RNZAF Biographies of Deceased Personnel: 1939 - 1945, Ab - Bl

While at Moreton-in-Marsh he made his first operational trip as second pilot of a Wellington on a raid on Essen in Germany. In late June, 1942 Flying Officer Adams proceeded from Harwell to the Middle East. He flew with the remainder of his crew to Egypt, calling en route at Portneath in Cornwall, Gibraltar and Malta. On arrival in the Middle East, he was posted to No. 40 (Bomber) Squadron at Shallufa in Egypt and during July took part in a number of raids on Tobruk. On July 12, when returning to base from a night raid on Tobruk his aircraft force landed in the famous Qattara Depression in the Western Desert, but he later reached base safely. He was promoted to Flying Officer on July 26,1942. August saw F/O Adams on almost daily raids on Tobruk, until on the 14th the Wellington of which he was second pilot crashed on landing at Shallufa and he was slightly injured. On the night of September 25/26, 1942, Flying Officer Adams was second pilot of a Wellington bomber which failed to return to base from a raid on Tobruk. No wireless messages were received from the aircraft, but other planes engaged on the same operation reported that an aircraft was seen to crash and burst into flames approximately one mile south of Gubbi Satellite at Tobruk. F/O Adams was later presumed to have lost his life. The other New Zealanders in the crew were Sgt. G. F. Langham (Pilot), Sgt. J. M. Welsh (Observer). and Sgt. R. H. Cook (W.O.A.G.)

Advice was later received from the Air Ministry that F/O Adams was Mentioned in Despatches for his service in the Middle East.

5/2/5795 A.S.2.		Mrs. F. M. Adams (M)
372 hrs. as pilot.		35 Dedwood Terrace,
		Ponsonby, AUCKLAND.

HW/NF

429911	:	Flight Sergeant James Main ADAMS.
WIFE	:	Mrs. E. G. Adams of Invercargill.

James Adams was born on the 14th October, 1917, at Dunedin, and received his secondary education at Winton District High School, where he gained his Senior Free Place. His sporting interests were boxing and tennis, and he was a member of his school 1st XV. After leaving school, he was employed by R. W. Goodall, Winton; Mrs. O. F. Rice, Invercargill; Dentons Motors, Bluff; and Invercargill Red Band Taxis, respectively. At the time of his making application for aircrew training in the RNZAF - on the 14th January, 1941- he had completed three years service in the Territorials.

F/S adams was enlisted at Ohakea on the 21st August, 1942, and was here employed for two months on ground duties with an Aerodrome Defence Unit. On the 29th October he was posted to Rotorua and, having satisfactorily completed his initial training at this station, embarked for Canada on the 10th January, 1943.

Shortly after arrival in Canada F/S Adams was posted to No. 2 Wireless School, Calgary, Alberta, but his course as interrupted on his being admitted to hospital suffering from pleurisy. Though his condition was not considered to be serious, his wireless training was terminated and he was remustered to air gunner. In September, having made a satisfactory recovery, he proceeded to Trenton, Ontario, and thence on the 16th October to No. 3 Bombing & Gunnery School, MacDonald, Manitoba. At the latter school he was - on the 26th November - awarded the air gunner's badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He was further promoted Flight Sergeant on the 26th May, 1944. On the 16th October, 1943, he was posted to No. 1 "Y" Depot, for embarkation to the United Kingdom.

On arrival at No. 12 (RNZAF) Personnel Reception Centre, Brighton, England, F/S Adams was - on the 11th January, 1944 - posted to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Oakley, a nearby satellite aerodrome for Westcott, Buckinghamshire.

