Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

George Morton Evans was born on 17 August 1897 at Dunedin, the younger son of William Evans and his second wife, Elizabeth (Elsie) Bain née Morton. Mr Evan’s first wife, Annie Jacks, died in 1888 and was buried at Timaru. She left three daughters. In 1893, William married Elsie. They had two sons and two daughters. William Evans was the founder of the Atlas Flour and Oatmeal Milling Company in Timaru , and managing director until a week before his death on 3 March 1930 at his residence “Lisava”, at the grand age of 92. He was also a member of the first Timaru Harbour Board and pro-active in the eastern extension breakwater. George’s secondary education was at Waitaki Boys’ High School, where he gained scholarships. His younger sister was educated at Strathmore Private School in Timaru and at St Hilda’s Collegiate in Dunedin.

When George Morton Evans enlisted on 17 August 1917 in Dunedin, he was a student residing at Knox College. Single and of Church of England affiliation, he named his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs Elsie Bain Evans, 120 North Street, Timaru. He was serving with the O.T.C. Private G. M. Evans embarked with the New Zealand Medical Corps of the 38th Reinforcements, departing from Wellington on 2 May 1918 per the “Balmoral Castle”.

G. M. Evans, 69170, returned to New Zealand by the “Hororata”, embarking at London on 1 February 1919 and arriving on 15 March 1919. His intended was initially North Street, Timaru, this later amended to 595 George Street, Dunedin. He was discharged on 13 April 1919 on the termination of his term of engagement. He had served in Western Europe and was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. In 1922, George was in Dunedin, continuing his medical studies. He became a qualified medical practitioner and moved to Wanganui Public Hospital as a surgeon in 1928.

When his father died on 3 March 1930 at his residence - “Lisava,” 103 North Street, Timaru, Dr. G. M. Evans was in the “Old Country”. George was still in England in 1935, by which time he had married Beatrice Alice Maud (Pressley?). It appears they had a son William P. P. Evans born in January 1935 who was with his mother in 1939. George was on the British medical register at Bristol in 1939, having gained British registration in 1932. George and Beatrice, still in England in 1942, were in Nelson, New Zealand by 1946. Captain George Morton Evans was a doctor in London in 1942 when he enlisted for World War Two service with the New Zealand Forces, his next-of-kin his wife, Mrs B. A. M. Evans, Southgate, London. George Morton Evans died on 22 September 1995, aged 98 years. He was cremated at Nelson, as Beatrice was in 1998. George’s older brother, William Thornhill Evans, also served in World War One.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [18 July 2023]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [18 July 2023]; Timaru Herald, 5 March 1919, 4 March 1930, Star, 3 March 1930, Otago Daily Times, 4 March 1930 (Papers Past) [18 & 19 July 2023]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file
• Other military personnel file

Related Documents

• EVANS George Morton - newspaper clippings (pdf, 101.7 KB updated 05-Sep-2023)

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.