Dredge, James Radford (1872A)

Place of Birth: Port Arlington, VIC

Age: 38 years 5 months

Enlistment Details: Thursday, 27 January 1916 – unknown

Service Number: 1872A            view online service record

Address:
Port Melbourne, VIC

Next of Kin:
Ethel Edwards (sister)
73 Alfred Street
Port Melbourne, VIC

Embarkation Details:
Date: Tuesday, 4 April 1916
Ship: HMAT Euripides A14
Port: Melbourne, VIC
Unit: 46th Infantry Battalion – 2nd Reinforcements

Fate:
DOD: Wednesday, 2 January 1918
Place: France

Private, 46 Infantry, died from disease, 2 January, 1918, France, commemorated Tincourt New British Cemetery, France.

Parents: Joseph Radford and Mary DREDGE (both late), sister Mrs Ethel May EDWARDES, born Portarlington, educated South Preston SS. Enlisted with his sister in Alfred Street as next of kin. Dredge died 2 January, 1918, cause officially of disease but his file reveals his demise came after he drank a quantity of contaminated rum.

“… at 7.30 pm, Private Dredge had half an ordinary issue of rum. Previous to the issue of rum, Private Dredge had been drinking rum out of a water bottle with several of us in the dug-out. I cannot say who produced the rum but I believe it was the property of Private Dredge. It was not good rum and I would not drink it on account of it being too fiery and potent … none of us heard anything out of the ordinary during the night. Next morning I called Private Dredge several times, and then lit a candle and found out that Private Dredge was dead …” Sergeant T Lancaster, at the enquiry into Dredge’s death.

Additional research by Brian Membrey