Martin Collins ( SN787) born at Ballarat, was a 25 year old bootmaker when he enlisted on July 17th 1915. Assigned to the 29th Battalion he embarked from Melbourne aboard the Ascanius on November 10th. He spent several months in England, then moved to France in June 1916. In December 1916 he was evacuated to hospital in England suffering from trench feet and was not able to return to the Front until October 1917. In October 1918, with the end of the war in sight, he was transferred to the 32nd Battalion, then, during Armistice Day celebrations he got something in his eye that caused an ulcer on his right cornea. He returned home aboard the Derbyshire, disembarked at Melbourne on April 22nd and was discharged on June 14th 1919.