John Adams

John Adams Snr was awarded the following medals for service during the Great War and for service in the Ulster Special Constabulary from 1922-1952. The medals are (left to right): MBE (Civilian), 1952 Military Medal (MM) and Bar The Bar signifies that this medal was awarded twice, for action at the Battle of Langemarck during the Third Battle of Ypres (Paschendaele) 16 August 1917 (Gazetted 19/11/17) and on the Shoddy Farm raid on 22 July 1918 (Gazetted 13/11/18). The War Diary of the 9th (North Irish Horse) Bn, Royal Irish Fusiliers has reference to Sgt J Adams receiving the MM (21/10/17) and subsequent Bar (31/7/18), and a reference to the Shoddy Farm raid (22/7/18, also under that month’s orders). Read more on the 36th (Ulster) Division at Third Ypres. 1914-1915 Star British War Medal, 1919 Victory Medal, 1919 Defence Medal, 1945 Jubilee Medal, 1935 USC Long Service Medal, 1952 The National Archives have published medal record cards for all British WW1 medal recipients. John Adams had two record cards: The first for the receipt of the 1914-1915 Star: The second for the Military Medal and Bar (the bar is signified by the diagonal mark across the card):

John Adams (Army No. 13971) fought with the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers in the Great War, and this site records his letters home over the period 1915-1916. He started this period in a training camp in Newtownards, moved to Sussex for further training, was deployed to the Western Front, was wounded 2 months before the Battle of the Somme, and spent Christmas in a camp in Tipperary. The following is an extract from the Ulster Gazette January 1971, on his death: “For his bravery at Passchendaele he received the Military Medal and for courageous deeds the following year he also got a bar for his medal. He was twice wounded and once gassed and the only battle he did not take part in with his famous Ulster Division was that of the Somme on July 1st 1916, for he had been wounded in May of that year. He was discharged in 1919 when he had attained the rank of Acting Company Sergeant-Major and he was suffering from his war injuries.” He later went on to serve in the Ulster Special Constabulary in Co. Armagh from 1922 until retirement in 1952, and was awarded the MBE in 1952. He…

John Adams spent the first part of 1916 in the trenches in France.

John Adams spent the first part of 1916 in the trenches in France.

John Adams was wounded on 1 May 1916, by an accidental discharge of a round by one of his own Battalion. This probably saved his life, as the Battalion was largely wiped out two months later, on 1 July 1916.

John Adams spent most of 1918 at the Front, particularly near Saint-Quentin and later at Ypres. Early letters indicate that his mother, Mary Adams, was seriously ill (although she lived until the 1940s).

John Adams was wounded on 30 September 1918, by a serious shrapnel injury to the right thigh.

[hand-written note, undated, but probably from training in England immediately prior to embarkation for France] “D” Coy 13 Platoon No. 3 Section Regt No.RankName 13971LCplAdams J 14580“Nicholson L 14412“Lindsay W 14107“Crozier R.J 17913PteBlack J 14003“Burnison H 14013“Brown J[ack? – on the fold] 20318“Curry R 14069“Cordner W 14061“Carson R 14089“Chambers J 14290“Houston D 14717“Tedford H 14661“Reid T

John Adams was the second child of John and Mary Anne Adams and was born in the townland of Lisadian (parish of Tullyhappy) in South Armagh, not far from Kingsmills Presbyterian Church where the family worshipped. The 1901 Census of Ireland shows the family: John Adams (40*), Farmer – Died in 1912. Mary Anne Adams (35*), Dress Maker – John’s Mother in all the letters on this site. Died in 1942. Jane Adams (13) – Jennie on this site. Became a domestic servant (maid) to a family in Holywood, Co. Down (see 1911 Census for Holywood). Later emigrated to New Zealand and died in 1934. Annie Adams (11) – a number of letters in this batch written by her. Lived in Lisadian until her death in 1966. John Adams (9) James Meeke Adams (5) – Jimmy in these letters. Lived in the Lisadian labourers cottage all his life. I remember visiting him there as a child. *There appears to be a 10 year age discrepancy in the 1901 and 1911 censuses for John and Mary Anne Adams. John went from 40 to 62 in 10 years, Mary Anne went from 35 to 53. I suspect that the latter dates were…

