 Malley joined the Australian Imperial Force ( AIF ) on 12 October 1915 . He departed Melbourne for Egypt as a gunner with reinforcements of the 1st Field Artillery Brigade aboard HMAT Wandilla on 9 November . In March 1916 , he was posted to the Western Front in France , and joined his unit in May . The 1st Brigade took part in the Battles of Pozières and Mouquet Farm in July and August 1916 . Malley transferred to the Australian Flying Corps ( AFC ) as a mechanic in April 1917 , before undertaking flying instruction at the Oxford University air school . He was commissioned a second lieutenant on 9 October and assigned to No. 4 Squadron AFC , then based in Birmingham . 
