He was born as Alfred Sidney Redgell the eldest of the three children of Alfred Harper Redgell (1860-1910) and Harriet Annie Redgell née Jones (1866-1892). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1888 in the Marylebone registration district, Middlesex (now Greater London).
His two siblings were: Jessie Bantin Redgell (1890-1983) and Percival John Redgell (1892-1916). His mother died in 1892 shortly after the birth of his brother and on 8 December 1895 his father married Helen Marie Stanley, a spinster, aged 20 years, at St Marylebone Parish Church. The marriage register shows his father was a french polisher and that they both resided at 17 Upper Dorset Street, Marylebone, London.
In the 1901 census he is shown as Alfred S. Redgell, aged 13 years, living in 4 rooms at 17 Upper Dorset Street, Marylebone, London, with his father and step-mother, together with his two siblings: Jessie Bantin Redgell and Percival John Redgell. His father continued to be described as a french polisher.
In 1909 he enlisted as Arthur Sidney Redgell in the 9th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles) service number 797. This was a Territorial Force battalion raised for home defence duties only and rose to the rank of corporal.
When he completed his 1911 census return form he spelt his name as Alfred Sydney Redgell, describing himself as aged 23 years, a french polisher working from home consisting of two rooms at 69 York Street, Marylebone, together with his brother who was also a french polisher.
His brother, Percival John Redgell, also joined the 9th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles) in February 1914.
On the outbreak of World War One both he and his brother volunteered to serve overseas in their regiment and both entered France on 4 November 1914 where he stayed until 22 February 1916 when he returned to England. His terms of engagement ended on 7 March 1916 and he was discharged. Upon the death of his brother who was killed in action on 26 May 1916, he immediately re-enlisted and rejoined the regiment, his service number being 6354. He re-entered France on 4 October 1916 and on 1st January 1917 his service number was changed to 392670. He was serving as a Serjeant in his regiment's 1st/9th Battalion when he was killed in action on 14 April 1917 and as he has no known grave he is commemorated in Bay 10, Course J, Stone 2, of the Arras Memorial in the Faubourg d'Amiens British Cemetery, Boulevard du General de Gaulle, 62000 Arras, France.
On 2 January 1918 his army effects totalling £31-13s-11d were sent to his sister Jessie Bantin Goodall who had emigrated to Australia where she had married Thomas Henderson Goodall (1887-1963) in Queensland, Australia. She was also sent his £6-0s-0d war gratuity on 30 January 1920. He was posthumously awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as REDGELL. A. RFL. 9TH. COTY.LONDON. on the Quebec Chapel war memorial at the Church of The Annunciation, Bryanston Street, London, W1H 7AH and as A. REDGELL on the war memorial at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Enford Street, London, W1H 1DL. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Live website and on the London WW1 Memorial website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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