Information from History of Provost Marshal Directorate HQ AMF 1939, AWM 54 803/1/1

1. Personnel were to be returned soldiers from the 1914-1918 War.
2. Over 45 years, and "B" class medically.

Recruits within these limits were difficult to obtain and months elapsed before any Company was recruited to approved strength. The quality was poor.

Little improvement in the numbers and quality of Provost personnel for Base duties was effected and the duties increased as the AIF expanded and Provost personnel had to be found for staffing and control of Detention Barracks and Guard Rooms. In New South Wales alone, 1218 soldiers served periods of Detention from 7-90 days during the year.

Concurrently Provost personnel were raised for HQs 1 Corps, 6 & 7 Divisions AIF. As these personnel were medically class "A" they were in marked contrast to personnel in Base Companys. Their keenness, deportment, and training received, laid the foundation for the excellent work they later performed.

Approval was given for personnel carrying out Provost duties to be appointed Corporals in lieu of Lance Corporals, Trade Group 2. This strengthened the authority of the individual, made the Service more attractive, personnel more keen to do and keep their jobs and enabled the APMs to tighten discipline and dispense with the most unsatisfactory personnel.

On 8.9.41 a Provost Marshal (Colonel G.F. Murphy, CMG, DSO) was appointed and shortly afterwards a Provost Directorate was set up.

The excellent work of Provost in LIBYA, GREECE and SYRIA became known and did much to raise the respect of troops and Provost personnel serving in Australia. The WE of Provost Companies was increased by 1 Lieutenant. This provided greater Officer control of Provost Sections detached for duty with Brigades and for the policing of large towns, etc.

The entry of Japan into the war and the large increase in the Forces necessitated a big expansion in the Provost Service to meet the needs of both Field and L of C Formations. Selection of personnel was widened and men with overseas service encouraged to join Provost Units. Training Cadres were set up in New South Wales and Victoria, and a Provost Training School for Officers and NCOs was opened in Victoria. The efficiency of Provost Units in Australia showed a marked improvement as the duties increased: Traffic Control; Train Escorts; Field Work, gave interest and variety to personnel.

With the return of the remainder of Provost personnel from the Middle East and the growth of the Provost Service generally, together with the large increase in Soldiers Under Sentence, approval was given for re-organisation of the Service. On 26 May 1943 all matters relating to Soldiers serving Imprisonment or undergoing Detention were divorced from the Provost Service and became the responsibility of a new Service, the Australian Military Prison and Detention Barracks Service.

This relieved personnel of the Australian Army Provost Corps of the staffing of Military Prisons and Detention Barracks and Guard Compounds, the provision of such places and the training of Soldiers Under Sentence. The retention of a separate Service to deal with soldiers serving Detention and Imprisonment is in line with civil practice and is strongly recommended. Whilst the Provost Service was responsible for Detention Barracks, cases occurred where the arresting Provost found himself enforcing the carrying out of the Sentence upon the same individual. This practice may lead to abuse and severity, especially when the soldier resists arrest.

The difficulty of obtaining recruits for the Provost Service was mainly attributable to the fear that they would be associated with Detention Barracks, etc. It is safe to state that no difficulty would have been found in obtaining suitable volunteers for the Provost Corps had the Corps been relieved of Detention duties from the commencement of hostilities.

Colonel G.F. Murphy, CMG, DSO, was appointed Director of the Military Prisons and Detention Barracks Service and Colonel N.W. Faulkner, MC, MM, became Provost Marshal. On 13 August 1945 Colonel K.C.F. Harris was appointed Provost Marshal.

The Provost Directorate HQs AMF WE provided for:

Provost Marshal Colonel

Deputy Provost Marshal Lieutenant Colonel

DAPM Captain

WO2 1

AWAS 2

The WE strength of the Australian Army Provost Corps after transfer of personnel to Military Prisons and Detention Barracks Service was 168 Officers, 4100 ORs.

Officers

As a result of the transfer of a number of Provost Officers to the MP & DB Service, and the creation of additional HQs and Base Areas in New Guinea, there was a serious shortage of Officers in the Corps in 1943. This was gradually overcome by selecting suitable experienced NCOs for attendance at OCTU and by the transfer of Officers from other Arms.

Officers requesting transfer were interviewed either by the Provost Marshal or Deputy Provost Marshal, and if considered suitable underwent a six weeks course at the LHQ Provost Training School, prior to the Provost Marshal requesting their Corps transfer to the Australian Army Provost Corps.

In the haste to raise Provost Units in the early months of the war, a number of members of the Civil Police were commissioned. It was found that unless the member had previous military service, or a military background, the policy was not successful. Almost all Provost Companies are commanded by Officers who have gone through Provost NCO ranks and the high standard of Unit efficiency achieved has been due to the experience and knowledge gained in the ranks.

Other Ranks

The importance of the right type of man for service with the Provost Corps was realised by commanders. As selection was widened and "A" class personnel authorised to volunteer for Provost duty, the efficiency improved, but very few Provost Companies were up to strength. There was a big turnover of personnel, especially in L of C Companies due to the continual weeding out of unsuitable and unsatisfactory members.

The decision to recruit volunteers only from trained soldiers brought men of some military experience and integrity to the Corps. The advantage of this decision were three-fold:

1.Volunteer's conduct sheet could be sighted and his Cos recommendation obtained.

2.Knowledge of others Arms of Service is most helpful to Provost personnel.

3.Time saved in training - only necessary to smarten up and be taught Provost duties.

The shortage of personnel became acute in 1943 and the C-in-C directed that every effort be made to complete Provost Units to W.E. and that in future Formations would maintain such Units at approximate authorised strength. The Provost Marshal or his representative was authorised to visit all Formations and select non-trade grouped personnel from G.D.D., Units deleted from O.O.B, and from formed Units under command Formations L of C Areas. Selected personnel were drafted to LHQ Provost Training School and given a six weeks course of training in Provost duties. This recruitment resulted in 535 trained soldiers, 40% of whom had overseas service, being drafted to Provost Units.

In 1943/44 there were 23 AIF and 9 CMF Provost Companies. The former could be kept at a reasonable strength, but the latter experienced difficulty in doing so as the transfer of a member of the AIF to a CMF Unit could only be approved by LHQ. This policy kept the volunteer with active service experience out of CMF Companies, and made the task of the CMF Provosts personnel in the large cities more difficult. The AIF soldier with active service experience dislikes being checked by non-service Provost but readily co-operates with Provost who have had active service. In November 1944 authority was given for the transfer or re-allotment of AIF personnel to CMF Units of the Provost Corps, provided personnel concerned had overseas experience in the present war.

As the Australian Army Provost Corps requires physically fit men it is recommended that only volunteers, "A1" medically, minimum height 5 foot 9 inches, under 35 years of age, and who by character, deportment and temperament are considered best suited for Provost work, should be accepted in the Provost Corps.

That as soon as the position permits, volunteers with active service experience and the above qualifications be given priority of enlistment in the Corps.