WILLAN, Geoffrey Parker (1889-1974)Geoffrey Parker Willan was born on 17 August 1889 in Melbourne, the son of Charles Parker Willan and Cecilia nee Barnes of Larundel, Irving Road, Toorak, he was educated at Cumloden and Geelong College where he was enrolled as a boarder in 1905.
Not long after the outbreak of World War I, he enlisted (No. 5151) at Broadmeadows on 30 October 1914 in the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Train (12th Artillery Supply Column), and served in Egypt and France, having embarked on
HMAT A51 Chilka on 2 February 1915. He transferred to the Field Artillery, where he received his commission in 1916, serving as a Second Lieutenant with 5 Division Amunition Column. He was Mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's Despatches, gazetted on 31 December 1918. He returned to Australia, embarking on 10 January 1919.
Geoffrey Parker Willan died on 13 April 1974.
He is one of a group of Old Geelong Collegian Light Horsemen photographed at The 'Sphinx' in Egypt. The photo was sent to the school by
Major E A E Gregory (1882-1915) before he embarked for Gallipoli.
Geoffrey Willan's cousin, Tpr Ashley Roy Willan (1889-1915), 8th Light Horse (an Old Geelong Grammarian), of Bracknell, Tasmania, and Mansfield, died on a hospital ship on 12 August 1915 of wounds suffered on 8 August at The Nek, Gallipoli. He was buried at sea, and his name is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial.
Sources: Corfield and Persse. Geelong Grammarians: A Biographical Register Vol 1 1855-1913 p581; Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck. p340 (citing The Pegasus; James Affleck, Geelong Grammarians at the Great War; Alexander Henderson, Henderson's Australian Families (1941); Geelong College Archives; National Archives).