Provost Marshal - Australian Army

Written and researched by Antony Buckingham, 2006, Australian Military Police History website

The appointment of the Provost Marshal (PM) in the Australian Army is one of the oldest and respected positions/appointments held by any Australian Army Officer. The PM is considered the Australian Army’s senior Military Policeman and the principle adviser to the Chief of the Australian Army (CA) on Military Police and Army discipline matters.

As the Australian Army was modelled closely upon British Army doctrine and procedures especially during its early period 1901 – 1939, the position/appointment of Provost Marshal was adopted as well. Except for a period of time between 1920 – 1938, the Australian Army has always maintained a Provost Marshal. Whilst the PM of today is a highly trained and experienced Military Policeman/woman this was not always the case throughout Australian Army and Military Police history.

The Provost Marshal has always been considered a position to be held by an experienced, dedicated and respected Australian Army Officer who traditionally had a wide range of command, administrative and leadership experience and considered a "man of the troops" who would police the Australian Army with fairness and equity in times of war and peace. Throughout most of the Australian Army’s history the PM has been a General Service Officer (GSO) not connected to the Military Police. He was not a trained Military Policeman although granted specific powers under military law to enforce military law and empower Military Police. The Provost Marshal has always been assisted by one or more Assistant Provost Marshal (APM) now called Deputy Provost Marshal (DPM) positions especially in relation to deployed troops overseas or specific requirements.

As the PM position originates from Britain it is interesting to seek a quick glance at its’ history. The Royal Military Police website in 2006 stated the following:

The office of the Provost Marshal (PM) is one of the most ancient in Britain and the British Commonwealth and it is difficult to establish its origins with any certainty. William of Cassingham, who was appointed Military Secretary of the Peace by King Henry III on 28 May 1241, was probably the first named Military Policeman. Queen Elizabeth I created provost marshals in the English counties to apprehend lawless disbanded soldiery. Offenders arrested were hanged on the spot. These Provost Marshals were the first County Chief Constables.

The duties of the PM seem essentially the same today as they were in the 17th century; the maintenance of discipline, the prevention of crime within the military and the arrest and bringing to trial of soldiers committing offences against military law.

THE NAPOLEONIC WARS

Wellington asked for a Provost Marshal to be appointed to hang looters and by the end of the Peninsular War the Provost Marshal controlled 24 Assistant Provost Marshals. The assistants were also authorised to hang offenders and eventually each division had its own Assistant Provost Marshal.

In the early 1800s Wellington raised the Staff Corps of Cavalry as a Military Police Corps. Until a uniform was approved members of the Staff Corps of Cavalry were identified by a red scarf tied around the right shoulder of their original uniform which could well be the origins of the red cap which identifies the modern Military Policeman.

In 1855 the Provost Marshal recommended that the additional manpower he required be of a certain calibre. They must have at least 5 years service, of sober habits, intelligent, active and discreet. This development was the beginning of the existing organisation of the Corps of Military Police. On 1 August 1877 this small unit raised in 1855 was formerly established as a distinct corps for service both at home and abroad.

From reading the above can we appreciate and understand why the Royal Military Police Corps was born and the origins of why we have Military Police today. Prior to the formation of a Military Police Corps in the Australian Army, policing of soldiers and military areas was carried out by Assistant Provost Marshals (APM) along with Officers and NCOs from various units. They worked directly for the PM/APM and assisted them to help maintain the ‘good order and military discipline’ of troops.

Modern military law can trace its lineage back to the first military law of the British Army and in turn the Australian forces, The Army Act of 1881. This document makes mention of the origins of the modern day Provost Marshal position and states:

The Provost Marshal – The Army Act of 1881 thus described his duties: ‘For the prompt repression of all offences which may be committed abroad, P-Ms with assistants may from time to time be appointed by the GO of the GOC. The PM or his assistants may at any time arrest and detain for trial persons subject to military law committing offences, and may also carry into execution any punishments to be inflicted in pursuance of a CM, but shall not inflict any punishment of his or their own authority’. As the power of inflicting summary punishment is no longer vested in the PM, he must in future, on the march, or during the progress of operations when he considers it advisable to make an example by the immediate punishment of a man whom he or any of his assistants have taken in the act, or against whom some inhabitant may complain of violence, &c, apply to the nearest CO to assemble a summary court-martial to try the prisoner.
 
The Provost Marshal has evolved into an essential figure on the modern battlefield guiding Commanders at all levels on their duties and responsibilities reference the behaviour and standards of their troops either in battle, at home or abroad.

