William Moffatt Provan
William Moffatt Provan

In Memory of

Lieutenant

William Moffatt Provan

QX48837 Australian Army Labour Service
who died age 53
on 29 August 1946

Son of Alexander Provan and Agnes Proven;
Husband of Jocelyn Heather Provan, of Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

Remembered with honour
Mount Thompson Crematorium, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

William Moffatt Provan

Lieutenant William Moffatt Provan, the son of Alexander Provan and Agnes Provan (nee Moffat) was born at Toowoomba in Queensland on 6th March 1893.  He was educated at the Toowoomba Grammar School.  At the age of 49 years and 3 months he was mobilized into the Australian Military Force at the Exhibition Grounds in Brisbane on 18th June 1942 after swearing the statutory oath of allegiance.  He had previously served as a Lieutenant in the Machine Gun Company and 49th Infantry Battalion in the Australian Imperial Force in World War 1.  At the time of enlistment he was married, employed as a Plantation Manager.  He stated that he was of the Presbyterian religion.  He gave his next of kin as his wife, Mrs Jocelyn Heather Provan, residing at 18 Llewellyn Street, New Farm, Brisbane.

Lieutenant William Provan was allotted the regimental number of Q142037 and he was allocated to No. 1 Labour Company.  He voluntarily enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Chermside in Queensland on 11th February 1943 and he was allotted a new regimental number of QX48837.  He was appointed to the commissioned rank of Lieutenant on 5th May 1942.  Upon receiving his commission he was attached for duty with the 1st Australian Employment Company on regimental duties.  He joined the Queensland Line of Communication General Details Depot on 7th September 1943.  His appointment as an officer in the Australian Military Force was terminated on 22nd September 1943.  He was placed upon the Retired List on 23rd September 1943.

Lieutenant William Provan died of illness in Queensland on 29th August 1946.  His personal records do not show the cause of his death.  His remains were cremated at the Mount Thompson Crematorium in Brisbane.  At the time of his death William Provan was 53 years of age.  His name is commemorated on Panel 69 (Supplementary Panel 11) at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and locally on the Toowoomba Grammar School World War 2 Honour Board.

Toowoomba Grammar School archive records show that he enrolled as a day student on 30th January 1907 and left the School on 25th June 1909.  He represented the School in the Rugby 1st XV.

 

World War 1 Service

Lieutenant William Moffat Provan, at the age of 22 years and 4 months, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Toowoomba in Queensland on 24th July 1915 after swearing the statutory oath that he would serve for the duration of the war and an additional four months.  At the time of enlistment he was unmarried and was an Agricultural Student.  His physical description at the time of enlistment was that he was 5 feet 9 inches in height and weighed 161 pounds.  He had a fair complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair.  He stated that he was of the Presbyterian  religion.  He gave his next of kin as his mother, Mrs Agnes Robinson, residing at South Street in Toowoomba.

Lieutenant William Provan’s initial military training was conducted in the Brisbane area.  He was allocated to the 11th Reinforcements of the 9th Infantry Battalion and allotted the regimental number of 3449.  He embarked for overseas service with the Australian Imperial Force on His Majesty’s Australian Transport A69 “Warilda” from the port of Brisbane on 5th October 1915.  He disembarked from the ship in Egypt and continued his military training there.  As a result of the expansion and reorganization of the Australian Imperial Force, he was transferred to the 49th Infantry Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir on 29th February 1916.  He was transferred to the 13th Machine Gun Company on 13th March 1916 and he joined that unit on 16th March 1916.  Whilst serving in Egypt he was promoted to the rank of Corporal on 4th April 1916; to the rank of Temporary Sergeant on 7th April 1916 and to Sergeant on 11th May 1916.

