Geoffrey Charles Evans

Lieutenant-General Sir Geoffrey Charles Evans, (13 January 1901 – 27 January 1987) was a senior British Army officer during the Second World War and the post-war era. He was highly regarded as both a staff and field officer and had the distinction of being awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on three occasions.

Early life and military career Geoffrey Evans who was educated at Aldenham School was, after attending the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 24 December 1920. He was promoted to lieutenant in December 1922 becoming adjutant in his regiment from November 1926 to October 1929. In November 1934 he was seconded as adjutant to his regiment's 7th Battalion (a territorial unit) in the rank of temporary captain. This posting lasted until February 1936 by which time his captain's rank had been made permanent. He attended the Staff College, Camberley from 1936 to 1937. In February 1939, by this time promoted to major, he was seconded to the British Indian Army to take up an appointment as a staff captain.

Second World War Western Desert and East Africa Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Evans was appointed, in February 1940, brigade major of 11th Indian Infantry Brigade which at the time was part of 4th Indian Infantry Division in the Western Desert Force on the Egypt–Libya border. The brigade saw action during Operation Compass, achieving complete surprise to take the Italian defensive encampment at Nibeiwa. Shortly after this action 4th Indian Division was withdrawn to the Sudan to meet the Italian threat in Eritrea. In the East African campaign the brigade saw action during the British counter offensive in early 1941 notably at Agordat and the Battle of Keren.

After Keren 4th Indian Division returned to Egypt in April 1941 and Evans was promoted to acting lieutenant-colonel and became commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, part of the division's 7th Indian Infantry Brigade. (his permanent rank having been advanced to lieutenant-colonel in June ) and appointed general officer commanding (GOC) of the 5th Indian Infantry Division. By mid-September the division had fought its way in appalling monsoon conditions, over down the road towards Tiddim to cross the Manipur River when Evans contracted typhoid and was evacuated to India.

Three months later, having recovered his health, Evans resumed his service in IV Corps by taking command of the Indian 7th Infantry Division. By February 1945 the division found itself on the bank of the Irrawaddy River where it executed what Slim later described as, "the longest opposed river crossing attempted in any theatre of the Second World War." Having consolidated its position the division passed to XXXIII Indian Corps to advance down the Irrawaddy in operations which were later described by Slim as "...a brilliant piece of major tactics by Stopford [the Corps commander], his commanders, and their troops." In June the division was moved to the Sittang valley to rejoin IV Corps to become the southern end of the Allied barrier formed to prevent a break-out by the remnants of the Japanese 28th Army. In early July the division fought a fierce four-day battle on the Sittang as Japanese forces attempted to distract attention from their planned breakout further north. The battlefield was a swamp as a result of monsoon rains with 7th Division often having to report floods, "too deep for Gurkhas to operate."

When the Japanese surrendered in August 1945 7th Indian Division was flown into Siam where Evans became the GOC Allied Land Forces in Siam until 1946. In August 1945 his permanent rank was advanced from lieutenant-colonel to colonel. During the Second World War, Evans was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1945), awarded the Distinguished Service Order (1941) and Two Bars (1942 and 1944), and Mentioned in Despatches five times. In the King's Birthday Honours of 1946, Evans was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath for his exploits in Burma.

Post-war After the war Evans was appointed General Officer Commanding 42nd (Lancashire) Division in 1947 and his temporary rank of major-general made permanent. He then went to be Director of Military Training at the War Office in 1948. The appointment came to an end in January 1952.

Reverting to major-general, Evans became Assistant Chief of Staff (Organisation and Training) Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe from March 1952 to April 1953 and then, once again as a temporary lieutenant-general, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command from May 1953 to May 1957. He was confirmed in the permanent rank of lieutenant-general in October 1953. In the 1954 New Year Honours he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He retired from the army in June 1957. In 1959 he published his account of the five great battles in which he was involved (The Desert and the Jungle).

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