Alfred Redfern's Story.
Alfred Redfern Adams was born in 1898, the son of Alfred and Eleanor (nee Ledsham) Adams of Willaston. Educated at Willaston Council School, Alfred enlisted with Cheshire Yeomanry (No. 1297) in October 1914, aged 16.
Through 1914-1916 Cheshire Yeomanry were on home defence duties on the Norfolk and Suffolk Coast. Alfred had two older brothers, Joseph and Frederick, both of whom served with the 1/7th Bn. Cheshire Regiment and were posted overseas in 1915. During leave in November 1915 Alfred had told his father that he did not want to be left in England with his two brothers serving abroad.
On 26 November Alfred returned to his regiment via train from Crewe, bound for Suffolk and his lodging at Lowestoft. He subsequently wrote to his father. On the evening of 4 December, he returned to his lodgings at 7.25pm. About 20 minutes later his landlady, Mrs. Caroline Gardiner, heard a gunshot from Alfred’s room.
Alone in the house at the time, Mrs. Gardiner ran across the road to seek assistance. Trooper William Frederick Scott (No. 1565, Cheshire Yeomanry) entered Alfred’s room and found him lying across his bed with his rifle and bayonet at his side and a wound by his heart.
The Coroner at his inquest in Lowestoft during December returned a verdict of accidental death.
Alfred Redfern Adams was the earliest casualty of Cheshire Yeomanry in the First World War. He is named on the memorial in the north transept of Chester Cathederal, to the Officers, NCOs and Men of the Cheshire Yeomanry who gave their lives in the War.
Uploaded by Mark A. Potts on November 26, 2017.
Edited by David Minshall, December 12, 2018