Sgt. C. C. Evans, 23rd Battalion, aged 23 years, was killed on 2nd September in France. He was the youngest son of Mr.   and Mrs. H. W. Evans, of 94 Darling street, Moonee Ponds, and was in his third year of active service, being previously wounded in May.

ROLL OF HONOR. (1918, September 26). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 3 Edition: Morning. Retrieved August 25, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74607172

SERGEANT C. EVANS.

News has been received by Mr. and Mrs. R. Evans Darling-street, Moonee Ponds, that their youngest son, Sergeant Cecil Evans, was killed in action on 2nd September. Sergeant Evans, who was only twenty three years of age, was serving his third year at the Front with the 23rd Battalion. Prior to receiving his fatal wound he had been a casualty on two occasions. He had rejoined his battalion in May, after having been discharged from hospital for the second time. For years he was a member of the Victorian Scottish Regiment.

Mr. Evans has received the following letter from the Quarter-Master-Sergeant of D. Co., 23rd Battalion:—

"France, 19/9/18. Dear Mr. Evans,—Just a line to express my deepest sympathy on account of the death of your son. Ever since he joined the battalion, Cecil and I had been intimate friends, so you can under stand how I myself feel the loss of such a good and cheerful pal. At the time of his death Cecil was Acting-Sergeant-Major of our company, a position he had previously filled during the heavy fighting around  Ypres last year, where, as you no doubt have heard, he was mentioned in despatches for gallantry under exceptionally bad conditions, and it was only a couple of months ago that he was again recommended for courage and skill in getting bombs forward under heavy shell and machine-gun fire to a post of ours that had been attacked. His work on that occasion undoubtedly saved us many casualties, and we are all hoping, for your sakes, that a decoration will come through for him.

Later, when we returned to the Somme area, Cecil volunteered to make one of a raiding party, and it was in that stunt he received a slight wound, but was not long in rejoining the company. At the end of August last we received sudden orders to move up, and for three days, closely following the retreating Germans, until they took up a position one night (31st August) at the foot of Mt. St. Quentin, a very strong fortress guarding the town of Peronne. That evening we received the order to attack at daybreak. When the barrage lifted we advanced to the Mount, but were met with very heavy machine-gun fire, which caused our ranks to be very much thinned out. All through this Cecil carried out his part with his usual cheerfulness and courage until about six in the morning, when he was hit in the body with a bullet. I spoke to him for a few minutes after his wound had been dressed, and he took it so cheerfully that I did not think his wound was dangerous, and was shocked to hear, when we came out three days later, that he had died the next day at the Field Ambulance.

I have a cigarette case of Cecil's with the initials 'C.E. from R.R.' on it. As whoever gave it to Cecil would undoubtedly like it for a keep sake, I am forwarding it under separate cover with this note. I am writing this on behalf of all our sergeants, who join with me in extending our very deepest sympathy to Mrs. Evans and yourself. If there is anything further you would like to know or have done, please do not hesitate to let me know.—

Yours sincerely, MAX PARSONS, Q.M.Sgt., D. Co.,

"WELCOME HOME" "SMOKE NIGHT.". (1918, December 5). Punch (Melbourne, Vic. : 1900 - 1918), p. 29. Retrieved February 13, 2015, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138716636