During a visit to Victoria on December 12, 2001, the Chief of Navy, VADM David Shackleton, took the opportunity to visit Navy's last surviving dual World War I and II veteran Mr William Allan, aged 102, at his nursing home in Essendon.

Mr Allan, pictured with CN and the Warrant Officer of the Navy, David Wilson, joined the RAN at the age of 14 before the outbreak of WWI and served for a further 34 years.

He saw service in HMA Ships Encounter, Cerberus, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Tingira, Melbourne, Australia, Penguin, Albatross, Stuart, Canberra and the British Armed Merchant Cruiser Moreton Bay.

Mr Allan was promoted through the ranks from BOY 2nd Class to CPO, then to Temporary Acting Boatswain (Provisional).

He was granted War Service Rank of Lieutenant before he retired from the Navy in 1947.

During discussions with CN and WO-N, Mr Allan was very keen to hear about the activities of sailors in today's Navy and he remarked how proud and happy he was each time he saw news reports of Navy carrying out its operations.

Mr Allan spoke of his time at sea as a sailor and recounted an unfortunate incident where he was washed overboard in 1928 from the forecastle of HMAS Australia.

He has a vivid recollection of his three minutes in the water and was able to relate the incident in detail.

As well as service in WWI & WWII, Mr Allan was a member of the Commissioning Crew for HMA Ships Adelaide (1922), Australia (1928) and Stuart (1933) and also HMS Moreton Bay (1939).

He also has the honour of being a member of the Australian contingent that participated in the Coronation of His Majesty King George VI (1937).

His awards and decorations include; 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Pacific Star, War Medal, Australia Service Medal, 1935 King's Silver Jubilee Medal, 1937 Coronation Medal, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

He was also awarded the 1915, 1916 and 1917 Chevrons in recognition of his wartime seagoing service.

Navy also has one other surviving WWI veteran, Mr Leslie Sykes who joined the RAN in 1917 as a mechanic and attained the rank of Ordnance Artificer 3rd Class.

Mr Sykes saw service in HMA Ships Australia, Melbourne, Tingira, Sydney and Cerberus before discharging from the Navy in 1927.

By WOSY Kevin Tingey