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John Adams

Trooper, 107th Company, 6th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry – Anglo Boer War
Staff Sergeant, South African Medical Corps (Sanitation Section) – WWI

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 & 1902 to 30023 Pte. J. Adams, 107th Coy. IMP. YEO.
- British War Medal to S/Sjt. J. Adams, S.A.M.C.
- Victory Medal to S/Sjt. J. Adams, S.A.M.C.

John Adams was born in North Leith, Midlothian, Scotland on 9 January 1877 the son of David and Elizabeth Adams. Aged 4 at the time of the 1881 Scotland census John lived at 49 Couper Street in Leith along with his parents and siblings David (11), Janet (9), William (7) and 8 month old Archibald bringing up the rear.

The picture ten years later at the time of the 1891 Scotland census was little different with 14 year old schoolboy John joined in the house with the same siblings but with two new additions – Thomas (7) and Alice (3). The family had also moved house and now resided at 239 Junction Street in Leith South.



Having completed his schooling Adams determined to pursue employment in the Plumbing trade and it was in the capacity of Plumber that we find him on 21 February 1901 when he attested for service in the Boer War at Edinburgh. The Anglo Boer War had been raging since October 1899 some 16 months before Adams betook himself to the recruiting office. The fortunes of the war had initially favoured the Boers but had, since the middle of 1900, swung the way of the British with the Boer forces on the run and operating in highly mobile Commandos deploying “hit and run” tactics and frustrating British attempts to bring them to heel and end the conflict.

There was always a need for fresh volunteers (which is what brought the Imperial Yeomanry into being in the first instance) and there were to be several more drafts before the war was over. Adams joined the ranks of the 107th Company, part of the 6th Battalion (Lanarkshire) of the Imperial Yeomanry. His attestation papers, completed for Short Service – One Year with the Colours – confirmed that he was a Plumber ages 24 years and 1 month and that he was unmarried. Physically he was 5 feet 7 ½ inches in height, weighed 145 pounds and had a dark complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Having been found Fit for the Army he was assigned no. 30023 and the rank of Private and stood ready to do his duty. On 17 April he was posted to his company by which time, having sailed for South Africa on 16 March 1901, he had already arrived in the theatre of war. The pitched battles of Magersfontein, Paardeberg, Belmont and others were long a thing of the past when he took the field and no further battle clasps were to be won but this did not in any way detract from the importance of the work still to be done. [/size]


Could this be the John Adam(s) - subject of this post?

As has been mentioned the Boers were still putting up a hot resistance and trouble flared up in almost all of the occupied territories including the Cape Colony and Natal and the I.Y. were constantly on the move chasing the fast-moving Boers across the length and breadth of the countryside. Adams would have been involved in many of these skirmishes proof of his presence there borne out by the clasps he was awarded to his Queens Medal – Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal.

All in all he spent 1 year and 23 days in South Africa under the hot sun until, on 11 August 1902 and having returned to the United Kingdom, he was discharged at Aldershot on the termination of his engagement. His conduct was described as Very Good and he was allowed to claim 1 year and 172 days service. On the home front, according to the 1901 Scotland census, he was returning to 2 Beaumont Place in Edinburgh where his family – headed by his mother since the death of his father – now resided.

John Adams, having been exposed to South Africa and its temperate climate must have elected to return to that country at some stage. A qualified Plumber it came as no surprise that he decided to join the Rand Water Board based at Langlaagte near Johannesburg on the Witwatersrand. The Rand Water Board, pre the Great War, had a distinctly British character, with practically all of its senior employees being either British or English speaking. As a result the water board lost the services of a substantial number of its employees as they enlisted in the war. In fact, between 1914 and 1918, 75% of head office staff, 57% of the officials of the Chief Engineer’s Department and 33% of the ordinary employees of the Chief Engineer’s Department enlisted in one or other war related activity (on the understanding that their posts would be kept open until they returned).

John Adams was one of this number – the Great War broke out on 4 August 1914 but it was only on 14 March 1916 that a 38 year old Adams attested for service with the South African Medical Corps for service in German East Africa at Potchefstroom. Completing the attestation papers he confirmed his employment as well as the fact that he was married to Catherine and had three children. He confirmed his mother, Elizabeth Adams c/o W. Waddell of 256 Dalry Road, Edinburgh, as a partial dependant. He also made mention of 18 months service in the Boer War with the Imperial Yeomanry and added that he had served 1 year (non war service) with the Transvaal Scottish. Physically little had altered in the 14 years since he had last attested – he was still 5 feet 7 inches in height with a fresh complexion (as opposed to dark), blue eyes and brown hair. Assigned no. 1637 and the rank of Private he slotted into the Sanitation Section of the South African Medical Corps – the only negative being that he was diagnosed with a case of varicocele – an abnormal enlargement of the scrotum.

Having arrived in German East Africa ex the “Professor Woerman” on 1 April 1916 Adams set about his business. Promotion, doubtless owing to his experience as a Plumber, was rapid – on 4 September 1916 he was made an Acting Corporal becoming a Staff Sergeant on 7 January 1918. With effect from 14 March 1916 he received additional Sanitation pay – the work of the 3rd Sanitation section being to ensure, where possible, potable and drinkable water and ablution facilities for the troops stationed there. They were also responsible for taking care of the sanitation around the cooking process – all very responsible jobs considering the adverse impact a “bad stomach” could and did have on men on the move in a very inhospitable climate riddled with malaria, black water fever and other problems.

Here Adams was to succumb along with the vast majority of Europeans in East Africa to the ravages of malaria. On Christmas Day 1916 he disembarked at Durban ex H.M.T. “Aragon” having been sent home sick and was granted 3 months recuperative leave to Johannesburg before returning to German East Africa aboard the H.M.T. “Royal Oak” on 22 July 1917 for a second stint embarking aboard the Hospital Ship “Ebani” on 22 January 1919 for his final trip home to the Union. On 10 March 1919 he was finally discharged from the army at Durban and was free to return home to his family with a Military Character of Very Good and service of two years and 362 days.


Adams with his wife in later years

The war over Adams returned to his civilian occupation. At some point he moved to Durban which is where, on 20 September 1968 at the age of 91 he passed away at 8 Glenmore Crescent, Durban North. He had outlived his wife who passed away exactly 18 years earlier. He was survived by his children George Archibald Adams, John Bryson Adams and Margaret Elizabeth Gatherer. His grandson remembers him as being referred to as “one of nature’s gentlemen.” He had one of the most amazing personalities – caring and personable, popular with everyone he befriended, full of humility, a deep interest in current affairs and a strong family man. He lived with us at our home in Glenmore Crescent, Durban North until he died.

He was an active member of the Durban North Bowling Club and achieved a number of awards and trophies as a Natal veteran champion. He played football for the Hearts Football club in Edinburgh and when he lived in Germiston, he was one of the founders of the Germiston Callies Football club.


Adams three months prior to his passing away

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Finding out more about a recipient through making contact with his family has always been a rewarding experience. Shortly after I posted this story I made contact with John Adams' grandson who kindly provided me with photographs of him and some anecdotal information which otherwise would have been lost in time.

I have amended my post with the above.

Regards

Rory