David Leslie Gedney
Early Life
David Leslie Gedney was born on October 2, 1895, in Rye, New York, the son of George H. Gedney and Josephine Clark Miller. He was raised in Rye in a large family and experienced the early loss of his father in 1901, after which he was brought up by his widowed mother alongside his brothers Everett Horton Gedney, George Edgar Gedney, Frederick Bassett Gedney, and James Sherwood Gedney.
Growing up in this household of multiple siblings, Gedney’s early life reflects the structure of many turn-of-the-century families in Westchester County, where shared responsibility and close family ties were central to daily life. He remained a lifelong resident of Rye, coming of age in a community that balanced its small-town character with increasing connections to the economic life of nearby New York City.
World War I Service
Gedney was inducted into the United States Army on April 26, 1918, at Port Chester, New York, and initially assigned to the 152nd Depot Brigade before being transferred into the Army’s medical system. He served with Evacuation Hospital No. 28 and later with Base Hospital No. 80, both critical components of the American Expeditionary Forces medical infrastructure in France.
Evacuation hospitals operated close to the front lines, providing immediate surgical care to wounded soldiers before transferring them to larger, more permanent base hospitals farther from combat. Base hospitals, such as No. 80, were responsible for extended treatment and recovery, forming a vital link in the chain of survival for thousands of wounded troops. Contemporary accounts noted that Gedney was attached to a field hospital operating behind the lines, placing him within this critical system of frontline medical support under wartime conditions.
Gedney served overseas in France from September 26, 1918, to May 24, 1919, during the final phase of the war and the immediate post-Armistice period. His service reflects the essential but often overlooked role of medical personnel in sustaining the fighting strength of the Army.
Local reports following his return indicate that Gedney had made several attempts to enlist before finally being accepted for service, demonstrating a strong desire to serve. At one point he briefly enlisted in the United States Marine Corps but was discharged due to a minor physical condition before later successfully entering Army service. Shortly before his induction, he married a woman from New Rochelle, beginning his family life just prior to deployment overseas.
After many months of overseas duty, he returned home in excellent health and spirits and was warmly received by his family and the Rye community. His record indicates that he sustained no wounds in action, and he was honorably discharged on June 3, 1919.
Postwar Life
Following the war, Gedney returned to Rye, where he built a long career as a printer, working for local publications and eventually operating his own print shop. His work placed him within the communications and publishing world that shaped public life in the early and mid-twentieth century.
He remained deeply involved in the Rye community, including long-standing membership in the Rye Methodist Church and active service with the Milton Point Hose Company of the Rye Fire Department, reflecting a lifetime of civic engagement.
David Leslie Gedney died on June 23, 1973, at United Hospital at the age of 77.
At the time of his death, he was survived by his sons, Leslie D., Charles E., and Albert; his daughter, Barbara; a brother, James; 13 grandchildren; and 5 great-grandchildren.
Record Commentary: Strong overseas service profile with excellent explanation of evacuation and base hospital roles, clearly conveying frontline medical logistics.