Berwickshire News 25/05/1915

Maple Leaf Cemetery

Jean Longstaff has submitted the following:-

Born on 3rd May 1890 in Hawick in the Scottish Borders, his mother’s home town, George Henry was oldest son of Berwick born Freeman and cooper James Evans and his wife Isabella (nee Brown); he had two sisters, Margaret, born in 1887 and Isabella, and younger brothers James and Thomas. By 1901 the family were living in Pier Road.

George Henry attended the Rutherford Corporation Academy in Berwick and afterwards went to Armstrong College, part of Newcastle University, where he trained as a teacher. In 1911 he emigrated to Canada with some friends and settled in Calgary, Alberta where they became farmers; during the winter months George worked as a teacher in Calgary.

On the outbreak of war George and his friends let their cattle loose and enlisted in the CEF in September at Valcartier Camp, Quebec. George gave his parents in Berwick as his next of kin, mentioned his time in the territorials and this six feet tall man became Sergeant 19828 in “B” Company, 10th Battalion. The Canadian contingent sailed in convoy at the end of September, the 10th Battalion aboard the SS Scandinavian, and arrived in Plymouth on 14th October. The Battalion were posted to Pond Farm Camp on Salisbury Plain where they were inspected by King George V and Lord Kitchener in November.

February 1915 saw the Battalion move to France and within two weeks “B” Company including Sergeant Evans were on an instructional trench tour with Royal Irish Fusiliers. At the end of April George reported sick and was invalided to England with a hernia and treated at the Northern General Hospital in Leeds. When discharged to duty he was granted sick furlough and returned home to Berwick before rejoining the 10th Battalion at Ypres on 17th July 1915.

Early in October George managed to meet his brother James, a Lance Corporal with the Northumberland Fusiliers, in France and was greatly shocked when hearing of his death later in the month, but was able to visit and tend his grave.

At 6am on 20th November in front line trenches at Ploegsteert Sergeant Evans was standing with his back to the parapet when a bullet went through the top sandbag and penetrated his head. He never regained consciousness and died from his wounds at 3rd Canadian Field Ambulance.

George Henry Evans is remembered at Berwick on B25.01, B25.15, B25.21 and B25.42, at Durham in D47.151 page 30, and in Newcastle on NUT063 and NUT263

In Canada he is remembered on their Virtual War Memorial and in their Book of Remembrance and on the Calgary Soldiers’ Memorial.

Canadian Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual Memorial
Universities at War
The CWGC entry for Sergeant Evans