FREDERICK+REDFERN

Redfern, Frederick, Private, 60039, 8th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers Born Yeldersley, Derbyshire Enlisted Derby Killed in action 3rd October 1918 aged 19 Commemorated on the Vis en Artois Memorial

1911 Census A school boy Son of Samuel, a farmer, and Maria Redfern, of Hole in the Wall, Bradley, Derbyshire

Ashbourne News, 1st November 1918 Fred Redfern was 19 years old, and resided at the Hole in the Wall, Bradley, however, it is stated that he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Redfern. He was a chorister at Bradley Parish Church. He joined the army in April 1917, and went to France in the following January. Captain Dakell wrote to his parents to say: 'I am afraid I can only give you a few details, and I hope you will forgive the poverty of information. He was killed by a sniper on the day following that on which our battalion captured the railway south of the Sensee Canal. His death was quite instantaneous. His platoon commander joins me in assuring you of our deep sympathy in your trouble. He was one of the best boys I had in the company, as well as a good soldier. He was buried close to the railway embankment at a level crossing, about 1000 yards north of Abancourt station, north of Cambrai.' His brother Tom, serving with the Machine Gun Corps, had been twice wounded, and, at the time of the report, was in hospital in Ripon, Yorkshire.


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