Pte Charles Mortomore MM (Lilydale) & Pte John Warren (Lilydale), both 37^th Battalion: In February 1917 four hundred soldiers from the 38^th Battalion and four hundred soldiers from the 37^th Battalion, including John Warren and Charles Mortomore, formed a special ‘battalion’ to undertake a large scale raid on the German trenches at Houplines. After several weeks training this force staged a thirty-five minute raid on this night.

At 11.30pm the battalion left their trenches and went over the top into No Man’s Land. One witness noticed that John Warren was about half way to the enemy lines when he was hit in the shoulder by machine gun fire. He heard him sing out that he was hit and then he fell down. Charles Mortomore got close to the German lines when he was hit in the leg and abdomen. His friends carried him back to their lines and he was sent by stretcher bearers and ambulance to the No 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station. He died here of his wounds soon after.

Charles Mortomore MM is 27 years old and is buried at the Trois Aberes Cemetery in France, John Warren is 22 years old and is listed on the memorial to the missing at Villers-Bretonneux, France.

Pte David Briers (Lilydale), 8^th Battalion: While in England is admitted to hospital suffering from influenza.

Dvr Alfred Ackerman (Lilydale): Having been discharged for family reasons from the AIF a few days before, he enlists for home service on this day and serves with the Australian Army Service Corps.