Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Life before the war:

Harold Evans was a 19-year-old soldier who served in the First World War and was born in Goodwood, South Australia. His estimated birth date is May, 1896. He was a single soldier and his next of kin was his mother, Miss Charlotte Evans. Evans was a part of the Baptist religion. His occupation before going to the war and becoming a soldier was a baker. Evans was an average height soldier, he had blue eyes, dark hair, a dark complexion and his height was at 5 foot 8 inches. He trained and fought as a full-time soldier in the First World War.

Life during the war:

Harold Evans enlisted on the 22nd of February 1915 and was ranked as a private. He then embarked for the first world war on the 23rd of June 1915 on the HMAT A30 Borda. He was a member of the 10th Infantry Battalion and he was its 2364th soldier to be enlisted, hence his regimental number. The HMAT A30 Borda was a ship that left from South Australia to Port Suez in Egypt. Harold Evans served in Port Suez as it states in his Service record. In Harold Evans’ service record it states that he was taken on strength from Egypt on the 9th of August 1916. Taken on strength means to be included into another battalion and to be moved to another unit. His service record is unclear whether he first reached Gallipoli on 4th of August or 17th of September.

During the most part of the war, Evans was in and out of hospital due to various reasons. In October 1915, Evans was dangerously diagnosed with Typhoid fever and was in hospital for several days. Typhoid fever was spread by ingestion of contaminated food or water and caused many deaths and much debility during the Great War period, particularly as trench life was necessarily associated with poor hygiene and lack of sanitation. After several weeks dangerously ill in Egypt, Evans was taken off the "dangerously ill" list and sent home to Australia in January 1916 for recuperation.

Evans returned to Egypt in late May 1916. On the 8th of June 1916, Evans was diagnosed with Tonsillitis. After recovering, he sailed to England on 29th July 1916. He reached France and rejoined the 10th Battalion on 19th September 1916. He became sick again over the winter, this time with influenza. Harold was admitted to the general hospital due to a case of Influenza in England. Harold travelled to hospital via the Dunluce castle ship in January 1917. The Dunluce castle was a hospital ship that carried sick soldiers to hospitals in which nurses served on. Harold had some severe sicknesses like fevers and tonsillitis which caused him to be out of action for various times. This caused Harold to have limited participation in the war. He spent most of 1917 training in England and only returned to France in October.

During the war, Harold Evans committed a crime. He was charged in the field whilst in active service, conduct to the prejudice of good order and fully discipline. He was awarded 7 days in the field for urinating in the coy parade ground and this happened on the 19th of October 1916. For committing this crime, Evans was awarded 7 days by the commander of the 10th infantry battalion.

Evans rejoined the 10th Battalion on 16th of October 1917, meaning he missed the worst fighting of the Third Ypres campaign. He fought through the spring of 1918 but was twice taken ill in the summer. On January 2nd, 1919, Harold Evans returned back to Australia from England as he was discharged as the war had ended. This meant that Harold was one of the Australian soldiers who survived the whole first world war and he was able to return back home to Australia.

After the war:

After the war, Harold Evans was awarded multiple medals for his service in the first world war. He was awarded the 1914-15 star medal for service in specified theatres of war. Additionally, Evans was the recipient of the British war medal and Victory medal given to many ANZAC’s that fought in the British imperial force in world war one also signifying success in the war. After being discharged from the war, Evans returned back to the unit to complete further training in June of 1919. He then returned back to Australia shortly after due to sickness.

Harold Evans died on 1st of November 1943. His headstone reads that he was the "Loved son of Charlotte, and brother of Walter, Perc, Albert, Bill, Lionel, Lottie, Chrisy and May".

Bibliography:

• 1914-15 star medal 2020, viewed 20 March 2020, <https://www.defence.gov.au/Medals/Imperial/WWI/1914-15-Star.asp>.
• Typhoid fever world war one n.d., viewed 1 April 2020, <http://www.vlib.us/medical/osler.htm>.
• Anzac Spirit 2020, viewed 1 April 2020, <https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/anzac/spirit>.
• The AIF project 2016, viewed 18 March 2020, <https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=92771>.
• Australian War Memorial 2020, viewed 18 March 2020, <https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search/people>.
• Virtual War Memorial 2020, viewed 18 March 2020, <https://vwma.org.au/>.
• The National Archives of Australia 2020 viewed 18 March 2020, <https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx>.
• Trove Australia 2020, viewed 18 March 2020, <https://trove.nla.gov.au/?q&adv=y>.
• Australian War Memorial Unit Diaries 2020, viewed 18 March 2020, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/AWM4/>.