Herbert Victor Prout (SN 2869) was born in Ballarat where he attended the Mt Pleasant State School. He was a 32 year old carter when he enlisted in Hobart on October 9th 1916. On December 6th he embarked from Melbourne aboard the Orsova and sailed to England and further training. On July 25th 1917 he crossed to France to join the 40th Infantry Battalion. During fighting near Ypres in Belgium on October 11th he sustained a shrapnel wound to his chest which led to his evacuation to hospital in England. His wound gradually healed but chest and breathing problems persisted, and he was assessed as unfit for further active service. He was returned to Australia aboard the Llanstephen Castle and was discharged as ‘medically unfit’ on June 3rd 1918.