Born the son of Provo Featherstone Wallis, a clerk at the Royal Navy's Halifax Naval Yard, and Elizabeth Wallis (née Lawlor), Wallis benefited from his father's desire to secure a naval career for his son: knowing the rules for officers' entry into the navy, his father managed to get him officially registered in May 1795 as an able seaman on the 36-gun frigate HMS Oiseau at the age of four, by convincing her captain, Robert Murray to list him on the ship's books as an able seaman.

In May 1798, young Provo became a volunteer in the 40-gun frigate HMS Prevoyante where he remained (on paper at least) until September 1799 when he joined the 64-gun third-rate HMS Asia.
He served on HMS Asia until September 1800, when he was promoted to midshipman in the 32-gun fifth-rate HMS Cleopatra.
HMS Cleopatra was the first ship he physically served aboard – he physically joined the ship in October 1804 – but by now he had amassed nearly a decade of seniority.
In an action on 16 February 1805, HMS Cleopatra was captured by the French frigate Ville de Milan and the ship's company taken prisoner of war.
Wallis was freed a week later when Ville de Milan was itself captured by the Royal Navy: he transferred to Ville de Milan which now became a British ship.

Wallis transferred to the third-rate HMS Triumph in November 1806 and to the third-rate HMS Bellona in February 1808 and, having been promoted to lieutenant on 13 November 1808, he transferred again to the sloop-of-war HMS Curieux later that month.
HMS Curieux ran aground and was wrecked on the coast of Guadeloupe in November 1809 and Wallis transferred to the fifth-rate HMS Gloire in December 1809.
He subsequently served in the sloops HMS Observateur, HMS Driver and HMS Emulous.

Wallis transferred to the 38-gun frigate HMS Shannon in January 1812.
HMS Shannon captured USS Chesapeake  near Boston on 1 June 1813, during the War of 1812: HMS Shannon's Captain, Philip Broke, was badly wounded during the action and her first lieutenant was killed.

Wallis served as the temporary captain of the British frigate for a period of exactly six days as she made her way back to Halifax, Nova Scotia, with Chesapeake flying the Blue Ensign above the Stars and Stripes, for which action he was promoted to commander on 9 July 1813.

Wallis was given command of the sloop HMS Snipe at Sheerness in January 1814.
Promoted to captain on 12 August 1819, he became commanding officer of the sixth-rate HMS Niemen at Halifax in June 1824 and commanding officer of the fifth-rate HMS Madagascar on the North America and West Indies Station in April 1838.
He earned the thanks of the people of Veracruz in Mexico when he protected them from French bombardment in Winter 1838 during the Pastry War.

Appointed as commodore (but remaining a post captain in substantive rank) he went on to be Senior Naval Officer, Gibraltar, with his broad pennant of the third-rate HMS Warspite, in October 1843.
Born the son of Provo Featherstone Wallis, a clerk at the Royal Navy's Halifax Naval Yard, and Elizabeth Wallis (née Lawlor), Wallis benefited from his father's desire to secure a naval career for his son: knowing the rules for officers' entry into the navy, his father managed to get him officially registered in May 1795 as an able seaman on the 36-gun frigate HMS Oiseau at the age of four, by convincing her captain, Robert Murray to list him on the ship's books as an able seaman.
In May 1798, young Provo became a volunteer in the 40-gun frigate HMS Prevoyante where he remained (on paper at least) until September 1799 when he joined the 64-gun third-rate HMS Asia. He served on HMS Asia until September 1800, when he was promoted to midshipman in the 32-gun fifth-rate HMS Cleopatra. HMS Cleopatra was the first ship he physically served aboard – he physically joined the ship in October 1804 – but by now he had amassed nearly a decade of seniority. In an action on 16 February 1805, HMS Cleopatra was captured by the French frigate Ville de Milan and the ship's company taken prisoner of war. Wallis was freed a week later when Ville de Milan was itself captured by the Royal Navy: he transferred to Ville de Milan which now became a British ship.
Wallis transferred to the third-rate HMS Triumph in November 1806 and to the third-rate HMS Bellona in February 1808 and, having been promoted to lieutenant on 13 November 1808, he transferred again to the sloop-of-war HMS Curieux later that month. HMS Curieux ran aground and was wrecked on the coast of Guadeloupe in November 1809 and Wallis transferred to the fifth-rate HMS Gloire in December 1809. He subsequently served in the sloops HMS Observateur, HMS Driver and HMS Emulous.
Wallis transferred to the 38-gun frigate HMS Shannon in January 1812. HMS Shannon captured USS Chesapeake  near Boston on 1 June 1813, during the War of 1812: HMS Shannon's Captain, Philip Broke, was badly wounded during the action and her first lieutenant was killed.
Wallis served as the temporary captain of the British frigate for a period of exactly six days as she made her way back to Halifax, Nova Scotia, with Chesapeake flying the Blue Ensign above the Stars and Stripes, for which action he was promoted to commander on 9 July 1813.
Wallis was given command of the sloop HMS Snipe at Sheerness in January 1814. Promoted to captain on 12 August 1819, he became commanding officer of the sixth-rate HMS Niemen at Halifax in June 1824 and commanding officer of the fifth-rate HMS Madagascar on the North America and West Indies Station in April 1838. He earned the thanks of the people of Veracruz in Mexico when he protected them from French bombardment in Winter 1838 during the Pastry War.
Appointed as commodore (but remaining a post captain in substantive rank) he went on to be Senior Naval Officer, Gibraltar, with his broad pennant of the third-rate HMS Warspite, in October 1843.
Provo Wallis