Sgt Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2nd Field Ambulance: In France. In his diary – ‘Still raining and bitterly cold. Fearful shellfire last night in the dark, we fall into shell holes half full of water, up to our knees in mud everywhere, I haven’t been dry for days. Our food is short and what we get is cold, cooks can’t keep a fire alight’.
The following locals leave Australia bound for Europe on the HT Ulysses-
Pte William Hayes (Mt Evelyn), 5th Battalion
Pte Robert Mitchell (Seville), 5th Battalion
Pte James Wheeler (Yering), 15th Machine Gun Company
Pte Gordon Towt (Coldstream), 15th Mobile Veterinary Section
Pte Norman Bedford (Lilydale), Australian Army Service Corps
Victor Fisher ( Lilydale): Leaves his job as a jockey and enlists in the AIF, he is 25 years old. This is his seventh attempt to enlist, he has been rejected six times as a result of the condition of his feet.
Thomas Holter (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 25 years old.
Frank Ketteridge (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 25 years old.
Arthur Lowe (Yering): Leaves his job as a farm labourer at Yeringberg and enlists in the AIF, he is 21 years old. This is his second attempt; he was first rejected on account of his poor vision.