EVANS, Braidwood Clifford
| Service Number: | WX7202 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 August 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/14th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Perth, Western Australia, 28 March 1919 |
| Home Town: | Gwalia, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Unknown |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Papua, 22 November 1942, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea Plot C5, Row D, Grave 20 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Leonora Honour Roll, Leonora Road Board District Roll of Honor, Leonora War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Private, WX7202 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Aug 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, WX7202, 2nd/14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 22 Nov 1942: | Involvement Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, WX7202, 2nd/14th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Braidwood Clifford EVANS (1919-1942)
Braidwood Clifford EVANS was born in Perth, Western Australia on 28th March, 1919. His parents were Clifford Statin Howard EVANS & Ivy Lilian ARCHER.
He enlisted on 1 August 1940, in the 5th Military DIstrict (WA) and commenced training. Two of his brothers also served during WW2 and beyond.
1. Francis Clyde EVANS (WX14172) POW - discharged 13th February, 1946
2. Robert George EVANS (33890) RANVR - discharged 10th March, 1955
He was engaged in training during most of 1941 and late in the year was embarked for 'concentration' in South Australia as the 7th Division was being returned from the Middle East to take opaart in the defence of Australia in the face of Japanese advances to the north of Australia.
At that point comprised the inexperienced and largely untrained troops of the Militia.
Braidwood was assigned to the 2nd/14th Battalion part of the 21st Brigade in the 7th Division. It had seen active service in Syria.
In July / August 1942 the 2nd/14th Battalion was embarked for Papua and with the Japanese having landed at Buna / Gona on the north coast. They were attempting to advance overland on Port Moresby across the Owen Stanley Ranges.
The 2nd/14th and 2nd/16th battalions were sent forward to relieve the 39th (Militia) Battalion at Isurava, to where the 39th Battalion and the 30th Brigade of which it was part, had carried out an epic fighting withdrawal in the face of relentless Japanese assaults.
The Australian force continued the fighting withdrawal to Ioribaiwa, and by mid September the Japanese began a retreat of their having overstretched their supply lines, and being directed by their higher command in the face of reverses on Guadalcanal against US forces there.
Having regained Kokoda on 4 November, the Australians then continued their advance on the Japanse beachhead. It was in this phase of the battle that that Braidwood Evans was killed in action.
His body was recovered and eventually interred in Bomana War Cemetery.
His headstone is inscribed "Until the morning breaks beloved & then we meet again"
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