The development of Ballard Estate coincided with the outbreak of World War I (1914-18) in which India sent troops on behalf of the British Empire. The Port Trust War Memorial records the significant contribution of the Port of Bombay in WWI. It mentions the passage of 18,70,000 troops and personnel through the docks to different theatres of the war. The first transport left Bombay on August 21, 1914.
Commemorative plaques were erected by the trustees of Bombay Port Trust in honor of officers who sacrificed their lives in WWI. The names include Captain Eric Stuart Dougall (died 14th April 1918), 2nd Lieutenant Ronald Edward Wilson (died 11th March 1916), and Giacinto Romagnoli (died 11th October 1916). Dougall was awarded the Victoria Cross for his deeds on 10 April 1918 at Messines, Belgium. Prior to his war service, Dougall was an Assistant Engineer at Bombay Port Trust.
Winged lions on the Port Trust War Memorial. The motif is an ancient one, having origins in Mesopotamia and Assyria. It appeared on the flag of the Republic of Venice, a major maritime power during the Middle Ages. The winged lion motif appears in many buildings in Mumbai which were designed by architects inspired by Venetian Gothic architecture.