Dickie Treherne was a 27 year old, single, and a music teacher when he enlisted in Ballarat. He had been born in Windsor in the UK. He enlisted in Ballarat on the 17th August 1914. On enlistment he was granted the rank of Corporal because of his previous service in the British forces before the war. He was appointed Lance Sergeant on 30th October 1914. On 1st May 1915 Lance Sergeant Treherne sprained an ankle and was evacuated to Tigne Convalescent Hospital in Malta. 128 days later on 26th September he embarked for transfer from Malta to Egypt, and was sent to Zeitoun in Egypt for duty. After working there and at The 8th Battalion Base Unit in Cairo he embarked for UK on 12th June 1916. In the UK he joined the 2nd Training Battalion in preparation for moving to France and trench warfare. He was evacuated from France on 30th December 1916 and admitted to Fargo Hospital, Birmingham, UK suffering with laryngitis.
On 4th October 1917 he was wounded in action, with a gun shot which shattered his right arm. He was evacuated to 5th London General Hospital, and his arm was amputated. Tree No. 12, an elm, was planted by Miss A Thornton, a 'Lucas Girl', on 4th June 1917.