Benjamin Arthur McEvoy

Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known 1884
Place of Birth	Stratford, Castlemaine, Victoria
Death	24 Jan 1938
Place of Death	Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	32 years
Description	5'10" (1.78m) tall; weight 160 lbs (72.6kg); fair complexion, grey eyes, brown hair.
Occupation	storekeeper
Religion	Church of England
Address	Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife Mrs Minnie May McEvoy
Military Information
Reg Number	6466
Date of Enlistment	17 Apr 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	16th Battalion, 21st Reinforcement / 4th Brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	13 Oct 1916 - 12 Dec 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A39 Port Macquarie
Date of Return	1 Feb 1918 - 18 Mar 1918
Ship Returned On	SS Balmoral Castle
Fate	Wounded in Action 5 Aug 1917 Returned to Australia
Monument	Jarrahdale
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries - 1910 Lucknow, sleeper hewer; 1916 Jarrahdale, hewer; Ben Married Minnie Mary Hettich in Jarrahdale during 1914.

War Service

A fortnight after entering camp, Ben was allocated to the 21st reinforcement draft for the 16th Battalion, travelling with them to England as an acting Corporal.

On arrival in England he reverted to Private, and entered the 4th Training Battalion at Codford on 12 Dec 1916. On 16 Jan 1917 he was made an EDP Corporal, but again reverted to private when he entered hospital at Codford on 18 Feb 1917 with the mumps. Released to continue his training on 9 Mar 1917, he proceeded overseas to Étaples in France from Folkestone on 10 Apr 1917.

Taken on strength by the 16th Battalion on 30 Apr 1917 at Ribemont where it was reorganising, re-equipping and training following its heavy casualties suffered at 1st Bullecourt earlier that month.

On 5 Aug 1917 the 16th Battalion was in the front lines near Messines in Belgium when Ben was wounded in action with a severe wound to the right leg. The unit war diary records that casualties were fairly heavy, their line being bombarded on several occasions. Seen first by the 4th Australian Field Ambulance, he was passed to the 2nd Australian casualty Clearing Station the same day. On 7 Aug 1917 he was admitted to the 3rd Stationary Hospital at Rouen, before being evacuated to England on 12 Aug 1917 and admitted to the University War Hospital on 14 Aug 1917.

Transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on 19 Oct 1917, five days later he was sent to No.2 Command depot in Weymouth to await a ship home.

Sent home to Australia for 'Change', Ben was discharged by 5th Military District as unfit for further service on 1 Apr 1918.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1922 - 1925 Jarrahdale, hewer; 1931 - 1937 Huntley Forest Settlement, forester.

Daughter Mary Louisa born 17 Apr 1919, son Glen born 31 Dec 1926