John Watty (SN 1727) born in Broken Hill, was a 19 year old labourer when he enlisted in Ballarat on March 25th 1916. Assigned to the 39th Infantry Battalion, he embarked aboard the Ascanius on May 27th. After arrival in England, he was transferred to the 7th Battalion and moved to France in November. His service from here was then marked by several serious charges ranging from theft from a comrade to absence without leave and desertion. The desertion charge drew a sentence of 10 years penal servitude, later commuted to two years, then further reduced. In May 1918 he revealed that his true name was Waddy (Walter) Khyat. After his sentence was reduced, he rejoined his unit in France for the final six weeks of the war. He returned to Australia aboard the Ulysses, disembarked at Melbourne on September 2nd and was discharged on October 10th.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as John Watty.