Historical information

Charles Meynell Pitt Withers (aka Bill) was the youngest son of artist Walter Withers and Fanny (nee Flinn). He was born at Eltham 5 February 1902.

Tyrrell George Granville Evans was born on 17th August 1892

Enlisted (No. 789) 7 July 1915 as a Private and was assigned to the 31st Battalion.

Promoted to Sergeant 1 Nov 1915.

Disembarked Suez 7 Feb 1916

Admitted to 32nd Stat. Hospital in France 21 July 1916 with a gunshot wound to the left arm. According to daughter-in-law, Janet Evans, on 19 July 1916, in the battle near Pozieres on the Somme, he was hit by a German high explosive shell and was unconscious and badly wounded. His left arm was shattered, and he had a bullet wound on his leg.

Embarked at Boulogne on H.S. Cambria for Middlesex War Hospital, England 24 July 1916.

Evans returned to Australia and was discharged medically unfit, 7 April 1917.

After months in the Caulfield Hospital his arm could not be saved, and it was amputated 18 July 1917.

On July 6, 1918, Tyrrell George Granville Evans married Mary Pitt Withers at Eltham, daughter of artist Walter Herbert Withers (deceased) and wife Fanny (nee Flinn). They had three children, Mary Roberta Evans born February 8, 1921, at Balwyn and twins Shirley and Joyce born June 10, 1922. Mary died 17 days later, June 27, 1922, at Balwyn.

Tyrrell had to cope with three children under three years old and a missing left arm. He had been lefthanded before his war injuries. He had help from the family, especially his sister.

On August 1, 1924, Tyrrell George Granville Evans married Marian Frances Wilcox and they had two children: Barbara Marian, born 27 July 1925 and Tyrrell Granville, born 3 July 1928. The children were all brought up together in Glen Iris.

Tyrrell became renowned as a one-armed golfer and tennis player. He was Senior Vice-President of the Lawn Tennis Association of Victoria and was on the committee of the Metropolitan Golf Club. At the time of his retirement, he was General Manager of the Colonial Meat Company.

Tyrrell died September 3, 1962 and was succeeded by sixteen grandchildren.

Contributed to by Janet Evans (daughter-in-law), 27 May 2024

Physical description

Digital file created from scan of original document on loan from private collection

Inscriptions & markings

Many items in this collection have suffered from significant water damage and black mould