ADAMS, Joseph

Joseph Adams was the son of Joseph and Henzey Adams who lived at 37 Hall Street, Oldswinford, with his older brother, Ernest. He attended Oldswinford C of E School and worked as a cog-maker for Swinnerton’s, also in Hall St. He enlisted in the Worcesters, probably in 1916, and was sent to the 14th Battalion, the Pioneer battalion of the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division. After a period in reserve during mid-1917 they arrived in Flanders to take part in the later stages of the Third Battle of Ypres. The battle of Poelcappelle opened on the 9th October. Several strong working parties were sent up to the front line in the course of the action and casualties were sustained from shell fire. One of these was Private Joseph Adams who was killed on the 11th October 1917. On the same day his older brother, Ernest Adams of the Hampshire Regiment, died of wounds. He had been involved in the same battle and the two men were buried less than five miles apart. Private Joseph Adams was 20 years of age and is buried in Cement House Cemetery, Langemarck (1 G 12) and commemorated on the Stourbridge, Oldswinford church, and Oldswinford C of E School Memorials and on his parents’ grave in St. Mary’s churchyard.