Richard Evans MM
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth |
Not known "Not known" contains an extrinsic dash or other characters that are invalid for a date interpretation. |
| Place of Birth | Pendlebury, Manchester, England |
| Death | 3 Nov 1968 |
| Place of Death | Byford, Western Australia |
| Age at Enlistment | 28 years, 4 months |
| Description |
5' 5" (1.65m) tall ; 146 lbs 66.224 kg ; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; brown hair |
| Occupation | Brickmaker |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Cardup Brickworks, Beenup, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Brother , Mr Benjamin Evans (in UK) |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 3324 |
| Date of Enlistment | 24 Jul 1915 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit/Formation | 11th Battalion, 11th Reinforcement, transferred to 4th Pioneer Battalion, A Company / 4th Division |
| Date of Embarkation | 2 Nov 1915 ‒ 26 Nov 1915 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A38 Ulysses |
| Date of Return | 3 May 1919 ‒ 12 Jun 1919 |
| Ship Returned On | SS Leicestershire |
| Fate | Wounded in Action 1 Oct 1917 in Prep for Broodseinde |
| Monument |
Armadale War Memorial (Beenup panel) Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour |
| Medals |
Military Medal 1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
War Service
Entering camp on 2 Aug 1915, Richard was allocated to the 20th Depot Company for basic training and fit out. On 27 Sep 1915 he was designated for the 11th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion, travelling with them to Egypt.
On 7 Jan 1916 he was taken on strength by the 11th Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir, and allocated to 'A' Company. Transferred on 1 Mar 1916 to be an inaugural member of the 51st Battalion, and then a fortnight later, on 16 Mar 1916 he was transferred again, this time to the 4th Pioneer Battalion. On 4 Jun 1916 with the rest of his battalion he boarded HMT Scotian in Alexandria for southern France, arriving at Marseilles on 11 Jun 1916.
Appointed a Lance Corporal on 25 Aug 1916, he was promoted Temporary Corporal on 1 Nov 1916 and his rank was confirmed on 11 Feb 1917. Recommended on 13 Jun 1917 for the Distinguished Conduct Medal as a Corporal, he was awarded the Military Medal on 21 August 1917 for his actions on 7 June at Messines. In the meantime, on 30 Jun 1917 he was appointed Lance Sergeant.
On 1 Oct 1917 while carrying out maintenance to the Westhoek-Zonnebeke road Richard was wounded by shrapnel to his left thigh. (The Battalion War Diary reports right thigh). He was treated by the 10th Casualty Clearing Station before being sent to the 8th Red Cross Hospital in Rouen, France, and then evacuated on 18 Oct 1917 to England aboard HS Princesse Elisabeth, before being admitted to the Northampton War Hospital.
Sent on leave after his wounds had healed, he was to then spend 41 days in the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford with Venereal Disease from 21 Nov to 31 Dec 1917. Richard then returned to France on 10 Jan 1918 after a short period in the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill (1 - 9 Jan 1918). Richard was able to rejoin the battalion in France on 18 Jan 1918. His rank (Sergeant) was confirmed the same day. Richard remained in France until 10 Feb 1919, and he then spent a further three months in Weymouth before his return to Australia where he was discharged by the 5th Military District on 5 Aug 1919.
....." (Corporal) Enlisted in August 1915, and went away with the 11th reinforcements of the 16th Battalion 2nd November 1915. Now serving with the 51st Battalion." [was with them for only a fortnight before being reassigned to the 4th Pioneer Battalion].[1]
Award Comment
Military Medal 21 Aug 1917. (Nomination was for the Distinguish Conduct Medal)
On the afternoon of 7th June near MESSINES, he in company with his Platoon Officer carried out a difficult reconnaissance for a communication trench in full daylight and under heavy machine gun and sniping fire, extending many hundreds of yards into country that was still strongly held by enemy machine guns and Strong Points.He brought back most useful information, and later assisted in guiding his Company upon the work under cover of darkness.
During the construction of the trench he showed great courage and was of much assistance to his Company Commander.[2][3]
Post War
Electoral Roll entries - 1922 - 1968 as a brickmaker in Cardup; in 1931 his property name was "Pendlebury". Married in 1922 and in 1925 Wife Jessie Esther Cole appears on the Electoral Roll. No children registered before 1932. In 1980, Jessie is still at "Pendlebury" with (son ?) Eric William.
Notes
References
- ↑ "The Drill of the Foot-Hills" (PDF) (1917). Western Australia. Mar 1917. p. 13. Retrieved 16 May 2017 – via State Library of Western Australia.
- ↑ Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 20 December 1917 page 3378, position 145
- ↑ London Gazette 21 August 1917, page 8647, position 10.