Private Austin Philip Evans was born on the 4th of July 1886. He enlisted with the Sherwood Foresters and received army number 17106. He served with the regiment during the Great War (1914-18). Austin initially served with the 12th Battalion and later the 2/5th Battalion, as indicated on his medal roll. 

Austin disembarked for France on the 29th of August 1915, along with the rest of the 12th Battalion. He would have seen action, with the 12th, at the Battle of Loos (1915), The Battle of Delville Wood (1916) and the Battle of Guillemont (1916). The latter two being part of the Battles of the Somme. 

It is uncertain at what time Austin transferred from the 12th Battalion to the 2/5th. However, the 2/5th served in Ireland in 1916. There is no mention of Austin being in Ireland. Therefore, it can be assumed that he did not join the 2/5th until early 1917, when they returned temporarily to England, and then on to France. 

The 2/5th saw action, and potentially Austin too, on the Somme at Le Verguier (1917) and at the Battle of Passchendale. The 2/5th saw their last bit of action Cartignies on the 5th of November 1918, including Austin. 

Austin died of natural causes on the 25th of February 1963, aged 77.