Cyril Gilmore Palmer was born in Ballarat and was a Commercial Traveller by trade when he enlisted in the 2nd Pioneer Battalion, Reinforcement 8 on 27 October 1916 at the age of 30. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A7 Medic on 16 December 1916 and disembarked at Plymouth on February 8th 1917. He was then attached to the Pioneer Training Battalion at Sutton Mandeville until March 1918 when he crossed to France and joined the 2nd Pioneer Battalion. He came through the war without serious illness or injury and returned to Australia on the Persic, disembarking at Melbourne on August 29th 1919.
Tree No. 2802