2nd Lt. Norman Evans
2nd Lt. Norman Evans
By this stage in ADRIC records are very scanty.
1898 Nov 21 Born Newcastle under Lyne , Staffordshire
1901 census at Newcastle under Lyme, Staffs
1905 October 11 Death of his mother, Florence Olive Evans (nee White). Her death certificate records the cause of death as heart disease.
1910 May 28 Death of his father, Henry Evans at 38, Barracks Road, Newcastle under Lyme. Occupation given as Accountant. Cause of death - Tuberculosis.
1911 census, with his grandparents at 107 Church St, Silverdale, Staffs
1911 October 6 Sailed from Liverpool to Quebec, Canada aboard the "Empress of Ireland" with his younger brother William Gordon Evans (b.1901). Their final destination was The Independent Order of Foresters (I.O.F.) Orphanage in Oakville, Ontario.
Part of Florence Olive Evans' diary recording Norman's birth in 1898. A note written underneath by R.L.E. at a later date reads, "went to Canada Oct 1911 with Gordon"
Late 1911 to Early 1915 Living in Oakville. Attended the Oakville High School.
1912 Oct 5. Article from The Staffordshire Advertiser - Newcastle Orphan's Success in Canada The members of the Newcastle Court of the Independent Order of Foresters have learnt with gratification of the success of an orphan lad sent from Newcastle early in 1911 to the Oakville Orphans Home in Canada through the good offices of Chevalier C. J. Wain of Newcastle. The boy, Norman Evans, and his brother are the sons of of a deceased member of the court, and "The Forester", the official organ of the Order, records the success of Norman Evans and five other inmates of the Home in an entrance examination to the High School, Oakville. Norman Evans was placed third amongst all the candidates from the county of Halton, and a local newspaper writes thus of him and another inmate of the Home, who was first in the examination list, " These are two of the most gentlemanly, well-behaved boys we have in town, and are a credit to the institution where they reside"
1915 January 27 Travelled aboard the S.S. "Baltic", arriving at Liverpool on 5 February.
1915 Feb 15. Ten days later, he enlisted in the 2/1st Staffordshire Yeomanry Reserve Regiment at Stafford. He gave his age on the attestation form as nineteen years, although he was in fact only sixteen years and three months. His occupation was listed as bank clerk.
1916 to 1917 Remained in England until late 1916, when he was sent to France with the 8th North Staffords, having transferred to this regiment earlier in the year.
1917 May 29 Commissioned 2nd Lt in 9th South Staffords, Subsequently applied to the Royal Flying Corps for pilot duties. Application rejected on medical grounds due to a broken nose.
1918 May 19 While attached to the 7th Battalion South Staffords, he was severely wounded. Returned to England for the remainder of the War. He was admitted to the 1st Eastern General Hospital in Cambridge and then sent to the Mont Dore Officers' Convalescent Home in Bournemouth.
At the time of the Armistice,he was serving with the 3rd South Staffords, a training unit for officers and men who had been wounded, based at Forest Hall, Northumberland.
1919 January Demobilized in January
1919 March, during the Spanish flu pandemic, he contracted influenza and was treated at the 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth.
1919 April At the beginning of April 1919, he enlisted in the ranks of the 45th Battn. Royal Fusiliers and was sent to Russia in July as part of the North Russian Relief Force.
Early 1920 On his return from Russia, he was discharged but immediately re-enlisted in the Royal Army Service Corps, for one year, and served with the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force. Arriving in Basrah in March, 1920, he was then posted to General Headquarters in Baghdad.
1921 March Returned home. He was awarded the General Service Medal with Iraq and N.W. Persia clasps for his service in the Middle East.
1921 Jun 15. Joined ADRIC with service no 2067. Posted to R Coy
fines of £1 and £5 from Coy Commander
1921 Jul 18 Admitted Stevens Hospital, discharged 30 Jul, re-admitted 1 Aug and discharged hospital 20 Aug
1922 Jan 16 Discharged at demobilisation of ADRIC
1922 Apr 8 Leaves UK for USA. Sailed from Southampton to New York aboard the s.s. "Aquitania". On arrival, he was detained due to a medical condition, and then sent back to England,
1922 Apr 24 Deported back to UK
1922 May 1. Arriving at Southampton aboard the "Mauretania" . Shortly afterwards, he enlisted again in the Royal Army Service Corps for a normal period ( 7 years with the Colours, 5 years with the Reserve).
1922 May to April 1927. Served as a clerk in the supply branch of the regiment which was stationed mainly in the Aldershot area.
1927 April His company was sent to Germany. In November, he was court martialled for "being drunk in the cafe Drest, Wiesbaden". He was awarded 35 days detention and fined 40 shillings. On completion of his sentence, he was posted back to the U.K
1928 Jan 21. Discharged from the Army. Extract from Discharge Form - . (a) (ii) Final Assessment of Character on leaving the Colours as recorded on Page 6 of Certificate of Service. "This clerk leaves the Army after 5 1/2 years service on account of spasmodic but recurrent acts of drunkeness. His punishment for which involved absence from his work. He is in no sense a "bad character", apart from his one failing, he is a good clerk and shorthand typist and a quiet and willing worker. He is but 29 years of age and I feel that under the sterner conditions of employment of civilian life, he may probably exert a stronger will-power over himself so prove his worth. I trust he may meet with a large hearted and sympathetic employer who will give him such a chance. He was severely wounded in the Great War." L. C. Hamilton Major E Supply Company RASC
1928 July 25 Returned to Canada aboard the "Alaunia", sailing from Southampton to Quebec via Montreal. Reason for settling in Canada - Farming.
1928 Aug 5. Arrived Canada from UK Allowed to land. Sometime after his arrival in Canada, he made his way to FlinFlon, a mining town on the Manitoba/Saskatchewan border
1930 Oct 30 Crosses US border at Buffalo from Canada, but is "Rejected". Attempting to visit his uncle, Samuel Evans in Doylestown, Ohio. His application was rejected, and he was off-loaded at Bridgeburg, a suburb of Fort Eerie in Canada.
1931 Jun 1 Canadian Census Province of Manitoba Electoral District - Nelson Flin Flon Settlement, Mine Bunk House, Norman Evans, Lodger,Male ,Single, 29, Occupation: Labourer in Copper Mine
Bunk houses at Flin Flon c.1931
1931 November 7 Deported from Canada. Sailed aboard the "Ascania" and arrived at London via Plymouth.
1934 October 25 He was admitted to Cane Hill (Mental) Hospital, Coulsdon, Surrey as patient 21941.
1939 Register in Cane Hill Hospital. He is given as former Shorthand typist, and his marriage state was not known
1946 March 21 Died at Cane Hill Hospital, aged 47, of a brain tumour. His death certificate gives his occupation as shorthand typist and his address as 21 Clarendon Street, London. SW1. The Cane Hill burial register shows that he was buried in the hospital cemetery on 26 March.