Stoker Eric Charles Evans enlisted to the Royal Australian Navy on 27 December 1924. He served on a number of ships and bases, including HMAS Cerberus, Anzac, Marguerite, Albatross, Moresby, and Penguin. In February 1939, Stoker Evans transferred to the HMAS Sydney (II). He served on the ship in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his gallant and successful services during the Battle of Cape Spada on 19 July 1940. Stoker Evans transferred to HMAS Cerberus in April 1941, and was discharged from the Navy on 8 December 1941.