27th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (Tyneside Irish) Regimental no. 41008.
Previously 9th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment, Regimental no. 12517.
Early life:
John was born near Castleford in the summer of 1889 and his birth was registered in the third quarter of the year at Pontefract. His parents were George Adams and Maria Adams née Adamson, who had been married on the 14th of April 1884 at All Saints Church, Whitwood Mere. George was aged 27 and a coal miner and worked down the pit as a hewer. Maria was a spinster aged 18.
In 1891 when John was just 1 year of age, they were living at 24, Wellington Street, in Whitwood, with John’s 3 sisters. By the time he was 11 years old they had moved to Featherstone and were living at 9, Halton Street, and he had two brothers as well as his three sisters and his father was still working as a coal miner.
Their father George died aged 48 in 1905, registered at Pontefract.
Maria was re-married to Moses Smith on 27th June 1908 at Keighley Registry Office.
A few years later in the 1911 census, John was aged 25 and employed as a warehouseman in worsted yarns. He was living at 25, River Street, Keighley along with his step-father Moses Smith aged 56 and employed as an iron turner making textile machinery, his mother Maria aged 44, his step-brother Fred Smith and his step-sister Mary, both were aged two, also his 3 sisters Ellan aged 23, Emma aged 20 and Clara aged 17, all three were employed as twisters in worsted yarns. His three bothers were George H. aged 25 and apprentice at a leather making works, Norman aged 13, a millhand. The two youngest were Edith aged eleven and Ernest aged eight, who were both attending school.
War service:
There are no Army service records available for John but some information is available from local sources and from his family.
After war broke out John attested with the Army in Keighley in 1914, towards the end of the year and he was probably enlisted in December. After several months of training he went overseas, arriving in France on 15th July 1915 as a private in the 9th Battalion, West Riding Regiment, no. 12517.
During this period he went on a signallers course.
At some point he transferred to the 27th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (Tyneside Irish). No. 41008.
Later he was promoted to Lance-Corporal and then to Acting Corporal. He was wounded twice and served at the front for 15 months.
John died of wounds received on 6th October 1916, during the battle of the Somme. He was evacuated from the front line to a field hospital where he died and was buried.
WO-95/2467/3. War diary of the 27th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers:
Trenches. 1st October:
Battalion in Subsidiary Line of EPINETTE Sector.
4th October, 4 pm:
Battalion relieved 25th Northumberland Fusiliers in Front Line, 1 company of 2nd Anzac Mounted Regiment being attached to this unit to replace 100 men of this unit detached for special training.
4th October to 9th October:
Battalion in Front Line. During this tour enemy were fairly active principally with various calibre “Minenwerfers,” which caused much damage to our front line and necessitated much work to keep trenches in state of repair. Total casualties sustained were 3 other ranks killed, 19 wounded, 3 of whom died of wounds. (John was probably one of these three men.)
Keighley News 28th October 1916 page 5:
Corporal John Edward Adams (27) Surrey Street, Keighley, has died from wounds. He formerly worked at Wolverhampton, and joined the forces at the outbreak of war. During the fifteen months he was at the front he was twice wounded.
Letter home:
A letter home provided by John’s family reads:
83, Ruby Street, Wolverhampton
Saturday Oct 21st 1916.
Dear Mr and Mrs Smith & family,
My daughter Lily received your letter this morning written by your son George. We are all very sorry to receive the news contained therein. We were very fond of your dear son Jack and I am sure you will need no description from me of the effect it has had upon poor Lill. She mourns silently but deeply she is full up. You too have our deepest sympathy and pray that you may be given strength to bear this terrible blow.
My daughter wished me to write to you telling you she received news from Jack on the 5th of October when he said he was well except for a cold in his one eye which pained him at night. On the 10th of October she sent a parcel to him containing writing pad etc. When he wrote last he said he had been transferred to another regiment and had changed his number and his address he gave as: No. 39691 Cpl J E Adams, No 1 Platoon 4 Coy, 27th Northumberland Fusiliers. BEF France., and she has not heard from him since. We sincerely hope that your intimation may yet prove incorrect and that he is good health.
You will be able to compare his number.
My daughter will write to you herself shortly, and if you could give us more information we should be pleased to receive the same.
Now I will conclude with deepest sympathy to you and your family.
Yours very respectfully, W. R. Frith.
P.S. I wish to make it plain that Lily has not heard from Jack since the letter she received on the 5th of October.
Remembrance:
John is buried in the Cité Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres. Plot III, Row A, Grave 20.
His name is inscribed on his Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.
Locally, John is remembered in the Borough of Keighley 1914 – 1918 Great War Roll of Honour book in Keighley Library.
Post war:
In the 1921 census his mother Maria was living at 4, Pope Street in Keighley. She was aged 54 and a widow living with her son in law and daughter Harry and Clara Leeming and their children William and Dorothy. Also here were Norman Adams and Fred Smith.
After the war Maria would probably have been sent a bronze Great War memorial plaque and a memorial scroll with his name inscribed. She would also have received his medals, which would have been the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
She was the sole legatee in his will and received his soldier’s back pay of £7 1s. 8d. on the 26th of February 1917 and a later war gratuity payment of £10 on the 4th of October 1919.
Maria also received a weekly Dependant’s pension of 11 shillings and 6 pence, beginning on 24th April 1917. She was later living at 39, Surrey Street in Bradford but seems to have been living in Toronto, Canada.
Information sources:
England & Wales, Free BMD Birth Index, 1837-1915.
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910.
1891 England Census.
1901 England Census.
1911 England Census.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915
WO-95/2467/3. War diary of the 27th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919.
Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929.
Ireland, Casualties of World War I, 1914-1922.
1921 England and Wales Census.
WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923.
England & Wales, Death Index, 1916-2007.
