Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Percy Harold Evans (Joe) Private 2/48 BTN

Percy Harold Evans (Joe) signed up for AIF Services in Australia and abroad as a volunteer and was trained in 2 basic weapons, the rifle and bayonet. He reported for duty on 7/12/40. He served his country in the 2/48th Infantry Battalion 8th Division in B Company. Shortly after he enlisted he was involved in a motor bike accident and had a skin graft to his right leg. While his leg was healing he spent time at the Camp Hospital Wayville, S.A. and Kapara Convalescent Home waiting for his motorbike leg wounds to heal and he was eventually able to disembark to the Middle East on 20th Oct. 1941.

Dad was one of the soldiers who fought in the First Battle of El Alamein, Egypt, (150 miles west of Cairo) with the aim to capture Tel el Eisa Station 1/7/42-27/7/42. He was wounded in action on 22/7/42 during an attack on enemy positions at El Alamein where he spent two days while wounded in the desert waiting for assistance. On 24/7/42 he and others were located and taken to casualty. Joe had serious gunshot wounds to his right leg, with compound fractures of the tibia and fibula and shrapnel in his left leg. On 17/8/42 he was evacuated and his medical assessment was deemed temporarily 'un-fit for service'. On 8/10/42 he disembarked from a hospital ship in Melbourne. He spent time in the Australian Medical Hospital and was transferred to the Repatriation Hospital, Keswick S.A. He was discharged on 29/5/43 as,  medically unfit for service due to his injuries. His army military record indicates he served for 2 years 171 days.

A reference in the book " Tobruk to Tarakan" written by John G. Glenn (page 123) dated 24/7/42 states that "2 wounded men Private Wally Davis and Private (Joe) Evans were both wounded on 22nd July, 1942. The author also writes 'After the privations they had suffered during two days and two nights (in the desert) their courage and cheerfulness were outstanding. They had run into terrific artillery bombardment after they'd just crossed the start-line. They had moved in an extended line in the intense shelling".

Joe in later years told his son Graham, while in the desert he licked the moisture off his gun (dew) to wet his lips while fighting the Italians before they surrendered then the Germans came. He told Graham while he was wounded in the desert,  9 German soldiers poked him with his gun and he pretended to be dead.

In 1943 Joe married our mother Lorna Dale, who had nursed dad at the Keswick hospital. Life after the war, was happy but there were times understandably, when things were not easy for them. However, they made it through these tough times and had 3 children together. Joe proudly opened his own Watchmaker shop where he worked repairing watches and clocks for many years.  Mother worked beside him as a shop assistant.  Joe died at home at Brighton S.A. on 11th February 1993.  Joe and Lorna’s eldest child, Graham, who was also a watchmaker took over dad’s watchmaker business when dad retired.