Pte
Alfred Adams
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 15/04/1895 |
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Place of birth: Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Labourer |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 2367 |
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Enlistment date: 07/06/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 54th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 17/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Celtic Wood, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 22 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XXXIII Row: G Grave: 1 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Alfred Adams was born in 1895 in Dubbo, New South Wales. He was the son of Edward and Emma Adams and worked as a labourer till he joined the Australian Expeditionary Force in June 1916.
By February 1917 he served in “A” Company of the 54th Battalion Australian Infantry, part of the 14th Australian Brigade, of the 5th Australian Division. From September onward the Division participated in the Battle of Passchendaele. Seeing action in The Battle of the Menin Road (20 – 25 Sep), The Battle of Polygon Wood (26 Sep – 3 Oct), The Battle of Poelcapelle (9 Oct) and The First Battle of Passchendaele (12 Oct).
On the 17th of October 1917, the 54th Battalion relieved the 59th Battalion in the frontline at the hamlet of Molenaarelsthoek on the Broodseinde Ridge. At 5 p.m. all Companies set out from the Westhoek Ridge. The relief was completed without casualties by 7 p.m., with “A” Company taking up positions in the first line near Celtic. About 10 p.m. the frontline was heavily shelled by the German artillery. Four other ranks were killed and 41 men were wounded, due to the shelling. According to an eyewitness report, Alfred was sitting down in a trench at Celtic when a shell exploded near to him, killing him outright. The 22-year old was buried by his comrades close to where he fell. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred in Tyne Cot Cemetery.
By February 1917 he served in “A” Company of the 54th Battalion Australian Infantry, part of the 14th Australian Brigade, of the 5th Australian Division. From September onward the Division participated in the Battle of Passchendaele. Seeing action in The Battle of the Menin Road (20 – 25 Sep), The Battle of Polygon Wood (26 Sep – 3 Oct), The Battle of Poelcapelle (9 Oct) and The First Battle of Passchendaele (12 Oct).
On the 17th of October 1917, the 54th Battalion relieved the 59th Battalion in the frontline at the hamlet of Molenaarelsthoek on the Broodseinde Ridge. At 5 p.m. all Companies set out from the Westhoek Ridge. The relief was completed without casualties by 7 p.m., with “A” Company taking up positions in the first line near Celtic. About 10 p.m. the frontline was heavily shelled by the German artillery. Four other ranks were killed and 41 men were wounded, due to the shelling. According to an eyewitness report, Alfred was sitting down in a trench at Celtic when a shell exploded near to him, killing him outright. The 22-year old was buried by his comrades close to where he fell. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred in Tyne Cot Cemetery.
Sources 4
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54th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/71/21). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338583 Sources used |
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Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P11026989 Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, ADAMS A). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/NameSearch.aspx. Sources used |
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St. Claire R., Our gift to the empire : 54th Australian Infantry Battalion, 1916-1919, (St Claire Ross, Newcastle, 2006), pg. 145-149. Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/461706 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=d182de38-8637-4004-a921-3a42940b35a2 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7338061 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=641 |