Eric Marsden was a member of the 24th Battalion, A.I.F. He enlisted on 1 April 1916 and embarked from Melbourne on 28 July 1916. Marsden served in the infantry reinforcements from July to November 1916 and returned to Australia on 1 November 1917 having been wounded and lost a leg. At the time of enlistment, Marsden's stated occupation was 'labourer' and his address was North Melbourne, Victoria.
In addition to his booklets of humorous sketches, Mardsen also published the small pamphlet of World War I notes, The Dinkum Digger.
