2nd Lt
Joseph Francis Adams

Information about birth

Year of birth:
1888
Place of birth:
Trelawnyd (Newmarket), Flintshire, Wales, United Kingdom

General information

Profession:
Seaman
Religion:
Roman Catholic

Army information

Country:
Australia
Force:
Australian Imperial Force
Rank:
Second Lieutenant
Service number:
357
Enlistment date:
20/11/1915
Enlistment place:
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Units:
 —  Australian Infantry, 35th Bn. (Newcastle's Own Regiment)  (Last known unit)

Information about death

Date of death:
12/10/1917
Place of death:
Judge Copse, Belgium
Cause of death:
Killed in action (K.I.A.)
Age:
29

Cemetery

Tyne Cot Cemetery
Plot: LXVI
Row: G
Grave: 19

Points of interest 3

#1 Place of birth
#2 Enlistment place
#3 Place of death (approximate)

My story

Joseph Francis Adams was the son of James and Susanah Adams. He was born around 1888 in Trelawnyd (Newmarket), Flintshire. He worked as a sailor. Before the First World War, he moved to Australia. He enlisted in the Australian Army. During the war, he was promoted to Second Lieutenant. He was a part of the 35th Battalion Australian Infantry Regiment (9th Brigade, 3rd Division).

Joseph died on 12 October 1917 during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The starting lines of the attack on Passchendaele were near Keerselaarhoek. At 5.25 a.m., the starting signal for the attack was given. The 35th Battalion advanced in support of the 34th Battalion. They managed to capture Hillside Farm and Augustus Wood, thus reaching their first objectives. After a temporary delay due to machine gun fire, they managed to advance further. The consolidation lasted until around 3 p.m. The battalion was then forced to retreat to the vicinity of Augustus Wood. The attack ended about 300 yards beyond the original starting lines.

Joseph was killed during the attack at the age of 29. He was seriously wounded by shrapnel. He was carried to the trenches by stretcher bearers, but a grenade killed them all. Joseph's body was found near Judge Copse after the war. He was reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.

Sources 5

35th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/52/4).
https://www.awm.gov.au/
Sources used
Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455 ADAMS J F).
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/
Sources used
Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCIDG1037196).
https://www.awm.gov.au/
Sources used
McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 1995), 129.
Sources used
Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8 23/52/1).
https://www.awm.gov.au/
Sources used

More information 4