William Evan Allan

William Evan Crawford Allan (24 July 1899 – 18 October 2005) was, at the age of 106, one of Australia's last living veterans of the First World War, and the last remaining Australian who saw active service in both world wars. Allan was a career sailor in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), serving from 1914 to 1947.

Early life Allan was born in Bega in the then British colony of New South Wales, eighteen months before the Commonwealth of Australia came into being.

Naval career He joined the RAN in March 1914 at the age of fourteen as a boy, second class. When war was declared on 14 August 1914, he was 15 and serving aboard the training ship , and lived in the Melbourne suburb of Essendon, Victoria, until his death at the age of 106. He was given a state funeral at HMAS Cerberus on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Honours and awards

King George V Silver Jubilee Medal King George VI Coronation Medal 80th Anniversary Armistice Remembrance Medal (awarded 21 April 1999) Centenary Medal (awarded 1 January 2002)