Arthur George (Bessant) Evans (1910 - 1955)

Born 4 Jun 1910 in Bristol, England, United Kingdom [uncertain]

Died 5 Sep 1955 at age 45 in Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Michael Power [send private message]

Biography

Arthur 'Anzac' Evans, was born in Somerset, England in 1910 with the name Arthur George Bessant, to parents Arthur George Bessant and Elizabeth Evans. He emigrated to Australia in 1928 aged 18 years, travelling on the SS Jervis Bay which left London 7 August 1928 and arrived Freemantle 7 September and Brisbane on 8 October 1928 where he disembarked.

He enlisted in the AIF on 3rd April 1941 as Arthur Evans, giving his father 'Arthur Evans' as next of kin with address of King Street, Bridgewater, Somerset, England. Occupation at the time was unemployed bushworker, Narrabri NSW.

He served with the 2/1st Australian Infantry Battalion in the Middle East, Ceylon and New Guinea (1941-1945).

Arthur (Bessant) Evans is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Second Australian Imperial Force 1939-1945
2/1st Australian Infantry Battalion

During his years of military service, Private Arthur Anzac Evans (NX1199), "Anzac Evans C Company 2/1st Aust Inf Bn Copyright" is attributed as the author of the poem 'The Famous Second First' first published in the War diary Routine orders by Major J. Miller 25 Dec 1941. In the official battalion history the poem appears on page 558 as ‘When the Carnival is Over’ attributed to Anonymous) [The First at War, E. Givney (1987) ].

In the Army publication 'Table Tops' (North Queensland) weekend supplement of 11 July 1943, Pte. A Evans NX1199 was awarded a prize for his poem 'Kokoda Track' and this was reprinted in the Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW) on 3 August 1943 p.2 'Soldier Poets : A prize-winning effort'.

After the war, Arthur Evans lived at Boxer's Creek, Goulburn NSW. He appears in the NSW Electoral Roll for Eden-Monaro in 1949 and 1954, address Boxers Creek and occupation Labourer.

His service record at the National Archives of Australia, contains a statutory declaration made on 11/2/1955 at Goulburn, NSW, giving his address as RMB 129, Boxers Creek, Goulburn NSW. The Declaration was for replacement of a lost medal (Returned from Active Service badge), that "disappeared from lapel of coat while celebrating Anzac Day in Sydney 25th April 1954". He states he was born at Bristol, England on 4 June 1910. And the Next of kin on enlistment: Father: Arthur Evans address King St, Bridgewater, Somerset England. The AMF Attestation Form completed on 3 April 1941 at Narrabri NSW, his date and place of birth was stated as Bridgewater, England 4.6.1910 and occupation Bushworker.

Arthur Evans died in Goulburn on 5 September 1955. The death notice was published in the Evening Post (Goulburn, NSW) on 8 September 1955. He is buried at the Goulburn General Cemetery in the 'Lonely Diggers' section. The Australian Army plaque at his grave is inscribed with:

NX1199 PRIVATE A.G.EVANS 2/1 INFANTRY BATTALION 5TH SEPTEMBER 1955 AGE 45 GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE

THE FAMOUS SECOND FIRST

When this carnival is finished, all the fighting and the fun,

When we’ve beaten Adolf Hitler, and the Japs are on the run,

When the last parade is over, and the A.I.F.’s dispersed,

You’ll be proud of your connection with the famous Second First.

You’ll forget the mad manoeuvres, all the aching blistered feet,

The frosts and snows of Syria and the Deserts deadly heat,

How you froze around the Lebanon and swore the game was crook,

Till the old hands painted pictures of the winter in TOBRUK.

You’ll forget the taste of goldfish, and the Chloride in the tea,

When you’re dining at Romanos and the champagnes flowing free.

You’ll forget the flaming squad drill, and how you raved and cursed

While you took your dose of pack drill with the famous Second First.

You’ll be fighting fireside actions in the piping days of peace,

Round the camp fire, or the hut fire, where there’s talk of Crete or Greece.

How the First held place of honour fighting rearguard through the deal,

How his storm troops through the sponge in, when you chased him with the steel.

And you’ll rest upon your laurels like a heroe of the screens

Colour blind to every colour save the good old black and green

Till you go to join old comrades, when grim death has done his worst

Proud to know your name’s on record with the famous Second First.

Anzac Evans

C Coy 2/1 Aust Inf Bn

Copyright

The poem "Kokoda Track" that appeared in 1943, shares some common lines with the original 1941 poem.

KOKODA TRACK

We’d chased the flaming Ities over Libya’s desert sands,

We’d clashed with Hitler’s storm troops in half a dozen lands;

Once more we crossed the ocean, a hellbent eager pack,

To chase the “Sons of Heaven” up the old Kokoda track.

Years of desert fighting hadn’t strained our inborn zeal;

We who smashed his storm troops when we met them with the steel.

But we found the “Son of Heaven” was a tougher nut to crack

On that Owen Stanley doover up the old Kokoda track.

We’d cursed the Ities’ footwork when we chased them at Matruh,

We grinned at Hitler’s Panzers when the desert push went through;

But we prayed like Christian soldiers who were never known to crack,

While we chased the “Sons of Heaven” up the old Kokoda track.

We’ll be fighting fireside actions in the piping days of peace,

And we’ll bandy tales of Bardia, Benghazi, Crete and Greece;

But we’ll mention as with reverence, when memory surges back,

How we chased the “Sons of Heaven” up the old Kokoda track.