Pte 52480 Frank Ernest Adams

• Age: 36
• From: Portsmouth
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Frank Ernest Adams was born the 7th Child of 8 in the September Quarter of 1880 Portsea Island at 21 Garnier Street, Portsea, Portsmouth the son of John Adams and his wife Caroline (nee Bryant) who married on the 2^nd July 1873 at Saint Mary’s, Portsea. 

He had 3 elder sisters and 3 elder brothers, however tragedy was to befall the family a number of times. His eldest sister Rosa Kate Adams was born September 1873 died in June 1874.  Another elder sister Florence was born September 1878 and died December 1879. His younger sister Catherine Amy Adams born 1883 died 6 months later in1884. His Father John was an Engine Fitter, he died aged only 38 in 1887 when Frank was only 6 years old. 

The 1881 Census shows the family living at 21 Garnier Street, Portsea.

The father John is aged 32, an engine fitter b.Portsea, mother Caroline is aged 34 b.Portsea, children John E. 6 a scholar b.St George, London, Frederick 5 a scholar b.St George, London, Albert E. 3 b.Portsea, Caroline M. 2 b.Portsea, and Frank E. 8mths b.Portsea.  

The 1891 Census shows Frank as a Scholar living with his widowed mother and his siblings still at 21 Garnier Street, Portsea.

In 1897 aged 17 he moved to London to become a Civil Servant at Whitehall in the Board of Education as an Assistant Clerk. At this time he was living with his elder Brother John Edward Adams and his Wife Clara at 3 Stanmore Road, Tottenham. This is confirmed by the 1901 Census showing him aged 20 living there also with his elder sister Caroline May Adams and elder brother Albert Edmund Adams.

The 1911 Census shows him  still living with Caroline and Albert with the three of them living at 83 Boundary Road, Wood Green, Tottenham. Frank is still an Assistant Clerk in Whitehall aged 31. He was an Assistant Clerk (Board of Education, Whitehall) and served nineteen years in Government Service. 

In 1914 aged 34 Frank appears to have enlisted as Pte. 20500 in the East Surrey Regiment sadly no attestation papers appear to have survived.


In 1916 now aged 36 he was transferred to 3 Coy 18th Pals Battalion Kings (Liverpool Regiment) and became Pte 52480 under Temporary Captain Guy Ravenscroft. Frank now found himself at the Somme. In October 1916 the 18th Battalion were involved in The Battle of Flers which was part of The Battle of Le Transloy.

Frank was killed in action during the attack of 12 October 1916 involving also other Pals Battalions.

The 18^th Battalion  suffered heavy losses that afternoon and the death toll shows many of the 18th Battalion had been transferred in from other Regiments to build up the Battalion numbers following the events at Montauban, Trones Wood and Guillemont in July.

Frank’s body was either not recovered or subsequently lost as he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme at Pier and Face 1D 8B and BC.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01^st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission site  confirms his parents as the late John Adams and Caroline of Wood Green

It also confirms that Frank was a Civil Servant for 19 years in the Department of Education in Whitehall

His soldiers Will left his estate to his elder sister Caroline May Adams who never married.

She also as his Executrix, received his Soldiers Effects and 3 Pounds 4 Shillings and 3 Pence in March 1917 from the Preston Depot plus a War Gratuity in June 1919. She also received his Army Pension and his Medals, address 83 Boundary Road, Wood Green, Tottenham. 

Mother died aged 80 on the 22nd May 1927  

Probate:- 

ADAMS Caroline of 83 Boundary Road, Wood Green, Middlesex widow died 22 March 1927 Probate London 20 April to Caroline May Adams spinster. Effects £136 12s 10d. 

We currently have no further information on Frank Ernest Adams, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.       

Grateful thanks are extended to Alan Chapman for the detailed biography