THE BRITISH WAR MEDAL, VICTORY MEDAL AND MEMORIAL PLAQUE TO LIEUTENANT J.C. ADAMSON, WHO

THE BRITISH WAR MEDAL, VICTORY MEDAL AND MEMORIAL PLAQUE TO LIEUTENANT J.C. ADAMSON, WHO SAW SERVICE WITH THE 27TH (4TH TYNESIDE IRISH) BATTALION NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS DURING THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME IN 1916, AND AFTER BEING INVALIDED, AUGUST 1916, SUBSEQUENTLY SAW SERVICE ATTACHED TO THE 1ST BATTALION LINCOLNSHIRE REGIMENT. LIEUTENANT ADAMSON WAS KILLED IN ACTION AT THE BATTLE OF BROODENSIDE, 4/10/1917, A V.C. ACTION FOR THE 1ST LINCOLNS, WHOSE COMMANDING OFFICER WAS DECORATED WITH THE VICTORIA CROSS FOR REPEATED ACTS OF GALLANTRY WHILST PERSONALLY LEADING HIS OFFICERS AND MEN FORWARD DURING THE BATTLE, DESPITE BEING TWICE WOUNDED. Three: British War and Victory Medals (Lieutenant) Memorial Plaque (“John Conway Adamson”). BWM, Victory Medal and Memorial Plaque all mint state, BWM and Victory with lengths of original silk ribbon and original forwarding boxes (both flattened), Memorial Plaque with original card folder.

Group accompanied by copied birth certificate, extract from 1911 census, copied Medal Index card, 11 pages copied documents from Officer’s Service Papers file, copied extracts from Regimental History, copied extracts from the War Diary of the 27th Northumberland Fusiliers for the period January to August 1916, during the latter part of which period Adamson saw service with that battalion, and the War Diary for the 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment for the period 3rd to 5th October 1917, giving details of the 1st Lincolns at the battle of Broodenside, along with various additional copied research.

John Conway Adamson was the son of John Robert Adamson, a physician and surgeon, and Amy Alice Adamson (nee Conway). The 1911 census return records him as a 12 year old schoolboy resident with his parents, a brother and sister and two servants, at 152 Coatsworth Road, Gateshead. Adamson was educated at the Higher Grade and Secondary Schools, Gateshead. When he was commissioned into the army in 1915 Adamson was following in his father’s footsteps, a medical student at Durham University, where he was also a cadet in the University’s Officer Training Corps.

Adamson was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Special Reserve (Northumberland Fusiliers) 1/7/1915. He was subsequently posted for service with the 27th (4th Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. Although Adamson is not recorded in Joseph Keating’s “Irish Heroes in the War – The Tyneside Irish Brigade” (London, 1917) as being one of the original officers of the 4th Tyneside Irish, he is recorded in John Sheen’s “Tyneside Irish” (Pen & Sword Books, 1998), as having seen service with the 27th Northumberland Fusiliers as a 2nd Lieutenant, and Army Lists of the period confirm service with that battalion, Adamson being first recorded as serving with the 27th Northumberland Fusiliers in the July 1916 Monthly Army List.

On 1st July 1916 the 27th Northumberland Fusiliers formed part of 103rd Brigade, 34th Division and were given the task of attacking positions around La Boisselle. The battalion assembled in the Tara-Usna Line on the right of the 103rd Brigade in support of the 15th and 16th Royal Scots. The battalion began moving forward at 7.40 a.m., the battalion war diary noting that the 27th Northumberlands had sustained 70% casualties before reaching the German front line trench. Small parties reached Contalmaison, but were eventually forced to retire. By the time the battalion was withdrawn from the front line on 4th July it had sustained a total of 550 casualties.

Officer’s service papers confirm Adamson as having been invalided from France on 29/8/1916, whilst serving with the 27th Northumberland Fusiliers, suffering from pyrexia (fever) which was described as being of “unknown origin”. Adamson was subsequently treated at the First Western General Hospital, Fazakerley, Liverpool. By November 1916 Adamson had recovered sufficiently to be posted to the 83rd Training Reserve Battalion, attached 3rd Battalion West Riding Regiment in Yorkshire, being posted to that unit on 27/11/1916. He was subsequently posted back to France, where he was attached to the 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. Adamson, who was promoted Lieutenant 1/7/1917, was killed in action whilst serving with the 1st Lincolns during the battle of Broodenside, on 4/10/1917.

The 1st Lincolns launched their attack on the German lines during the battle of Broodenside from Polygon Wood. During the attack, the 1st Lincolns, who went into action 592 strong (22 officers and 570 other ranks), were subjected to a particularly intense German artillery and machine gun fire, with the result that the battalion lost a large number officers and men, with 18 out of 22 officers becoming casualties (5 killed, 11 wounded and 2 missing) and some 227 out of the 570 other ranks also being killed, wounded or missing. Remarkably, despite sustaining over 40% casualties during the battle of Broodenside, the 1st Lincolns War Diarist was of the opinion that the battalion got off relatively lightly, the War Diary containing a note with regard to the casualties sustained by the battalion during the battle of Broodenside to the effect that “these figures were considered light in the face of the fact that the German artillery fire in this battle was considered to be the heaviest and most concentrated of the whole war”.

The battalion’s commanding officer at Broodenside, Lieutenant Colonel L.P. Evans, D.S.O., led his battalion into action from the front, continuously urging his officers and men forward, and personally accounting for one German machine gun that was holding up the advance. The citation for his Victoria Cross, which illustrates clearly the intensity of the German artillery and machine gun fire that the 1st Lincolns advanced through, reads as follows: “Lieutenant Colonel Evans took his battalion in perfect order through a terrific enemy barrage, personally formed up all units, and led them to the assault. While a strong machine-gun emplacement was causing casualties, and the troops were working round the flank, Lieutenant-Colonel Evans rushed at it himself, and by firing his revolver through the loophole, forced the garrison to capitulate. After capturing the first objective, he was severely wounded in the shoulder, but refused to be bandaged and re-formed the troops, pointed out all future objectives, and again led his battalion forward. Again badly wounded he nevertheless continued to command, until the second objective was won, and after consolidation collapsed from loss of blood. As there were numerous casualties, he refused assistance, and by his own efforts ultimately reached the Dressing Station. His example of cool bravery stimulated in all ranks the highest valour and determination to win.”

Lieutenant Adamson, who was 19 years old at the time of his death, is confirmed in the Regimental History of the Lincolnshire Regiment as having been killed in action during the battle of Broodenside. He has no know grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cott Memorial.