Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Trevor was born in Tumby Bay on 29 May 1947 to Ronald Spencer Provis and Eveline Joyce Provis  (nee Danzic).  He was the third youngest of 6 children in the family; 2 girls and 4 boys.  His father was a farmer at Stokes.

He went to school at Stokes until its closure and then transferred to Ungarra.  On completion of schooling he worked with his father on the family farm at Stokes until they sold the farm and relocated to Lock. He then worked on the "new" farm at Lock with his father and brother Geoffrey until his marble was drawn for National Service in May 1967 and deferred.

In February 68 he was conscripted into the Army and sent to Puckapunyal (Vic) for basic training at 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, then allocated to Infantry Corps and undertook his Corps training at Singleton (NSW). He then did his jungle training at Canungra (Qld) and stretcher bearer course at Holsworthy (NSW).  

At the completion of training he embarked for Vietnam. He was initially posted to 1st Australian Reinforcement Unit on 30 September 1968, then to 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (4RAR)  in December 1968.

4 RAR had relieved 2 RAR  in South Vietnam (SVN) on 1 June 1968; it was based at Nui Dat, Phuoc Tuy Province. Two Companies from the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNZIR) joined the battalion and on 2 June 1968 and it was formally renamed 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion.  

3 weeks after arrival the Bn was involved in Operation Toan Thang II (13 June-18 July 1968) on the Bien Hoa-Long Binh border. On 15 September it was deployed to the Long Khanh-Bien Hoa border as part of Operation Hawkesbury (12-24 September 1968). The aim of both operations was to disrupt Viet Cong activity in the area and deny access to supplies. The Battalion returned to base at Nui Dat on 24 September 1968.

Trevor was allocated to the band platoon as a stretcher bearer and a medic; he was 1of 6 on the Mobile Advisory Team (MAT). On 15 December 1968 the 4RAR/NZ MAT moved into Dat Do to work with RF and PF troops based in the village. After Christmas 1968, the MAT commenced a weekly training program giving attention to one PF platoon each week and covering first aid, weapon training, fire and movement, map reading and range practices. In Early April 1969 his team was replaced by a new team and Trevor applied to join the transport platoon as a driver; his request was granted.

The Battalion was replaced by 6 RAR on 1 May 1969 and departed for Australia on 19 May 1969. Trevor returned with his Battalion and then took his discharge on 7 February 1970  in Adelaide.

Prior to "call up" Trevor had met his wife to be, Mary Goodes, at Lock. It was love at first sight and their courtship was undertaken whilst he was away in the Army; they were married on 18 July 1970 at the Lock Uniting Church. He and his wife lived on the farm at Lock where 2 of his 4 children (2 girls and 2 boys) were born. The extended family then decided to move to Ceduna onto another farm. Trevor continued working on this farm with his father and brother until, he purchased his own farm and moved to Arno Bay.

This was during a particularly difficult time in farming; thus he applied for work and moved to Roxby Downs where he worked in the smelter, and also for truck and earth moving contractors. After more than 10 years at Roxby (and the children grown up) Trevor and his wife decided to travel in their motor home and become itinerant workers, which they did for a few years, returning to celebrate Mary's parents wedding anniversary at Loxton (SA); subsequently Mary acquired a childcare position and Trevor undertook casual work in the area. Eventually they bought a 2 acre block at Loxton North and settled there.

Unfortunately Trevor has been diagnosed with cancer. Not a pleasant diagnosis at age 60, but also not an uncommon one for those who have served in South Vietnam (SVN).