Robert Macdonald (SN 4080) was born in Ballarat and attended the Pleasant Street State School before moving to Geelong where he completed his education at Gelong High School. He then trained as a teacher and, as a 21 year old, was teaching at Sorrento when he enlisted in Melbourne on August 1st 1916. As a reinforcement for the 29th Battalion he embarked from Melbourne in October on board the Port Lincoln and reached England just after Christmas 1916. In June 1917 he was posted to France where he joined the 46th Battalion. He was wounded in action at Passchendaele in October and evacuated to the 10th Field Ambulance but died the following day, October 17th 1917. He is buried at Lijssenthoek Cemetery in Belgium.

His brother Neil was killed at Pozieres in 1916 and is also honoured with a tree in the Avenue.