Whilst with this unit, both at Oakley and Westcott, he carried out air exercises as air gunner on Wellington bomber aircraft. On the 12th May he proceeded to No. 1657 Conversion Unit, Shepherds Grove, Suffolk where he converted to Stirling bomber aircraft. On completion of this coursee he was posted to No. 3 Lancaster Finishing School, Feltwell, Norfolk, for a short course on Lancaster bomber aircraft. On the 17th July, 1944, he proceeded to No. 622 Squadron, Mildenhall, Suffolk, from which base he flew as air gunner on 18 operational flights over enemy territory. The targets on these raids included Le Havre, Calais, in France; Rüsselsheim, Hamel, Kiel, Stettin, in Germany; and Eindhoven, in Holland. He also flew on minelaying operations in the Baltic Sea and Kiel areas.r

On the 20th September, 1944. F/S Adams, as a member of the crew of a Lancaster bomber aircraft, was returning from an attack on a target in Calais, France, when his aircraft collided in mid-air with another machine and crashed at Wormington, near Colchester. All the crew, including F/S Adams and two other New Zealanders, F/O H. E. Preichard and F/S G. W. Fitness, lost their lives. F/S Adams was buried with full Service honours at the RAF Regional Cemetery, Cambridge.

5/2/7974		Mrs. E. G. Adams (W)
239 hrs. as air gunner.		83 Newcastle Street,
		INVERCARGILL.

MRP/NF

424402	:	Flying Officer Thomas Gordon Huie ADAMS.
PARENTS	:	Mr. & Mrs. T. A. Adams of Dunedin.

Thomas Adams was born in Dunedin on the 17th September, 1916, and received his secondary education at the Dunedin Technical High School.

He was interested in sport and enjoyed rugby, cricket, swimming and rifle shooting. His occupation was that of a printer and he was employed by Coulls, Somerville Wilkie Ltd., Crawford Street, Dunedin. Prior to joining the RNZAF he served for two years in the Territorials.

F/O Adams applied for training as an airman pilot on the 26th April, 1941, and was eventually enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Rotorua, in May, 1942. At the completion of his initial training he was posted, in July, to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Taiera. Shortly afterwards his flying training was teminated, and on the 4th September, 1942, he proceeded to RNZAF Station, Rangotai. On November 26, he was posted back to the Initial Training Wing, Rotorua, and was remustered to air observer. He embarked for Canada on the 12th February, 1943, for instruction under theEmpire Air Training Scheme.

On arrival in Canada F/O Adams was posted, on the 7th March, 1943, to No. 5 Air Observers' School, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and in June to No. 7 Bombing and Gunnery School, Paulson, in the same province. On September 3 he proceeded to No.7 Air Observers' School, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, and at the completion of his course was awarded, on the 15th October, 1943, his air observers' badge and promoted to Sergeant. He was later commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer with effect from the same date. The following month he embarked for the United Kingdom.

F/O Adams, on arrival in England, was posted, on the 7th March, 1944, to No. 2 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit, Millom, Cumberland, and on the 15th April, was promoted to Flying Officer. Early in May he proceeded to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Westcott, Buckinghamshire, and from this base and the nearby satellite aerodrome at Oakley he trained on Wellington aircraft. Towards the end of July he was posted to No. 1651 Conversion Unit, Wratting Common, Cambridgeshire, for instruction on Stirling aircraft, and on the 15th September, 1944, he proceeded to No. 161 Squadron, Tempsford, Bedfordshire. He was with this Squadron a very short time, but on one occasion took part in a raid over an enemy target in Belgium. On the 30th September he was posted to No. 1657 Conversion Unit, Stradishall, Suffolk, and on the 21st of October, to No. 514 Squadron, Waterbeach, Cambrdgeshire. With this Squadron he carried out, as an air bomber of Lancaster aircraft, bombing raids on a number of German targets, including arms factories in the Solingen, synthetic oil plants in Hamburg and Dortmund, and troop concentrations in the area of Heinsburg.

On the 20th November, 1944, F/O Adams was air bomber of a Lancaster aircraft which took off on air operations over the German town of Hamburg and failed to return to its base. All the members of the crew, including F/O Adams, were reported missing. It was later presumed that he had lost his life.

5/2/10124 AS2		Mrs. E. G. Adams (M)
393 hrs. as air bomber		76 South Road,
hrs. as pilot		DUNEDIN. S.W.1.