George was born in Berwick upon Tweed in 1890. He was the eldest son of James and Isabella Evans. His family had been coopers for several generations and freeman of Berwick for at least 400 years. He had two younger brothers and three sisters.
George was educated at Berwick Grammar School, then Armstrong College (1908 - 1909), where he trained to be a teacher. He took up his Freedom of Berwick in 1911. Shortly after, he and three other young men from Berwick emigrated to Canada, where the Canadian Government were offering farm land north of Calgary to encourage new settlers. According to sources he telephoned his mother from Glasgow to ask for the £5 fare. His mother travelled to Glasgow to try to dissuade him, but was unsuccessful. This was the last time she saw her son. George and his friends farmed their land and he also worked as a teacher in Calgary during the winter. Three of the four died in the war. The survivor, Bob Trotter, returned to Berwick and married George's eldest sister Meg. Both emigrated to Canada to become confectioners.
On the outbreak of war, George and his friends turned the cattle loose and enlisted. He served as a Sergeant in the Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment), 10th Battalion. He was wounded in April 1915 but returned to his battalion having made a good recovery.
George was killed by sniper while in a front line trench at Polegsteert, near Ypres, on 20th November 1915 aged 25.