Robert Henry Hamond (SN399) was born in Ballarat where he was a 21 year old grocer at the time of his enlistment on March 15th 1915. Posted to the 21st Infantry Battalion, he left Melbourne aboard the Ulysses on May 10th. Whilst in Egypt he was transferred to the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion which he joined in France in March 1916. He avoided battle wounds but was twice evacuated to hospital due to illness. Just as the war ended in November 1918, he was struck down by influenza which developed into pneumonia. He was returned to Australia aboard the Berrima, reaching Melbourne on February 7th 1919. He was discharged two months later as ‘medically unfit'.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as Robert H. Hammond.