Story
John Dingle Adams came from a well-to-do background and had achieved high status in his career as a civil engineer. But something had happened and he enlisted in the Army as a Private giving his trade as motor driver. He was not a well man and the Army discharged him just 84 days later. Then, barely a year after the war ended, he was dead. John Dingle Adams, of Tutton(?), Broadstone, had enlisted on 22 January 1915 and joined the Army Service Corps. Within three months his Army service was ended. The reason given on his Pension Record was that, as per paragraph 329 iii of King's Regulations, he was 'not likely to become an effective soldier.' No other explanation was offered at the time although when he attested he was marked down 'for Home Service only'. Many years after his death the reason was spelt out when an application was made for a medal. His medal record card refers to his reason for discharge being 'Sick VDH' (Valvular Disease of the Heart.) He was awarded, posthumously, a Silver War Badge. It was a premature end to a life that had begun with huge promise. John Adams, 5ft. 6.5in., stocky with a 39.5in. chest, was not a young man when he enlisted. He was 38 years and three months old, married and had two children. Born in Kensington in 1876, he was the son of William Grylles Adams, a professor of Natural Philosophy, and his wife Mary. In 1901 John D. Adams, was still living with his Cornish-born parents in the very exclusive Campden Hill Square in Holland Park, Kensington. John by now 24, was listed a civil engineer. He married Alice Caroline Robinson four years later, on 5 June 1905. His bride was living at Belsize Grove. She was the daughter of a civil engineer. The wedding took place at St John's, Camden, Hampstead. John was living in Thames Ditton at the time and gave his profession as electrical engineer. The following year John became an Associate member of the Institute of Civil Engineers and was by now living at Badharlick in Broadstone, Dorset. He had a BA degree from Oxford. By 1911, the family were living at Vineyard Hill Road in Wimbledon Park, where John was registered as an elector. Their eldest child, Richard, was born at Molesey, Surrey, just under a year later and their second son, John, at Addlestone in the same county in April 1907. We do not yet know what caused his death in December 1919. It was some months after the Spanish flu pandemic, which had swept across Europe and beyond, had come to an end. He died at 21 Mars Avenue in Eltham, near London, but his body was brought back to Broadstone for burial. The vicar, the Rev Rocksborough, conducted the funeral service. Probate was granted the following March to his widow and he left effects to the value of £388 3s 1d. In 1939, Alice, still a widow, of private means, was living at a house possibly called 'Winston' in Upper Golf Links Road. She died in 1960 at the age of 86.