Redgate, William Henry

Gosford District Casualties of World War One

Bragg, Edmund Allen Service Number 1494

Killed in Action 19th May 1915 Gallipoli Peninsula

Gosford District Casualties of World War One

Redgate, William Henry Service Number 2820

Killed in Action 16th April 1918 France

Gosford City Council gratefully acknowledges the voluntary efforts of

Benalyn Campbell

And Vivienne Tranter

in compiling this resource

The information in this file has been extracted from official records

held in the

The Australian War Memorial and

National Archives of Australia

(© Commonwealth of Australia [National Archives of Australia] 2013)

Further information on this soldier may be found online at:

Commonwealth War Graves

The AIF project

Content advisory: This file may potentially contain disturbing accounts of service-related injury and death, disease and family grief. Adult supervision is recommended for children

using these resources. Individual files should be viewed within the context

provided by wider research on service conditions in the 1st AIF.

This resource is presented by Gosford City Council

for research purposes only. Please note that copyright for resources

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NAME Redgate, William Henry

SERVICE NO 2820

UNIT 19st Battalion/6

th Reinfs.

RANK

AGE at Enlistment 24 yrs

PLACE OF BIRTH Benalla, NSW

ADDRESS

OCCUPATION Labourer

DATE OF ENLISTMENT 28 Jul 1915

PLACE OF ENLIST-MENT

Liverpool, NSW

PREVIOUS SERVICE

NEXT OF KIN Father;- Charles Redgate, Tumbi Umbi via Gosford

PHYSICAL DESCRIP-TION

Height-5’7¼”.Weight-140lbs. Chest-33-36½”. Complexion-Dark. Eyes-Brown. Hair-Brown.

RELIGION R/C

EMBARKED 2 Nov 1915 Sydney per

DISEMBARKED

NOTES

WOUNDED/ILLNESS 29 Dec 1916-GSW R/Shoulder & L/Loin.11 May 1917 Re-joined unit. 8 Jul 1917-adm Hosp-Scabies/Sycosis-Re-joined unit 5 Aug 1917.

DIED 16 Apr 1918- Shell explosion at Brigade HQ France

BURIED Outtersteene Communal Cem. Ext.nr Hazebrouck, France

2½ miles SW of Bailleul, France

MEDALS 1914-15 Star-18379, British War Medal-22404, Victory Medal-22237. Memo-rial Plaque & Scroll-343599.

DEPENDANTS

PERSONAL EFFECTS Personal effects were lost at sea on board the “Barunga”

WILL Beneficiary;- Mother Ellen Redgate, Tumbi Umbi

CORRESPONDENCE Father

Gosford Times 2

nd July 1915

Mr Edgar Redgate, son of Mr C Redgate, of Tumbi, has enlisted for the front. Some months ago he vol-unteered at Wyalong, but was rejected by the doctor. Not to be denied, young Redgate and sev-eral others went to Sydney where they were passes and are now in camp. Another of Mr Redgate's sons, William also volunteered, but failed to pass the military examiner.

Gosford Times 6th August 1915 Mr William Regate, who has enlisted for the front, was entertained at a farewell social on Monday night. An-other of Mr Redgate's sons will try his luck with the military examiner, and if unsuccessful, the eldest boy of the family will offer his services to King and Country.

Gosford Times 20th August 1915 Hugh Redgate is now in Liverpool Camp, with his brother William.

Gosford Times 24th September 1915 Private W H Redgate has been home on a weekend visit. He says camp life is alright, plenty to eat, &c., but thinks there should be more practice with the rifle.

Gosford Times 15

th October 1915

The brothers Redgate, H C and W H., have been home on their final leave. They leave for the front some time this month.

Gosford Times 26th October 1916 The Redgate Boys In a letter to his parents (Mr ans Mrs C Redgate, of Tumbi) Private H C Redgate, eldest son, states that he was wounded in the face with shrapnel on 17

th August,

and is at present in Chelsea Hospital in London, where he is progressing well. Mr Redgate has two other boys doing their bit for the Empire- Lance-Corporal W H Redgate, who is in the trenches in France, and Private Edgar Harold, at present in camp at Salisbury Plains, England.

Gosford Times 1st February 1917 Private W H Redgate, of Tumbi, is at present in Horse-ferry Road Hospital, having been wounded in the shoulder blade and loin by gunshot. Mr C Redgate has two other sons in khaki, one having been invalided home wounded, the other sapper in the Pioneer's only landing in France on 2

nd November last.

Gosford Times Date Unknown Private H C Redgate has undergone another opera-tion in Randwick Military Hospital Private W H Redgate writes;- I am now in camp at Durham Downs, but expect to be back in the trenches by the time you get this letter. Met Clem Dafter teh other day in the same hut as I was in. We didn't know each other at first. Cheer up, we will soon be march-ing home again singing songs of victory.

Gosford Times 29th March 1917 Soldiers' Letters Private W H Redgate writes to his parents at Tumbi Umbi from "Somewhere in France". I was with a comrade carrying a plank in the front line when a highly explosive shell lodged between us and buried itself in the mud before it exploded. I was hit in the shoulder blade by a piece of shrapnel. At time of writing I have been out of bed for a couple of weeks. We are well looked after here, and it was a great treat to get between the sheets again after months spent in mud and slush. I saw Goldsmith of Wyong, he was on leave and states that Clem Dafter will be sent home, and that it will be a long time before Clem recovers the use of his foot. I hope to soon be back in the trenches to have another go at old Fritz. Kind regards to all.

