Bruce James Evans (21 January 1925 – 8 November 2012) was an Australian politician. He was born in

Bairnsdale Bairnsdale () ( Ganai: ''Wy-yung'') is a city in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia in a region traditionally owned by the Tatungalung clan of the Gunaikurnai people. The estimated population of Bairnsdale urban area was 15,411 at Ju ...

to Joseph Evans, a farmer, and Daisy Shankly, a schoolteacher. He attended local state schools and became a bank officer for the Union Bank in 1941. In 1943 he enlisted with the

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

and went on to serve in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

, the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

as a wireless air gunner. On his return in 1946 he took up dairy farming at Lindenow, and became branch president of the

Returned and Services League The Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL) is a support organisation for people who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force. Mission The RSL's mission is to ensure that programs are in place for the well-being, care ...

(1947–49, 1956–57). He was active in the local dairy farming community and also in the Country Party, serving as a national, branch and district secretary. In 1961 he was elected to the

Victorian Legislative Assembly The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria in Australia; the upper house being the Victorian Legislative Council. Both houses sit at Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The presiding ...

as the member for Gippsland East. He was the party's deputy leader from 1964 to 1970 and its whip from 1970 until his retirement in 1992.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Bruce 1925 births 2012 deaths National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Victoria Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II Royal Australian Air Force airmen Military personnel from Victoria (Australia)