Martin Gallagher was born in Ballarat and was a Platelayer by trade when he enlisted in the 8th Battalion, 20th Reinforcement on 8 May 1916 at the age of 26. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A14 Euripides on 11 September 1916. Like most men who enlisted in Ballarat, he trained with the 14th Depot Battalion before he was attached to the 20th Reinforcements 8th Battalion. In August he incurred the wrath of his superiors when he was charged with æbreaking away from the March', for which he was fined ten shillings. Just two days before Christmas 1916 he joined the 8th Battalion in France. On September 20th 1917, while fighting near Ypres in Belgium, he was wounded in action. He received a shrapnel wound to his right hand and was evacuated, first to hospital in France, and then to the No. 2 Convalescent Depot at Weymouth in England. Initially he was assessed as æunfit for all services for 6 weeks' but this was later amended to æpermanently unfit for general service'. He returned home on the Euripides and was discharged on Anzac Day 1918 as æmedically unfit – SW right hand. Stiffness three fingers'.
Tree No: 2378