[From a personal paper by John Adams] 9th Batt Royal Irish Fusiliers Formed at Clandeboye Co Down, September 1914 Commanding Officer Lt Col Stewart W. Blacker 2nd in Command Major W.G. Fitzgerald Company Commanders Captain G.R. Irwin A Company Captain J.F. Atkinson B Company Captain S.J. Scott C Company Captain D.G. Shillington D Company Second Lieutenants A.D. Allen, L.M. Anderson, J.G. Boyle, J.G Brew, C.H. Ensor, J.G.E. Fitzgerald, J.G. Given, C.M. Johnston, J. Johnston, H.K. Jackson, G. Lutton, W.G. Menaul, J.M. Stronge, A. Small, R.S. Townsend, A.B. Townsend. Quartermaster Major Ferguson R.S.M. Stillwell C.S.M. A. Tuck A Company C.S.M. McKane B Company C.S.M. Cross C Company C.S.M. Sharpe D Company 2nd Lieuts who came later G.St G.S. Cather later VC, G.E. Bancroft, G.C. Dickson, R.B. Flood, J.E. Gibson, R.T. Montgomery, J.G. Shillington January 1915 2nd Lieuts J.G. Brew and C.M Johnston were promoted Captains 2nd Lieuts L.M. Anderson, C.H. Ensor, J.G.E. Fitzgerald, R.S. Hood, J.E. Gibson, W.J. Menaul and J.G. Shillington were promoted Lieutenants June 1915 Lieut C.H. Ensor promoted temporary Captain 2nd Lieuts A.D. Allen, G.E. Barcroft, G. St G.S. Cather, G.C. Dickson, J.A. Johnston, R.J. Montgomery, W.F. Reid and J.M. Stronge to be temporary Lieutenants

[From a personal note] Place Names in France and Flanders. Places where I have been. Amiens Abbeville Acheux Aveley Wood, wounded May 1916 Auchouvilliers Achiet-le-Grand Abeel Bailleul Bertrancourt Bapaume Bolschepe Bethunne Cassel Caestre Canal du Nord Dranoutre Doullens Dadizeele Etaples Englebalmer Forceville Fletre Freze butq [sic] Grand Seracourt Hazebrouck Hyde Park Corner Hamel Hediville Hermies Ham Havincourt Hebreterne Kemmel Hill Metheran Messines Mervis Mesuel Martinsart Mont Noir Mont-des-Cats Merville Mouvres Mailly-Maillet Noyou Neuve-Eglish Passchendale Poperinghe Proven Peronne Ruyalcourt Roulers, wounded Oct 1918 Strazeele St Jans Cappel, L.G. [Lewis Gun] course 1917 St Sylvestre Cappel St Jean Slag Heap St Julien Steenvorde Thiepval Valmetinghe Westoubre Wieltje Winnegeele Watou Wulverghem White Chateu on Menin Road Wytshaete Ypres Ytres St Quentine

[From a personal note] D.C.M. C.S.M. Robert Lucas, Loughgall C.S.M. W.J. McClean, Portadown C.S.M. Thos Vennard, Tandragee C.Q.M.S. J. Robinson, Lurgan C.Q.M.S. H. Selby, Bessbrook Sgt. C. Carville, Portadown Sgt. J. Hughes, Portadown Sgt. W. Neill, Lurgan Bar to M.M. Sgt. John Adams, Lisadian, Whitecross Cpl. Harold Barton, Goragh, Newry M.M. C.S.M. Robert Lucas, Loughgall Sgt. John Adams, Lisadian, Whitecross Sgt. Robt Ferguson, Lurgan Sgt. J. Hughes, Portadown Sgt. R. Johnston, Portadown Sgt. W. Moorehead, Lurgan Sgt. W.H. Palmer, Portadown Sgt. J. Turkington, Lorgan Sgt. A.Vennard, Tandragee Cpl. Harold Barton, Goragh, Newry Cpl. R. Knaggs, Monaghan L/Cpl. D. Clarke, Bessbrook L/Cpl. S. Whiteside, Glenanne Pte. R. Buckley, Richhill Pte. J. Chambers, Glenanne Pte. R. Gillanders, Monaghan Pte. J. Elliott, Armagh

[From personal notes. Some words indistinct] 24 Sept 1914 Sept 1914 – Clandeboye Nov 1914 – Victoria Barracks 8 May 1915 – March Past Belfast June 1915 – Seaforde 30th Sept 1915 – King George V Oct 1915 – Landed [Le] Havre Nov 1915 – Heburterne Sector Feby 1916 – Thiepval Area May 1916 – wounded 1st July 1916 – Somme May 1917 – rejoined Regt 7 June 1917 – Messines [?] August – Ypres Salient 16 Aug 1917 Frezenburg MM Sept – Reserve trenches SW Cambrai. N.I.H. [North Irish Horse] came. Oct – Hermes Sector Nov 1917 – Battle of Cambrai Jan 1918 – relieve French at St Quentin 21 Mar 1918 [?] through leave Messines Daadizeele Aug 1918 Bar MM April Mont des Cats & Passchendaele Wounded 7 Oct 1918 at Rouler narrow Gauge

[similetimeline]

John Adams was discharged from the Army in 1919, while still suffering from his leg wound received in 1918. This period was difficult for him, as employment was difficult to find, and he used his old Army contacts to try to secure positions. Some key dates: 18 Feb 1919 – Demobilized from the Army, and transferred to the Army Reserve 28 April 1920-6 November 1921 – trained and then worked as a motor mechanic for Rowland and Harris Ltd, Newry period of unemployment – see correspondence with Major Shillington and Capt Ensor 23 February 1922 – joined the Ulster Special Constabulary (‘A’ Class). Rose quickly to Sergeant (8/6/1922) and promoted to Head Constable stationed at Middletown (1/10/1924). 13 March 1926 – ‘A’ Specials disbanded further period of employment, where he considered joining the Prison Service in NI or England 21 May 1926 – joined ‘B’ Specials as a full-time Sergeant Instructor. See his Diary of a Sergeant Instructor for his experiences in 1926-27. He was promoted to County Adjutant on 20/6/1941 and retired on 25/10/1952. The following correspondence is from this period.

John Adams enlisted in the 36th Ulster Division in September 1914, during the first full month of the war, and spent the rest of the year in training.

John Adams enlisted in the 36th Ulster Division in September 1914, during the first full month of the war, and spent the rest of the year in training.

1915 was where the War became real for many of the New Army soldiers. John Adams spent the first half of the year training in Ireland (including route marches around Co. Armagh), then transferred to Sussex for pre-deployment training. He eventually reached France in early October and was in the trenches shortly afterwards.

John Adams spent the first part of 1916 in the trenches in France.

John Adams was wounded on 1 May 1916, by an accidental discharge of a round by one of his own Battalion. This probably saved his life, as the Battalion was largely wiped out two months later, on 1 July 1916.

John Adams spent most of 1918 at the Front, particularly near Saint-Quentin and later at Ypres. Early letters indicate that his mother, Mary Adams, was seriously ill (although she lived until the 1940s).

John Adams was wounded on 30 September 1918, by a serious shrapnel injury to the right thigh.

John Adams was discharged from the Army in 1919, while still suffering from his leg wound received in 1918. This period was difficult for him, as employment was difficult to find, and he used his old Army contacts to try to secure positions. Some key dates: 18 Feb 1919 – Demobilized from the Army, and transferred to the Army Reserve 28 April 1920-6 November 1921 – trained and then worked as a motor mechanic for Rowland and Harris Ltd, Newry period of unemployment – see correspondence with Major Shillington and Capt Ensor 23 February 1922 – joined the Ulster Special Constabulary (‘A’ Class). Rose quickly to Sergeant (8/6/1922) and promoted to Head Constable stationed at Middletown (1/10/1924). 13 March 1926 – ‘A’ Specials disbanded further period of employment, where he considered joining the Prison Service in NI or England 21 May 1926 – joined ‘B’ Specials as a full-time Sergeant Instructor. See his Diary of a Sergeant Instructor for his experiences in 1926-27. He was promoted to County Adjutant on 20/6/1941 and retired on 25/10/1952. The following correspondence is from this period.

John Adams was wounded on 30 September 1918, by a serious shrapnel injury to the right thigh.

John Adams enlisted in the 36th Ulster Division in September 1914, during the first full month of the war, and spent the rest of the year in training.

John Adams was discharged from the Army in 1919, while still suffering from his leg wound received in 1918. This period was difficult for him, as employment was difficult to find, and he used his old Army contacts to try to secure positions. Some key dates: 18 Feb 1919 – Demobilized from the Army, and transferred to the Army Reserve 28 April 1920-6 November 1921 – trained and then worked as a motor mechanic for Rowland and Harris Ltd, Newry period of unemployment – see correspondence with Major Shillington and Capt Ensor 23 February 1922 – joined the Ulster Special Constabulary (‘A’ Class). Rose quickly to Sergeant (8/6/1922) and promoted to Head Constable stationed at Middletown (1/10/1924). 13 March 1926 – ‘A’ Specials disbanded further period of employment, where he considered joining the Prison Service in NI or England 21 May 1926 – joined ‘B’ Specials as a full-time Sergeant Instructor. See his Diary of a Sergeant Instructor for his experiences in 1926-27. He was promoted to County Adjutant on 20/6/1941 and retired on 25/10/1952. The following correspondence is from this period.

Roger, Mark and John Adams are visiting the Flanders and Somme area in May 2014, following in John Adams’ footsteps. We will update our progress here.

This podcast tells the story of John Adams’ war through his letters read by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren 100 years to the month after they were written. You can subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. The podcast is a Marksmess production.