Herbert Walter Preston was born in Ballarat and was a Plumber by trade when he enlisted in the 39th Battalion, D Company on 20 March 1916 at the age of 24. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on 27 May 1916. On March 22nd 1917 he was wounded in action suffering a æbomb wound – back' and evacuated to the Lakenham Military Hospital in England. He rejoined his unit in late June but on October 12th he was wounded again, suffering shrapnel wounds that fractured his arm and seriously damaged his left leg. His leg wound was so severe that it was necessary to amputate the leg at the knee joint. For him the war was over. He sailed from England on the Dunluce Castle as far as Egypt then transferred to the Karoola to complete the voyage to Melbourne where he disembarked on May 26th 1918.He was discharged æmedically unfit – disability'.
Tree No. 2007