John Taylor Evans

1942 R.C.A.F. Interview Report:

“Candidate should be an excellent Observer or Navigator material. Very good personality, mature for aircrew, very stable individual, has had 100 hours airtime as a passenger. Would not say he is enthusiastic.”

John was born at 6 am on October 11, 1910 at Lot 17, Conc 10 Esquesing, to Thomas Walter Evans and Jane Forbes, Thomas listing his occupation as farmer and Jane listing her occupation as farmer’s daughter.

By 1921 the Canadian Census shows the family having moved to Market St. in Georgetown and the 1931 Census shows the family of seven still living on Market St., the nine room house they owned valued at $6000 and Thomas employed as a fire insurance salesman. John was 20 years old and his brother James (WW2) was 17.

John attended Limehouse Public School (1916-1919), Georgetown Public School (1919-1924), Georgetown High School (1924-1929) and University of Toronto (1935-1937). He was working for Johnson & Johnson in 1942 when he quit work to do his part for his country.

By 1942, John’s address was Edmonton Alberta and he was enlisting in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He indicated that he was single, his occupation was travelling salesman, and his religion was United Church.

John was a Flying Officer Air Bomber with Squadron 433 (Porcupine) on July 14, 1944, when engine failure on their Halifax aircraft lead to an explosion and crash, with debris being scattered over a wide area on the Isle of Man, killing all aboard. A devastating day for his family…a son and brother lost.

John was buried in Andreas Churchyard, Isle of Man.

He is commemorated on the Georgetown Cenotaph at Remembrance Park, St. John’s United Church and the Georgetown High School Roll of Honour.

Truly a Canadian Hero. His story lives on.

Information taken from Findagrave.com, Ancestry.ca, losses.internationalbcc.co.uk and Veterans.gc.ca

---