William Thomas Nunn was born in Chepstowe, VIC and was a Farmer by trade when he enlisted in Ballarat with the 8th Light Horse Regiment, 7th Reinforcement on 28 May 1915 at the age of 18. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A57 Malakuta on 23 September 1915. He travelled as far as Egypt to join the 8th Light Horse Regiment, but bouts of diphtheria and tonsillitis, and an old leg injury, led to him being returned to Australia for 'home service'. He was discharged in late March 1917.

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

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as Walter T. Nunn.