William Eyckens (SN 120) born at Beaufort, was a 20 year old horse breaker when he enlisted in Ballarat on August 17th 1914. Assigned to the 8th Infantry Battalion, he embarked aboard the Benalla on October 19th, sailing first to Egypt and then to Gallipoli for the April 25th landing. He served through the Gallipoli campaign and was then moved to France in March 1916. He avoided combat wounds, but his service was dominated by many discipline charges including assaulting two Frenchmen and escaping from confinement. In March 1918 he was hospitalised suffering from trench fever. Near the war’s end he was granted ‘special 1914 leave’ and returned to Australia aboard the Durham. He disembarked at Melbourne on December 23rd 1918 and was discharged on February 21st 1919.

His brother Arthur was killed in action on July 29th 1917 and his brother Leon also served in the AIF and they are honoured with trees in the Avenue.