Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Joseph Victor Roy Chant was born in 1893. His father was Henry Chant and mother was Mary Addicoat. Joseph Victor Roy Chant lived in Smith Street, Southwark, South Australia. He grew up in a family with several siblings, including William Henry, Ethel Jane Mary, Myrtle Ann, Ruby Chloride, and Frank Ellis Gladstone. Prior to enlistment Joseph was working as a locomotive fireman.

On June 10,1915 Joseph Victor Roy Chant enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Keswick and commenced initial training.                                                                                                                  

Joseph embarked from Adelaide 21st September 1915 on HMAT A15 Star of England ship to Egypt and was taken on strength with the 10th Battalion in Mudros 25th November 1915. Within days he was hospitalised for a couple of wees with an illness. 

In March 1916, Joseph arrived in France with the 10th Battalion to fight at the Western Front. After few months, in July, he fought at Pozieres in the most dangerous conditions of war. He took part in the intense fighting at Mouquet Farm near Pozieres on the Western Front, a key battlefield during the Somme campaign. From the 19th to the 23rd of August, his battalion was involved in repeated attacks against strongly defended German positions, where soldiers faced heavy machine gun fire, artillery bombardments, and dangerous trench conditions.

In November 1916 Chant was admitted to hospital in France with Trench Feet and was moved to England for treatment and rest. He was in trouble for being absent without leave in January 1917 and was punished, forfeiting 19 days pay. He remained in England during 1917 and was once again in trouble for begin absent without leave in August 1917 and needed to forfeit 35 days of pay this time.

He returned to the freont line in France in October 1917, taken on strength with the 10th Battalion 16th October. He was wounded in action 18th December 1917 with a sharpnel wound to his arm but it was not serious and after treatment returned to his unit on the 20th December. He remained in France with the 10th Battalion until he took leave in the UK in November 1918.

With the war over, he remained in the UK at base. In April 1919, once again he went absent without leave and was again punished by taking away pay, 21 days worth, and was also given field punishment for 14 days. At this time though he married Lilian Ellen Davis. Chant, with his new wife, returned to Australia on H.T. Zealandic, disembarking in Adelaide 21st August 1919.

Together with Lilian, he had 3 children; Frank, Dorothy and Harry. They vlied at Lockleys in the Hindmarsh area as part of the Soldier Settlement Scheme (According to GRG35/320 Record of land held by soldier settlers - Soldier Settlement Branch 1917-1931 Joseph Chant settled at CHANT Joseph [see also CHANT Eunice Victoria] Hundred of Hindmarsh, Sections Blk 5 of S/D of Secs 19/2.)

On 5th of August 1951 Joseph passed away in an accident on the South Road at Edwardstown, South Australia. He died of severe head injuries when his motorcycle collided with another vehicle. The news of his death was published in The Advertiser on 7th of August 1951. He was buried at the West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide.