Evelyn Harper

Rank 
Private
Regiment 
London Regiment (Artists' Rifles)
Date of death 
28 December 1917
Age of death 
37
Address 
Athelstan House
The Avenue
Wanstead
E11 2HW
Address source 
1911 Census
Cemetery / Memorial 
Egypt
Biography 

Born in 1880 at South Woodford/Snaresbrook, son of Augustus (Member of the Stock Exchange) and Augustine Harper. 1901: With his family at Athelstan House The Avenue, Wanstead. 1911: A Member of the Stock Exchange, still with his family at Athelstan House. His Probate gives the address of “Coombebank” Glengall Road, Woodford Green.

A well known, popular Old Bancroftian who lived in Woodford, and served as an Assistant Librarian at the Congregational Church Library. He was a keen photographer who exhibited with the Woodford Photographic Society. He became a member of the Stock Exchange in 1904.

Having joined the Artists Rifles in August 1914, he was subsequently attached to 13 London as part of 60th Division. He served in France with them, before going on to Macedonia and Palestine.

On Friday 7th December 1917 his Regiment took part in a 03.00 attack on Turkish Forces near Jerusalem, but the Turks responded quickly and many men became casualties. Early in the action Lyn Harper was wounded in the chest back and arm, and remained without rescue in very cold conditions until the Saturday afternoon. There followed a slow and painful journey to Cairo for hospital treatment in an old monastery, but a bullet had damaged his lungs and he died there in the Citadel Military Hospital on 28th December 1917. Just before this battle another Old Bancroftian had written that "All the boys speak well of Harper, of his coolness and unselfishness; if he expects dirty work, he leads the way himself rather than run others into danger."

Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian

Sources:

Ancestry.com

Stock Exchange Memorial Book

The Bancroftian

For more information on this individual please see The Old Bancroftian website.