Born in Beaconsfield, Tasmania, Colbert Emmanuel Hunkin was a single 22 year old optician at the time of his enlistment in Ballarat on the 13th of March 1916. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on the 27th of May 1916.
On the 9th of May 1916, Colbert was promoted to Corporal. He was wounded in action on the 20th of January 1917 with gun shot wounds and was invalided to the U.K on the 26th of January.
Colbert was promoted to Extra Regimental Sergeant on the 2nd of October 1917. He returned to Australia on the 26th of May 1919 and was discharged as medically unfit on the 10th of July 1919.

Tree No. 2059