Alfred Vos de Wael was the eldest son of the judge and landowner F.J.A. (Frans) Vos de Wael and his wife Adèle Baronesse de Bounam de Ryckholt. He was born in Grathem, Province of Limburg, where he grew up at Huize ten Hove.

Alfred attended Sint Willibrordus College in Katwijk on the Rhine close to The Hague. During his military service in the 1920s he joined (as an observer resp. vlieger-waarneemer) the pioneers of Dutch military aviation. He went to Technical University Delft to study aviation technology. In the same decade he departed to Sumatra, (back then) Dutch East Indies, to work in the plantation business. Later he lived in Java working for the public administration.

Born in a period of transition this dashing, refined man decidedly had an unpretentious and positive attitude towards life and mankind.

Alfred was very fond of children and until nowadays - after so many years - he is still remembered for his lovely way to spend time with them.