William Frederick Charles Downing (SN 1788) born at Mt. Egerton, was an 18 year old dairyman when he enlisted at Ballarat on May 28th 1915. Allotted to the 6th Infantry Battalion he embarked from Melbourne aboard the Demosthenes on August 26th and saw action at Gallipoli from late September until November when rheumatism forced his evacuation to hospital in Egypt. In March 1916 he was transferred to the 1st Pioneer Battalion and moved to France. Several times he incurred penalties for breaching military discipline, and once he was hospitalised with appendicitis, but he was able to avoid battle wounds. When the fighting ceased, he returned to Australia on the Cluny Castle, disembarked at Melbourne on May 22nd 1919 and was discharged on July 21st.

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