Evans, Stephen Charles

1862 Private Stephen Charles Evans - 11th Battalion AIF

Stephen Charles Evans was born in Bristol England on the 29th February 1896 to Alice and Charles Evans, being one of six siblings born into the family.

The family came to Western Australia around 1910 and took up residence in Fremantle.

Stephen completed his schooling in Fremantle, during which time he service in the 86A Cadets of the Citizens Military Forces. After leaving school he took up work as a Horse Driver and also at this time continued his service with the 86th Regiment of the Citizens Military Forces.

Prior to the Great War the family were living at 46 James Street Fremantle (later renumbered 12 James)

On the 21st December 1914 Stephen enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 7 inches;

Weight - 140lbs;

Chest Measurement - 33-34 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Fair.

Upon his successful enlistment Stephen was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the depot training company. He was taken through the basics of infantry work for a few weeks and on the 16th February 1915 he was transferred into the 4th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF.

After his enlistment his Mother moved the family to 18 Higham Street Fremantle. (Higham Street later became part of Bellevue Terrace)

Stephen trained with the 4th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion in WA from 16th February till 18th April 1915. On the 19th April 1915 they entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Argyllshire. This ship then took Stephen and his group to Egypt, arriving there on the 13th May 1915.

Stephen had a few weeks in the training camp at Egypt but soon was sent to Gallipoli. He joined the 11th Battalion on the 16th June 1915. The 11th battalion were then serving in the southern portion of the Anzac Battlefield around Boltons Ridge and Shrapnel Green.

In July and August 1915 Stephen saw action with his unit at Leane's Trench when they captured part of a Turkish trench system and converted it to their own trench. They succeeded in holding this captured trench though the Turkish forces fought strenuously to recapture it.

Stephen survived these actions unscathed but with the lack of good food, and the harsh conditions with the hundred of unburied bodies around their positions, sickness was prevalent. On the 5th September 1915 Stephen was sent to the field ambulance on the beach. He was diagnosed with debility and dysentery and he was sent out to a hospital ship which took him to Lemnos Island. He had a few days here and was then shipped back to Egypt where he was admitted to No.2 Australian General Hospital in Cairo.

His illness was serious and Stephen did not return to Gallipoli. He was released from hospital in early December 1915 and was sent to work at the AIF Base HQ. He was not yet back at Full fitness and would remain working at the Base HQ for a few more months In April 1916 he was temporarily detached for duty with the Military Police at the AIF Camps at Serapeum and Tel-el-Kebir.

Having shown that he was back to a good fitness level Stephen requested to return to the 11th battalion. However the 11th Battalion had depart for France a few weeks earlier, so he was sent to the 3rd Infantry Brigade Reinforcement group/Training Battalion.

On the 9th May 1916 he left Egypt with this group aboard the transport ship Caledonia. The ship departed for France, arriving at Marseilles a week later. After being disembarked Stephen was entrained north for the coastal town of Etaples where the 1st Australian Division Base Depot was being established.

He spent a few weeks here then joined the 11th battalion on the 23rd June 1916. The 11^th Battalion were soon on their way to the Somme battlefield. The battle of the Somme began on July 1^st 1916 though the Australians didn’t become involved until the 21^st July 1916. The 1^st Division, including the 11^th Battalion were tasked with the capture of Pozieres. They succeeded in the capture though casualties were very heavy. Fortunately Stephen came through safely and served with the 11th battalion at their next action at Mouquet farm in August 1916.

After this action the 11th battalion were sent to Ypres Belgium for around six weeks before returning to the Somme battlefield in October 1916. The 11th battalion would then spend the 1916/17 French winter on the Somme battlefield near Flers.

The freezing conditions caused much sickness among the men but Stephen came through this period safely. 

At the end of February 1917 the Germans began their withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line. It was a fighting withdrawal as it was pressed all the way by the Australian and British divisions. The 11^th Battalion saw action at Le Barque in February and Morchies in March, while in April they held an outpost line at Lagnicourt. On the 15^th April the Germans launched an assault on this line and they were initially successful as the Australian posts weren’t connected and they were able to make their way through the posts, surrounding and capturing the men in many of the positions. The Germans were eventually repulsed and there were large casualties for both sides. Stephen was initially reported missing from this action but news soon came through that he had been captured at Boursies/Lagnicourt. After his capture Stephen was put to work by the Germans who used prisoners in working parties around Cambrai and Valenciennes but he was later sent to Germany where he was put in a Prisoner of War Camp in Limburg. 

Stephen remained a prisoner until the Armistice on November 11^th 1918 and he was then repatriated to England on the 19th December 1918. At the beginning of 1919 Stephen was given several weeks of leave and on the 10^th February 1919 he reported for duty to No.2 Command Depot at Weymouth. While at Weymouth Stephen met a local girl and a romance developed.

On the 15th June 1919 Stephen was married in England to Edith Annie Scriven at Chickerell Weymouth UK.

Instead of returning home Stephen took up residence in England and was therefore Discharged in UK on the 17th November 1919. Sadly his wife died in June 1920 in Blackburn Lancashire. Stephen had been working as a bus conductor in Blackburn.

It appears that Stephen then was involved in a relationship with Rhoda Beck and they would have two children while in England, Edward in 1927 and Richard in 1928

In 1928 Stephen brought his family back to Australia. In 1919 Stephen's family had moved to Moss Street East Fremantle and he initially resided with them. They then moved to their own place in Preston Point Road for a time and then Canning Road East Fremantle. Stephen had found employment in Fremantle as a Cleaner.

A daughter Edith was born in 1930 followed by Julia in 1932.

In 1938 in Fremantle Stephen was officially married to Rhoda Beck. They would then take up residence in Katanning. He was then working as a Linesman and Truck Driver.

In World War Two Stephen again offered his services in 1942. He served in the Australian Army within WA and had the service number W52789.

They then lived in Geraldton for a few years, before moving to Willagee and then Carlisle.

In September 1967 Stephen wrote to the Army authorities from his address in Carlisle for his Gallipoli medallion.

Stephen died on the 30th June 1982 aged 86. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.