner, later died of his wounds.’ The charge of the men, however, was considered a success. The 292 strong battalion lost a total of 199 officers and men, killed or wounded in that night’s attack: only 99 survived.
In a poignant comment which typified the legend that was to accompany the 2/48th Battalion, Glenn summarised the day. ‘The men had fought with determination in hard and bitter hand-to-hand fighting, always endeavouring to go forward, and all the time taking a heavy toll of the enemy, only to reach the final objective with a strength so reduced as to make further progress impossible. A small band of forty-one men, some of whom were wounded, was all that remained. Truly it can be said of these men, “They fought themselves and their enemy to a standstill until flesh and blood could stand no more, then they went on fighting.” This was a measure of those in the 2/48th Battalion.
His good friend, Maurice Quinn also died of his injuries the following day, on November 1st just days after his 23rd birthday.
At first, the December ’42 issue of West Coast Recorder and the Chronicle reported that ‘In the official casualty list last week Pte. J. O. Evans, Inf., Arno Bay, was reported missing, believed killed.’
This was followed in the January ’43 issue of the Chronicle and copy of Eyre's Peninsula Tribune reporting that Pte, J. O. Evans, of Arno Bay who was previously reported missing and believed killed is now reported to have died of wounds. The list included Killed In Action.— SX6783 Pte. F. C. G. Laier, 2/43rd Adelaide. Died Of Wounds.— SX11785 Pte. J.O. Evans, 2/48th Arno Bay. Seriously III.— SX7996 L-Sgt. C. R. Jacka, 2/48th Adelaide.
In a tribute to their local heroes, in May ’46 the Cummins Community planted 58 ‘Trees of Tribute’ along Memorial Avenue, commencing at the hospital. ‘in remembrance of soldiers of the district who had fallen in either of the two world wars.' Each tree had an engraved name plate, with so many locals providing time or goods, including ploughing the ground in preparation for the planting, fencing, donating the trees and providing the wire. Jack’s was the 14th tree in the line to be planted.
From being buried in the El Alamein British Military Cemetery, in March ’45 Jack was re-interred in the El Alamein War Cemetery in Plot A IV Row F Grave 9 His parents chose the inscription ‘He who dies for his country, dies nobly’ for his headstone. Jack now rests with others from the 2/6th 2/7th 2/9th 2/14th 2/24th RAAF and 7th Australian Signals.
Lancer Sergeant Thomas Miller SX9028 from Arno Bay, who had been captured in Singapore and made a POW in Changi, continued to remember Jack and Maurice.
Advertiser Wednesday 1 November 1944, QUINN, M. H., Cleve: EVANS, J. O. Arno Bay, died of wounds, El Alamein, 1942. They gave their lives for us all.—Inserted by Miller family, late Arno Bay.
Advertiser Thursday 1 November 1945, QUINN, M. H. -EVANS, J. O.—ln memory of Maurice and Jack, died. El Alamein November. 1942. They paid the supreme sacrifice. —Ever remembered by Sgt. T. K. Miller, ex-P.O.W, and family.
Advertiser Friday 1 November 1946, QUINN, M. H., EVANS, J. O.—Died November 1942. —Ever remembered by T. K. Miller (ex-P.O.W.) and family, Brompton.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.