Lieutenant William Provan embarked for overseas service with the British Expeditionary Force on the sea transport “Ivernia” from the port of Alexandria in Egypt on 5th June 1916.  He disembarked from the ship at Marseilles in France on 12th June 1916.  Whilst serving with his unit he was appointed to the rank of Second Lieutenant on 26th August 1916.  Whilst serving with his battalion during the attack at Moquet Farm he was wounded in action on 3rd September 1916 suffering a gunshot wound to his left leg and right shoulder.  On the following day he was admitted to the 8th General Hospital at Rouen in France.  He was invalided to England on the hospital ship “Asturias” on 6th September 1916 and on the following day admitted to the 4th London General Hospital.  Lieutenant William Provan remained a patient in the hospital until 25th October 1916 when he was discharged as fit for duty to the A.I.F. Headquarters at Tidworth.

Lieutenant William Provan embarked for overseas service in France on 9th November 1916 and joined the Reinforcements Camp at Etaples on 11th November 1916.  He left the Depot on 14th November 1916 and joined the 49th Infantry Battalion in the field at Flers in France on 17th November 1916.  He attended a course of instruction during the period 17th December until 31st December 1916.  He was seconded for duty with the 13th Training Battalion at Codford in England on 9th March 1917 and he joined that unit on 13th March 1917.  He was detached for duty for a course of instruction in Range Finding at Hayling Island during the period 28th May until 8th June 1917.  He was detached for duty for a course of instruction in Lewis Gun operation at the Musketry School at Tidworth during the period 3rd until 23rd July 1917 and he qualified as 2nd Class on the Lewis Gun.  He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 8th October 1917.

Lieutenant William Provan joined the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill to prepare for overseas service in France on 4th November 1917.  He embarked for France from the port of Southampton on 6th January 1918 and joined the Australian Infantry Base Depot at Havre in France on 8th January 1918.  He left the Base Depot on 11th January 1918 and joined the 49th Infantry Battalion in the field at Spoil Bank on 18th January 1918.  He was detached for duty at the 10th Corps Gas School on 17th February 1918.  He was admitted to the 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station suffering from trench fever on 26th February 1918.  He was placed on ambulance train No. 17 on 28th February 1918 and admitted later that day to the 14th General Hospital at Wimereux in France.  He remained a patient there until 14th March 1918 when he was transferred to the 8th Mich. Convalescent Home.  He remained a patient there until 7th April 1918 when he was discharged to the Australian Infantry Base Depot as fit for duty.  He joined the Base Depot on 11th April 1918.  He left the Base Depot on 20th April 1918 and rejoined the 49th Infantry Battalion in the field at Blangy Tronville on 1st May 1918.

Lieutenant William Provan was admitted to the 4th Australian Field Ambulance Unit suffering from an infection on 26th June 1918 and later that day he was transferred to the 12th Casualty Clearing Station where he was placed on ambulance train No. 10.  On the following day he was admitted to the 8th General Hospital at Rouen.  He was admitted to the 39th General Hospital at Havre on 28th June 1918.  He remained a patient at the hospital until 20th August 1918 when he was discharged to the Australian Infantry Base Depot at Havre.  He joined the Base Depot on the following day.  He left the Base Depot on 27th August 1918 and joined the 49th Battalion in the field at Rivery later that day.  He was detached for duty at the Australian Corps School during the period 6th October until 12th October 1918.

Lieutenant William Provan was sent to the Officers’ Rest Camp during the period 9th November until 22nd November 1918.  He left his unit located at Vitrival on 31st March 1919 and proceeded to the Australian General Base Depot at Havre to prepare for his return to Australia.  He left the Base Depot on 8th April 1919 and joined the 3rd Training Battalion in England on the following day.  He left England on the ship “Port Napier” on 12th May 1919.  He disembarked from the ship at Melbourne in Victoria on 2nd July 1919 and was transhipped to the sea transport “Nestor” for the sea voyage to Brisbane.  William Provan’s appointment as an officer in the Australian Imperial Force was terminated at the 1st Military District Headquarters on 28th August 1919.  For his service during World War 1 he had entitlement for the 1914/1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Toowoomba Grammar School archive records show that he enrolled as a day student on 30th January 1907 and left the School on 25th June 1909. He represented the School in the Rugby 1st XV.

 

External Links

CWGC

Australian War Memorial Honour Roll

Military Record


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