Victor John Todd was born in Ballarat East and enlisted in Ballarat in July 1915 at the age of 18. A painter by trade, he was assigned, along with his older brother Albert, to the 8th Battalion. His unit embarked from Melbourne on board Themistocles in January 1916. Posted to France in June with the 58th Battalion, he was wounded in action during the ill-fated charge at Fromelles barely a month later. He suffered a gunshot wound to the chest on the same day as his brother was also wounded and was transferred to hospital in England. He developed pleurisy and pneumonia and returned to Australia on the Demosthenes in September 1917. He was discharged from the AIF in February 1918 and died in June 1921 at the age of 24.

His older brother Albert is also honoured with a tree in the Avenue.