Born into wealth and privilege, Evelyn de Rothschild was expected to play a major role with the N M Rothschild & Sons bank. However, at the outbreak of World War I he and brother Anthony joined the British Army. In November 1915, while serving with the Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry on the Gallipoli front, Evelyn de Rothschild was wounded and sent home to recuperate.
Within a few months, de Rothschild was back at the Front where in March 1916 his service resulted in his being mentioned in dispatches. Sent to fight in Palestine, he was critically wounded during the 13 November Battle of Mughar Ridge against the Turkish Seventh Army and died four days later. On 5 December 1920, his brother, Captain Anthony de Rothschild, unveiled the War Memorial in the churchyard of All Saints Church at Wing, Buckinghamshire honoring Evelyn and his other comrades from Wing who were killed in the war.