John Joseph Milburn (SN 3188) born at Happy Valley near Ballarat, was a 22 year old railway engine cleaner when he enlisted in Melbourne on August 10th 1915. He embarked from Melbourne aboard the Wiltshire on November 18th and on arrival in Egypt he joined the 60th Infantry Battalion. In March 1916 he was transferred to the 5th Machine Gun Battalion and in June he was moved to France. He served through the war and avoided combat wounds although at different times he was troubled by gastro enteritis, mumps and inflamed gums. When the war ended, on May 3rd 1919, he married Lily Saunders at Nottingham, England. He returned to Australia aboard the Konig Frederich, disembarked at Melbourne on August 6th 1919 and was discharged on September 29th.

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