Horace Richard Merlin (SN 1109) was born in Sydney and was a 27 year old railway shunter when he enlisted in Melbourne on July 7th 1915. Assigned to the 30th Infantry Battalion he embarked aboard the Beltana on November 9th . He reached France in June 1916 and on July 20th he was wounded in action suffering shell shock but was able to rejoin his unit a few weeks later. In January 1917 he was transferred to the 1st Anzac Light Railways later renamed as the 3rd Anzac Light Rail Operating Company. At war’s end he returned to Australia on the Sardinia, disembarked on June 8th 1919 and was discharged on July 31st.

His brother Cecil also served in the AIF and is honoured with a tree in the Avenue.