 Born in the Australian state of Victoria , Cherry moved to Tasmania at the age of seven when his family took up an apple orchard . Becoming an expert apple packer , he was also a skilled rifle shot and member of the Franklin rowing club . In 1913 , he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 93rd Infantry Regiment , Citizens Military Force , and served as a drill instructor at the outbreak of war . Enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force in March 1915 , he served at Gallipoli before transferring to the Western Front . In early March 1917 , Cherry was decorated with the Military Cross following an attack on Malt Trench , in which he led a party in capturing two German machine gun posts . He was killed by a German shell the day following his Victoria Cross action . 
