Merlin Cartledge was born in Ballarat and was occupied as a Labourer when he enlisted in the 14th Battalion on 13 July 1915 at the age of 19. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A64 Demosthenes on 29 December 1915. . He was hospitalised for a time in Cairo, suffering from influenza, before joining the 7th Battalion in France. On October 18th 1916 he was wounded in action, suffering a gunshot wound to his left arm/side. He was evacuated to the Bradford War Hospital in England but was able to rejoin his unit in France in January 1917. In May 1917 he was again evacuated to hospital in England when he developed synovitis in his left knee, and remained there until he was cleared to undertake Lewis Gun Instructor training. He returned to Australia, disembarking from the Medic, at Melbourne on May 31st 1919.
Tree No. 1154