Sapper Abe Evans

SAPPER ABE EVANS 754 – 2nd Tunnelling Company

One of the largest age groups of the miners who volunteered to join the Mining Corps was around the 44- year age group and Abe Evans with his knowledge of mining was essential for the Corps. He was born in Tregaron, Cardiganshire, Wales about 1872 and was a prospector at Tinvale near Charters Towers, Queensland. He was single and 43 years of age and left his mining camp for life in a military camp.

He enlisted at the Townsville recruiting centre on 30 September, 1915 and was declared medically fit for service. Recorded on his Attestation form he was 178 cms (5ft 10ins) tall with a 100 cm (37-39 in) chest and weighed 83 kgs (183lbs). He had three vaccination marks and a dark complexion, with brown eyes and black hair. His religion was Church of England. His brother J. Evans of 21 Albert Square, Clopher Road, London, England was named as his next of kin.

After basic military training he was transferred to the No 2 Company of the Mining Corps at Casula, New South Wales on January 24, 1916. He was assigned the rank of Sapper and the Regimental number of 754.

At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.

The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.

Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.

Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.

On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.

The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.

The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.

Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the ship was reluctant to take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck. A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.

Sapper Evans was with the 2nd Tunnelling Company which comprised of four sections, and these sections served in the districts of Armentieres, Bluff, Hill 60, Railway Wood, Verbranden Molen, Nieuport Sand Dunes, Amiens, Querrieu, Cambrai, Havrincourt and Lille.

On October 26, 1917 Sapper Evans was slightly wounded in action but remained on duty.

He was still with his Unit on July 16, 1918 and after the Armistice he was granted leave to the U.K. from France between November 28 and December 12, 1918 when he rejoined his unit. On December 22, he reported sick to hospital and was admitted with Bronchitis then conveyed to A.F. 4. On Christmas Day, 1918 he was admitted to the 3rd General Hospital, France and on New Year’s Day, 1919 was invalided to England for admission to Brook War Hospital, Woolwich, England, diagnosed with Bronchitis. Eight days later was relocated for recovery to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford. From there he was discharged on Furlough on February 15, 1919, to report to No. 1 Command Depot on March 1st. He applied to London for an extension until March 7 and upon his return reported to the No. 2 Command Depot.

Unfortunately Sapper Evans did not report for duty on March 8 as per his extension. Crime: A.W.L. from 10am March 8 to 10am March 11. Award: Admonished by Major C.H. Howard. Punishment: Total forfeiture 3 days pay.

As he had been born in Wales, Abe may have visited his brother J. Evans or other relatives in London whilst on leave to England.

Sapper Evans was invalided home embarking on the H.T. Shropshire on April 1, 1919 and disembarked in the 3rd Military District on May 16, 1919. He re-embarked on the Dongola the next day for the 1st Military District and discharge.

A letter to the Repatriation department was issued on May 14, 1936.

The Mining Corps gave the older men a chance to enlist for duty and for his contribution for King and Country in The Great War, 754 Sapper Abe Evans was awarded the British War Medal (12143) and the Victory Medal (11984).