Zachariah Edward Patterson (SN 3216) was born in Ballarat and was a 29 year old salesman when he enlisted in Melbourne on July 19th 1915. On enlistment he disclosed that he had previously been guilty of a Civil Offence, ‘obstructing a footpath’, for which he had been fined five shillings. He embarked from Melbourne aboard the ‘Commonwealth’ on November 26th 1915 as a reinforcement for the 23rd Battalion. By the time he reached France in September 1916 he had transferred to the 58th Battalion which was rebuilding after being decimated at Fromelles. His service was marked by several stints in hospital, suffering from pleurisy, and by two periods absent without leave. Due to ill-health, he was returned to Australia, disembarking at Melbourne on October 11th 1918. He was discharged a month later as ‘medically unfit – rheumatism’.