Samuel Vial (SN 1792) born in Ballarat, was a 30 year old grocer, a widower, when he enlisted in Melbourne on January 24th 1917. He embarked for active service from Sydney aboard the Beltana on June 16th and reached England on August 25th. He served through the war as an Air Mechanic at the Australian Flying Corps Training Depot in England. After the war, but prior to returning home, he was attached to AIF Headquarters. He returned to Australia aboard the Aeneas, disembarked at Melbourne on January 9th 1920 and was discharged on February 16th 1920.
He also served again during World War 2.

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