Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"...SX7979 Lance Sergeant Lindsay Reginald Evans, 2/48 Battalion, of Keyneton, SA. A grazier prior to enlisting on 5 July 1940, L/Sgt Evans served at Tobruk, Libya, and El Alamein, Egypt. He was killed in action at El Alamein on 22 July 1942. L/Sgt Evans was 23 years of age." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

Lindsay Reginald Evans was born on the 8th October 1919, the third of four children and the second son of Percy and Hilda Evans of Evandale, Keyneton, South Australia. He had a happy childhood on the farm where he became an excellent horseman and developed a keen interest in all aspects of farm life.

He was educated by a governess at first and then attended Keyneton Primary School and later became a boarder at King's College Adelaide, now Pembroke School. He took part in all the normal school activities and excelled in sport, playing in the first football eighteen, and the first cricket eleven and winning colours for swimming in which sport he held a school record.He acquired many friends at school who were fortunate not only to enjoy his comradeship but so often to enjoy the hospitality so warmly dispensed at Evandale.

In 1934 he travelled to England and the Continent with his parents and his elder sister and brother, Mary and John. His younger sister Margery remained at home with an aunt and her family to go to school.

On leaving school in 1936 he returned to Evandale and worked on his father's property. He had a natural ability for farm work, especially for handling stock. He took a great interest in all the activities of the town and was a prominent member of the Agricultural Bureau which his father had helped to initiate in Keyneton.

On the 5th July 1940 he enlisted in the A.I.F. and was posted to the 2nd 48th battalion, which was then being formed at Wayville,South Australia. He was soon promoted to lance/corporal and then to corporal.

On the 16th October he embarked on the Stratheden for the Middle East and on the 3rd Januuary 1941 disembarked at Kantara, Egypt and then travelled by train to Dimra in Palestine and moved with the battalion to Benghazi where he took part in the " Benghazi Handicap."

At Tobruk he served with distinction, acting throughout the siege as platoon sergeant, and then, following the relief of the Australian soldiers in that area, he spent some time in Syria with his unit.

When the 9th Australian brigade was recalled to the Western Desert in July 1942 he took part in the attack on the 10th which captured Tel el Eisa. On the 22nd July the battalion was ordered to capture Point 24 in that area and Lin's company moved forward under very heavy fire. The Company Commander was killed and platoon commanders were wounded and ultimately the company was forced to withdraw, but not before heavy casualties had been inflicted on the enemy, and a member of Lin's platoon had earned a V.C. Patrols revealed that the enemy had been severely damaged and had been forced to withdraw. Lin was killed approximately 12 feet from the enemy position and was buried there but later transferred to the cemetery at El Alamein.

His death was a bitter blow to his family, his friends and the whole community. Several baby boys born in the district at this time had 'Lindsay' in their name. After he died his parents gave some land for the Lindsay Evans Memorial Recreation Park and Reserve at Keyneton.

In his will he left money to the Keyneton Congregational Church to be used to improve Church music and that was used to buy an organ which is now in the Keyneton Lutheran Church. He also left some money to his old school, King's College.

 In the Unit History of the 2nd 48th battalion, which was the most highly decorated unit in the A.I.F., the following report of his death is quoted from the account of a private soldier who was with him at the time. " The noise was terrific; German machine guns were spreading their fire right across our front. The continuous call for stretcher bearers told of the casualties. My section was just cleaned out when I saw another section cut down. A little way forward Sergeant Evans was hit twice. He had been doing a magnificent job for his mates and was setting a splendid example when he was killed.He really was a remarkable man."