ADAMS Joseph

Joseph Adams lived at 37 Hall Street, Oldswinford, with his parents and older brother, Ernest, and attended Oldswinford CE School.  He 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 Division.   After a period in the reserve during mid-1917 they arrived in Flanders to take part in one of the later stages of the Third Battle of Ypres at Poelcappelle.  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 probably been involved in the same battle and the two men were buried less than five miles apart.  Joseph’s name is also commemorated on his parents’ grave in St. Mary’s churchyard, Old Swinford.