Alfred John Darling MM (SN 416) born in Ballarat was a married 38 year old carrier when he enlisted on July 24th 1915. Assigned to the 29th Battalion his unit embarked from Melbourne aboard the Ascanius on November 10th. On June 23rd 1916 he reached France where he served with the 13th Field Artillery Brigade and achieved the unusual distinction of being awarded a Military Medal for risking his life in the rescue of a horse. His recommendation read, 'On September 18th 1918 teams of 'O' Battery R.H.A., were returning from their gun position near VADENCOURT when they came under heavy shell fire, one team having all but one horse killed, two drivers wounded and the third knocked off his horse. Seeing that there was no one left with the team Sergeant DARLING, who was near, ran up and attempted to extricate the only surviving horse. All the time the enemy continued to shell heavily around this team. Finding it impossible for one man to get the horse clear he collected a party of men and succeeded in saving the horse.' He returned to Australia aboard the Orontes disembarking at Melbourne on June 28th 1919 and was discharged on October 13th.