Southam in WW1

Centenary Archive

Honouring those who died and all who served

Private George Frederick Adams

The family in Oxford Street, Southam of George Frederick Adams was one deeply affected by the war. Son of Henry Adams a butcher and his wife Elizabeth, tragedy hit the family when George’s elder brother Arthur was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. George (born November 1898) turned eighteen the following month and enlisted. He served in France with the Royal Defence Corp.

Private Adams was badly gassed and discharged in April 1918. He was awarded a Silver War Badge (343810) which wounded ex-servicemen wore on their civilian clothes to show they were not shirking but had received an ‘honourable discharge’.

George eventually returned to employment.  He married Lillie Fell of Bascote at Ufton Church in 1924 and they lived in Leamington where he worked as a grocery assistant. 

Despite his injuries George lived to be a relatively old man. He died in 1969 and is buried in Ufton churchyard.