Alfred Ernest Hartnell (SN 3774) was born in Ballarat where, with the permission of his parents, he enlisted on 23rd July 1915. The 20 year old draper joined the 14th Battalion, 12th Reinforcement with which he embarked from Melbourne on board the Ceramic in November. In March 1916, he was transferred to the 46th Battalion and was posted to France where he was wounded in action in September and admitted to hospital with 'Exhaustion', although he was able to return to duty within a couple of days. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in May 1917 and was more seriously wounded three weeks later, suffering a gunshot wound to his left leg which was significant enough to require his evacuation to the Royal Victoria Hospital in London. Four months later, he rejoined his unit in France where he was wounded a third time in May 1918, this time with shrapnel wounds to the left hand and both legs, and a penetrating shrapnel wound to the chest. After several days treatment at a casualty clearance station, he was again evacuated to England, this time to the London General Hospital. This third injury meant the end of he war for him and, after a couple of months recuperation, he returned to Australia for 'Discharge (Bomb wd. Lt Chest) on the Medic, reaching Melbourne in October. He was discharged from the AIF two weeks later on 26th October 1918.