Edgar Ebenezer Redding was born in 1887 in Charlton, New South Wales, to George and Emily Redding. He was working as a blacksmith when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 1 December 1915 at the age of 28, and embarked from Sydney with the 13th reinforcements to the 17th Battalion aboard HMAT Kyarra on 5 June 1916. He joined his battalion in France in October 1916 and joined the 13th Battalion later that month. He was a member of the 13th Battalion Band and continued to serve with the unit in France for the remainder of the war. He returned to Australia on 6 November 1918 and settled in Bathurst, New South Wales.