Peter was one of seven children made up of three girls and four boys. Their mum was born in Ireland and their dad in England. His parents had met then married in Sydney after they had both moved there separately in the 1880s. The new family then relocated to Melbourne by 1888.

Peter enlisted in the AIF for WW1 with his brother John on 14/7/1915 in Melbourne. His serial number was 2958 and he joined the 59th Battalion and also spent time in Depot, and the 7th and 60th Battalions. He was 21 years and 11 months of age at the time of enlistment.

His next of kin was his mum Mary, his dad was deceased (1908), and Mary's address was 114 Argyle Street, Fitzroy. That was also Peter's home address. Mary's address is then crossed out and a new address inserted, being 17 Mason Street, Collingwood, and later again it changes to 15 Bennett Street, Richmond.

His occupation was bootmaker and he had done or was still doing an apprenticeship with the Robert Hurst company, who were boot manufacturers in Collingwood. They sold their goods through their own shops located around Melbourne suburbs including Collingwood and Ballarat and Geelong. The picture of the building is where Peter would have done his apprenticeship and where he was working before he joined the AIF. The term of the apprenticeship either completed or so far was five years.

Peter stood at 162 cms and weighed 57 kilograms. His complexion was described as 'fresh' and he had blue eyes and dark brown hair.

This is the timeline of his movements:

11/12/1915 Admitted ex Alexandria, Mudros, Anzac Adv. Base

6/12/1915 Discharged to join unit, Mudros

7/12/1915 Joined 7th Battalion ANZAC

7/1/1916 HMT Empress of Britain Disembarked at Alexandria

24/2/1916 Transferred to 59th Battalion Serapeum and taken on strength of 59th Battalion Tel El Kebir (a Military camp 110kms from Cairo)

18/6/1916 Transferred to 60th Battalion Alexandria and embarked to join B.E.F. per Kinfauns Castle (steamer troopship)

29/6/1916 Landed in Marseilles

19/7/1916 Reported missing Fromelles, France (being 20 days since he landed in France)

4/8/1917 Court of Enquiry held in the field in France. Peter was determined to have been Killed in Action in France on 19/7/1916. His body was located in no mans land, and his role during the 24 hour Fromelles battle was ammunitions carrier. At one stage, they though he was alive and recuperating in a military hospital in Calais with an amputated leg, but that was another Latham in the same Battalion.

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These are his AIF records after he was killed:

6/1/1917 His mum is granted a war pension of two pounds per fortnight from 6/1/1917 with no end date listed. That's AUD 295.68 in today's money, or $147 per week.

30/6/1920 AIF writes to his mum advising where he is buried (reinterred at Ration Farm)

16/4/1921 His mum signed for his belongings. It comprised one identity disc only as consigned ex Bahia Castillo. No wallets, photos, pens, nothing

26/9/1921 His mum picked up his Memorial Scroll

28/9/1921 A handwritten note that says 'Mrs Mary Latham Removed to 15 Bennett St Richmond'

26/11/1921 Three photocopies of the photo of his final grave were sent to his mum

10/10/1922 His mum signs for his Dead Man's Penny/Memorial Plaque (it forms part of his mum's grave now)

22/1/1923 His mum signs for his Victory Medal

29/11/1923 His mum signs for his Star Medal

9/9/1924 The army sends his mum a letter that asks her to send 3/- per copy of the Register of the cemetery where Peter is buried.

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Peter's mum and all of his siblings are buried at Melbourne cemetery, in a total of five graves. His dad died at sea while working as a merchant seaman and was buried at sea.