Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Place of BirthLaChute, Quebec
CountryCanada
Marital StatusSingle
Next of Kinbrother, R. J. Evans of Oxbow, Saskatchewan
Trade / CallingSaddler
ReligionPresbyterian
Service Details
Regimental Number73235
Service RecordLink to Service Record
Battalion28th Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Place of EnlistmentMoose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Date of EnlistmentOctober 26, 1914
Age at Enlistment27
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Buried AtRiverside Cemetery, Thunder Bay, Ontario
PlotSection 26 Plot 160

Evans, Charles Gilbert

Charles Gilbert (Bert) Evans was the youngest son of John James Evans (1835-1915) and Margaret Drysdale (1841-1914). Siblings included Richard Gibson (1867-1935), Thomas Ephriam (1868-1896), Robert James (1870-1951), Samuel Howard (b. 1875), Henry Angus (1876-1948), Horatio Gates (1877-1904) and William Stanley (1882-1960). According to his later attestation, he was born on 28 May 1887 in LaChute, Quebec. However although a birth record was not found, by other records it is likely that he was born in 1883 as supported by his grave marker.

Bert moved west and the 1906 Census found him living with his brother Robert in Oxbow, Saskatchewan. By 1911 he was a harness maker in Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan and then worked as a saddler in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Soon after England declared war on 04 August 1914, Bert enlisted with the 28th Battalion in Moose Jaw. He listed one year previous military experience with the AM. His battalion traveled to England aboard the S.S. Northland at the end of May 1915. Bert arrived in Boulogne, France on 18 September 1915 and was transferred to the 1st Canadian Artillery Brigade on 27th October 1915. The following spring, on 22 May, he was attached to the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column and carried as supernumerary to Establishment 1st Artillery Brigade. Bert rejoined his unit on the 30 May 1916 but a month later her was posted to the 12th Brigade of the Canadian Field Artillery. He received a Good Conduct Badge on 26 October 1916. Bert was taken on strength by the 1st Brigade Ammunition Column on 20 March 1917 and that summer was appointed saddler. He had his first leave in September 1917. Bert spent a week at a Casualty Clearing Station being treated for gastritis at the beginning of November 1917. On 30 March 1918 he was appointed acting Bombardier. He had a two week leave to Paris in October 1918. Bert proceeded back to England in March 1919 and on 14 April 1919 sailed for Canada aboard the S.S. Olympic. He received his official discharge due to demobilization on 24 April 1919 in Kingston, Ontario.

On discharge documents Bert listed his intended place of residence after the war as Rouleau, Saskatchewan. The 1921 Canadian Census showed him living with his brother Stanley’s family in Winnipeg, Manitoba and working as a farmer. Shortly after this he moved to Kenora, Ontario and on 24 June 1922 he married Jennie Trimmer there. His occupation at the time was carpenter. In September of 1929 the couple gave birth to son Douglas Charles. At the time of the 1931 census the family was living on Main Street North where Bert was still working as a carpenter. When he joined the Kenora Legion in 1940 he was living at 416 3rd  Street North. According to Jennie’s later obituary, the family moved to Port Arthur, Ontario around 1940-41.

Predeceased by Jennie on 14 October 1955 in Port Arthur, Bert died in January of 1976. Together they are interred in Riverside Cemetery in Thunder Bay.

Photographs of Gilbert with the 27th Battalion are from the commemorative book of the 27th Battalion, Military District No. 10, 1915.
Jennie’s obituary provided by Brodie Resource Library, Thunder Bay Public Library.

 


« Back To Soldier Biographies