39th Infantry Battalion
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David Baird Cairns (SN 1248), born at Skipton, declared himself to be 18 years of age, a labourer, when he enlisted in March 1916. On May 27th he embarked aboard the Ascanius to serve with the 39th Infantry Battalion. He crossed to France on November 23rd 1916 where he was wounded in action on November 4th 1917. He suffered a gunshot wound to his eye and was evacuated to hospital in England before being returned to Australia. He returned aboard the Corinthic and was discharged ‘medically unfit, wounded’ on April 9th 1918. He enlisted again in World War 2 when his date of birth revealed he was only 16 when he enlisted in World War 1.
