John Halligan (SN 1355/Lt.) was born in Ballarat and educated at the Urquhart Street State School. He was a 19 year old salesman when he enlisted on October 26th 1914. He left Australia from Melbourne aboard the Clan Macgillivray in February 1915 and served at Gallipoli with the 7th Battalion. He received a bullet wound to his arm in May and was sent to a military hospital on Malta for recovery. After Gallipoli, as a commissioned officer, he was transferred to the 59th Battalion and moved to France. In October 1916 he received a gun shot wound to the left of his face, which resulted in the loss of 5 teeth and sent to the 3rd London Hospital for treatment. He rejoined his unit in February 1917. On May 31st 1917 he died of wounds following the accidental detonation of a grenade. He is buried in the Dernancourt Communal Cemetery, France. He was 21 years of age.

His Uncle Percy Chalmers also served in the AIF and is honoured with a tree in the Avenue.