Gosford Times 26th April 1917 Soldiers' Letters. Sapper H E Redgate, writing from the front to his par-ents at Tumbi Umbi, says:-I am now on teh spot where Hughie was wounded. I received parcels sent from home in January, and one from Tumbi Umbi and Wamberal War League. Please thank them for me. The parcels came in good order. Am well, and have gained weight. Kind regards to all at Tumbi. Private W H Redgate writes from London:- Am fully recovered from my wounds, and have had 14 days' leave. I had five days in Scotland, and spent them with some friends of a comrade. They gave me a good time. I was also admitted to the Royal Gallery at the opening of Parliament. By the time you receive this I shall be back with my mates in the front doing some more bombing. I cannot tell you anything about the war as when I am doing my bit with the grenades I have no time to look around, as I am too busy getting my own back from Fritz. A chap that is fighting cannot tell you much of the fight. Only lookers on can describe the fighting and other matters.

Gosford Times 5th July 1917 Private W H Redgate has fully recovered from his wounds and writes;- I am now in France again, and will be with my old Battalion, the 4

th. Remember me to all

friends.

Gosford Times 4th October 1917 Pte W H Redgate, in a letter from the front, states that he is quite fit, and he found very few of his old mates left when he got back to his Battalion, though he expects some to return to it when they recover. He wishes to be remembered to the Tumbi people, and says not to be surprised to see his Division marching victorious up George Street one of these days.

Gosford Times 29th November 1917 Private W H Redgate is in charge of a "Bomb Dump," whatever that is. He writes:- "I am camped on my own in a dug out on the bank of a stream with no company but rats as big as sheep dogs. Still, I am well. Remember me to Tumbi friends."

Gosford Times 25th April 1918 Private W H Redgate writes from France to the Tumbi Umbi Wamberal North War League:- Just a line to let you know that I received your splendid parcel yesterday, and it could not have come at a better time. We do not do too badly for rations, but a change is very acceptable. There are eight of us in the dug-out, and happening to have a table we had a right royal spread. Only on ething was needed to make it a greated success- I leave you to guess what. It was a case of "all bys round the table." From our elegantly furnished mansion we have a magnifi-cent view of the country. It has been a mild winter so far, no worse than the cold some times experienced in Aus-tralia, and we have none of the mud that we had to slosh through last winter. It has been a picnic compared with last year. I ask you to convey my sincere thanks to the League members for their bosker parcel.

Gosford Times 2

nd May 1918

Killed in Action In last issue we published a letter written by Private W H Redgate from France thanking the lady members of the War League for parcels sent. This week we have to chronicle the death of the brave soldier lad. He was killed in action on 14

th

April, and the sad news was conveyed to the family by rev. Fa-ther Kelly on Tuesday. Private "Willie" Redgate, who enlisted with the 4

th Battalion, was a son of that grand old warrior, Mr

Charles Redgate, of Tumbi Umbi, who had three sons at the front, and with whom and his family the deepest sympathy is expressed. Writes Mr Redgate;- "The sad news of our boy's death come as a great shock to us, but of course it was only to be expected. So many brave Australians have made the supreme sacrifice, and died a hero's death. Our boy gave his life and could do no more. I am proud to say there is not a shirker among my sons, even the youngest, 15 years of age, has tried to go, but was rejected. The lad who has been killed was a good son, and al-ways stood by us. But now he is gone, and we are proud to know the he died fighting the enemies of his country."

Gosford Times 27

th June 1918

Private Steve Beckingham, writing home, says it fell to his sad task to bury poor Bill Redgate, and adds "we placed a wooden cross over his grave." Mr C Redgate has received the following letter from the Chap-lain of the 4

th Battalion, dated 25

th April:-"Dear Mr Redgate,- By

the time you receive this you will have received the sad news of your son's death. Still, I want to convey in the name of the 4

th

Battalion, as well as my own, our deep sympathy in this heavy loss. May God comfort you and your's. Your brave boy met this death while accompanying an officer doing the duty that lay to his hand. Thus he died doing his duty, and to know that he fell in the performance of the work which lay to his hand will be some consolation. To die nobly. He lies in a soldier's grave near the village of Strazeele, where the Hun was held once again by teh lads from under the Southern Cross. Quite a number of his comrades lie there also, gallent men, who sold their lives dearly. If i can serve you in any way I shall gladly do so. Com-mending you to the God of all comfort, I remain your in sympa-thy,- ROBERT F HENRY, Chaplain, 4

th Battalion.

Gosford Times 17th April 1919 REDGATE-In memory of our loved son and brother, Private W H Redgate, of 4

th Battalion, killed in action

on 16th April, 1918.

somewhere in France they have laid him, A soldier so young and so brave; The best that Australia could offer, Now sleeps in a hero's grave. Inserted by his father and mother, brothers and sisters.

Gosford Times 24th April 1919 REDGATE-In ever loving memory of our dear brother, Will, killed in action April 16

th, 1918. sadly missed

We pictured his safe returning. We longed to clasp his hand; but God has postponed the meeting. Till we meet in a better land. Inserted by his loving sisters, Nellie and Winnie.

Abridged record/s courtesy of the National Archives of Australia (NAA) Series No: B2455 Item Barcode: 8027457

























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Redgate, William Henry