Edwin Thomas John (Ed) Kerby (Major) was born in Ballarat and was an electrical engineer by trade when he enlisted in the 8th Battalion as a Captain on November 11th 1914 at the age of 26. His unit embarked from Melbourne on board the Themistocles in December. He left Alexandria, bound for Gallipoli, on the same transport ship as his brother Norman in early April 1915. On May 29th 1915 he was wounded in action, suffering a shrapnel wound to his right lung. He was evacuated to hospital at Alexandria where it was decided he was unfit to resume active service and that he should be sent home for further recuperation. He returned to Australia in January 1916 on the Star of Victoria.

Six months later he again embarked from Melbourne on the Themistocles, having been declared 'fit for active duty' in March. In January 1917 he was accidentally wounded while training students in 'bomb throwing', suffering an injury to his left eye. After discharge from hospital in April he was posted to France and promoted to Major, but the wound to his eye continued to handicap him and he was eventually posted to a training position in England in January 1918. At the end of 1918, he returned to Australia on board the Orontes, disembarking in Melbourne at the end of January 1919. His appointment in the AIF was terminated on August 25th 1919.

Edwin was one of five brothers who served in the AIF, with two of them killed in action. Norman, Mack, Roy and Noble are all honoured with trees in the Avenue.