John Victor Madden (SN 3404) was a 29 year old hairdresser when he enlisted in Ballarat on July 12th 1915. He embarked aboard the Nestor on October 11th and sailed to Egypt to join the 8th Infantry Battalion. The early part of his service was marked by several illnesses including mumps, haemorrhoids, and alcoholic poisoning. He reached France in June 1916 but a month later was evacuated to hospital in England. His time in England included a transfer to the 65th Battalion and several charges of being absent without leave until he was diagnosed with epilepsy. He was returned to Australia, disembarking at Melbourne on September 24th 1917, and was then discharged as ‘medically unfit, epilepsy’ on November 5th 1917.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as John V. Maddern.