Hobby writer David Evenis launches new book on father’s story of post-war life

A familiar face from the Evenis family was back in Narrogin at the weekend to launch his new book, Ernie: A Narrogin Story.

David Evenis recently published a book about his father’s life after World War II in Narrogin, when it was a thriving railway town.

Mr Evenis said the project had been at least six years in the making.

“My dad passed away 31 years ago in 1989 and I really wanted to record his story sooner than later,” he said.

“I started writing about Dad as a musician because he was a bugler in the Narrogin RSL sub-branch for 20 years playing at the Anzac ceremonies.”

Ernest Evenis moved to Narrogin after serving as a soldier in World War II.

After he met and married Phyllis Criddle, Narrogin became home to his family.

“Dad’s story is like so many other post-war men, so the book is not just about him but a generation of men and, as was the way, they volunteered for things such as playing in bands, the ambulance corps or playing sport,” Mr Evenis said.

Keen to preserve his father’s story, the hobby writer discovered his mother had kept many diaries.

“It was a pleasant discovery ... up until 18 months ago, Mum still lived here but had to go into a nursing home in February last year,” he said.

Many locals know his mother, Phyllis Evenis, who lived on Kipling Street for 60 years.

Mr Evenis has dedicated his book to her.

“Everybody knows Mum, and in recent times the town looked after her in a lovely, caring sort of way as her dementia started to show, the way country towns do,” he said.

For details on the book, contact Mr Evenis at david.evenis@iinet. net.au.