Frederick Lawrence Coldwell-Smith MC (Capt.) was a 20 year old telegraphist and Duntroon graduate when he was appointed as a Lieutenant in the AIF on July 1st 1915. He embarked aboard the Ascanius on November 10th and sailed to Egypt where he joined the 29th Infantry Battalion. He immediately came under notice and was awarded a Military Cross for his work in Egypt as a Company Officer and Intelligence Officer between March and June 1916. It was late in June that he was deployed to France where he was slightly wounded in August. He avoided further combat wounds but did have a couple of illness episodes before he returned to Australia aboard the Wahehe. He disembarked at Melbourne on December 13th 1919 and his appointment was terminated on February 11th 1920.

His brother Charles also served in the AIF and is honoured with a tree in the Avenue.