The first Provost Marshal of the Australian Army was Major M.M. Boam appointed to the position on 10 February 1913 at HQ 2nd Military District (Sydney) to supervise the Provost Staff and provide advice to units and HQ throughout Australia. {Honorary Lt Col Morris Martin Boam, born 15.10.1847 in London. Member of the Australian Sudan Expedition in 1885 and the NSW Permanent Armed Forces.}

Provost Marshals of the Australian Army

DATE

RANK

NAME

1913 - 1916

Lt Col

M.M. Boam (PM AMF)

1916 - 1919

Lt Col

J. Williams (PM 1st AIF)

1939 - 1940

Capt

G.C. Hawker (PM 2nd AIF)

1941

Lt Col

J. Walstab, DSO, VD

1942 - 1943

Col

G.F. Murphy, CMG, DSO

1943 - 1945

Col

N.F. Faulkner, MC, MM

1945 - 1946

Col

K.C.F. Harris

1946 - 1952

Lt Col

C.J.W. Farnington, MBE, DCM

1952 - 1966

Lt Col

J.F. McWilliam

1966 - 1971

Lt Col

E.A.C. Seaton

1971 - 1973

Lt Col

R.H. Bell

1973 - 1976

Lt Col

D.H. Yeats, MBE

1976 - 1979

Lt Col

G.D.W. Irvine

1979 - 1980

Lt Col

K.G. Petersen

1980 - 1984

Lt Col

N.F. Gebbett

1984 - 1987

Lt Col

J.Briscombe

1987 - 1990

Lt Col

G.T. Turner

1990 - 1992

Lt Col

F. Brown

1992 - 1996

Lt Col

J.T. Heggart

1997 - 1999

Lt Col

D.W. Fidler

2000 - 2003

Lt Col

T.A. Grutzner

As of 2000, the Provost Marshal also takes on the dual role of the Commanding Officer of the 1st Military Police Battalion.

2003 - 2005

Lt Col

C. Pearce

In April 2004, Chief of the Australian Army (CA) directed the Provost Marshal – Army (PM-A) position, be separated from the CO 1 MP Battalion due to the increased command responsibilities of both appointments. The CO 1 MP Battalion would relinquish PM-A position by January 2005.

During August 2004, Army HQ approved for the now separated PM-A position to be established at Army HQ and filled by a Lt Col; however, due to RACMP not having any person available to fill the position a non MP Corps Officer was appointed for a 12 months period.

2005 - 2006

Lt Col

M. Kingsford, RAA

2006 – 2007

Lt Col

M. Foxe

2007 – 2008

Lt Col

M. Luscombe

  In May 2006 the Chief of the Australian Defence Force (CDF) appointed the first ever Provost Marshal Australian Defence Force (PM-ADF) who took control of all ADF Provost Marshal’s and Policing Services reporting directly to CDF as his police adviser. This was the first time in the history of the ADF that a PM-ADF position existed. The three services still retain their own Provost Marshal who in turn advise their respective Service chiefs in policing matters.

Provost Marshal – Australian Defence Force (PM-ADF)

 2006 - 2007

Col

T.A. Grutzner

2007 – 2010

Col

M. Reed (RAAOC)

 

Service Records of various Provost Marshal

Colonel HARRIS 1945/1946

 

Brief history behind Provost Marshal appointment

Courtesy of Matt Walsh - Australian MP Association

The appointment of Provost Marshal or the Provost, as it was originally known, can be traced back to the 12th Century. In those days there was of course no parliament, and the King ruled through a Royal Court or Curia Regis as it was known. One of the most important officials of the Curia Regis was the Earl Marshal, whose appointment continues to this day. (He is responsible for ceremonial on all great state occasions, coronations, state funerals etc).

The Earl Marshals right hand man was the Provost, (derived from the ancient French Provost meaning 'Perfect'). In those days the Provost like the Earl Marshal, had to be a man of known loyalty to the Sovereign and hence his appointment was a royal prerogative.

Whilst the Provost Marshals appointment dates back to the Norman and Anglican Kings, as a military title is one of the oldest in British history. The earliest record appears in the "Curia Regis", a document produced in 1318, in which provision is made for two offices, the Earl Marshal, and that of Provost Marshal. The Provost Marshal was, by the same document, granted permission for certain retainers, to be known as the Provost Marshal's Assistants, paid from the Privy purse.

The only rival in antiquity to the Provost's appointment is that of Chaplain General, and history does not disclose which is the older.